lunch with mom

About a month ago, I wrote about my sister Kari, who may or may not have a meth problem. Read here to catch up.

I saw my mother last week for her birthday, with my niece and nephew. My sister was noticeably absent.

"Where's Kari?" I asked.

"She said she was going to come, but then she decided to spend the day with her boyfriend," my mother replied.

And then just left the babies with my mother, on her birthday? I suspect that Kari just didn't want to see me, because then I would call her out on her recent behavior. And this is the problem with the family: Kari has never had to face the responsibilities of her choices, because my mother has always been around to take care of the babies.

"How does she look?" I asked.

"She looks fine," my mother said. "She was given a prescription to help keep her calm, but she took the last pill yesterday, and she's not getting a refill."

So a 30-day prescription is going to cure a possible meth addiction?

"So, she just ran off with her boyfriend, instead of having lunch with us on your birthday?"

"Well, she gave me a present first."

"What did she give you?"

"She gave me a couple of tops for work."

"How did she get the money for that?" I was grilling my mother, and I could tell she was getting upset, but my mother has too much blind faith.  Kari doesn't have a job. Or money. She has two kids and lives with my mother in a 2 bedroom duplex.

"She gets assistance."

Yeah, that's to help take of two children and buy them food and clothes. I was annoyed and changed the subject and started talking to my niece and nephew. My niece wanted me to take her to the mall. Who can say no to this face:

We went to the mall, walked around, and ate dippin dots. She said she wants to be a princess for Halloween. My nephew wants to be Spiderman. 

Love them.