I was a consequence. I would harass them and ruin their lives if need be like they'd ruined mine. Okay, maybe not ruined. My life wasn't ruined. I don't want to sound melodramatic.
Hard times pass.
Of course from the looks of this woman hard times had been a frequent and unwelcome houseguest. Looking at her, I began to have my doubts. I'd had so many doubts so often I hardly noticed them any more, like background music. I couldn't help thinking that maybe I had it all wrong. Maybe this person wasn't my mother.