Nemesis

(circa 2011)
 
I dated a Filipina for two years. 
Her name was Thalia, a newspaper reporter
for a local paper in northern New Jersey.
We decided to cohabite before getting married,
to see if her 10 year old daughter
was going to accept me as a step-Dad.
 
I painted Nicky's room pink,
her favorite color and
put up shelving to make room
for all her toys and stuffed animals.
 
I took her out for pizza and to the movies.
For her birthday I gave her a card full of money.
I use to take her to the kiddie park in Warwick NY.
 
I vacuumed the house weekly.
One day I used the sweeper in Nicky’s room and
the card I bought her fell off the book shelf.
My name on the card was crossed out,
And underneath was written “NEMESIS.”
 
I  opened up my heart and home to this young child,
and I think she was afraid I was stealing
some of her mother’s love for her.
It became clear it was not going to work out,
and they moved back in with Thalia’s mother.
 
Maybe the child will one day find out
she does not live with her father,
because he use to beat up her mother.
Perhaps one day she will realize
her half-sister is the result of an adulterous affair.
 
While I felt betrayed by the child,
I am still impressed a 10 year old
knew what nemesis meant.