Roxana

Roxana
here I go.........This AM I finally got around to sweeping leaves. I cleaned up my parking lot and much of the back and some of the front yard. I must have loaded nearly 20 wheelbarrow loads and threw the leaves onto the back path for mulch. I am still very sweaty and dirty but its good honest work! As I was working, My cop friend pulled up so we chatted for a few minutes; as he started pulling away he added "Why don't you get one of those leaf blowers?" So I replied "I'd rather live simply, with less expense and BS, save money so next year I'll be able to move to Alaska and buy a log cabin!"Anyway, I was almost through with my yardwork and a small girl approached. I have seen her before and have always thought she had cerebral palsy. She walks with a limp and hardly has any use of her left arm and hand. She keeps her damaged arm close to her body like she is protecting it. She looks like a little dove with a broken wing. She told me she needs my help and that she is hungry and very sleepy. She added that she is terrified because she found this very morning out she is pregnant. She related that she is too afraid to go to her father's home with the pregnancy news...and that she needs a place to stay. I replied that I have no room for her but she is welcome to visit. She waited while I scooped up my last wheelbarrow load for leaves and thought about whether it was a good idea to invite this sweet faced, stunted girl into my home. But as I picked up my last bunch of leaves, it started pouring!Her name is Roxana. She is 24 but looks about 19 because she is only about 4'11". Emotionally, I would say that little Roxana is about 15, and I don't know if she finished highschool. This morning, Roxana had walked all the way to the doctor (where she was informed that her pregnancy test was positive) and then she had walked to her boyfriend's house, where she has informed him of her early pregnancy. She had probably walked over 5 miles with her laborious, crooked walk. I asked Roxana many questions. She told me that her boyfriend is much older, probably 40 because his hair is grey. She told me he is OK regarding the news of her pregnancy but does not wish to live with her because his trailer is too small. She kept stressing that she is simply terrified of her father being angry about her pregnancy because he already has diabetes and is strapped for money.So I fed her some fruit and apple sauce and we shared some hot chocolate. After I fed her, she told me she was exhausted and wanted to sleep; so I have allowed her to sleep on my couch. I made the couch more comfortable and tucked her in. What is scary is that she has scabies but is treating it with cream. She told me that recently 2 local highschool boys had raped her. They had used condoms but had given her the scabies. She scratches herself alot but I am not too paranoid of her having scabies since I know how to treat bugs and am constantly bombarded with fleas from my dog and 2 cats and lice from the chickens. I constantly seem to be debugging my house! Little Roxana is sure that her baby belongs to her 'boyfriend" because he does not use condoms. I really do hope he marries her.I tried counselling Roxana and told her if the boyfriend is an older man, and a real MAN - that he needs to approach her father and tell him that his intentions are to marry Roxana and take care of their baby: but first he needs to prove himself by getting a larger trailer. Roxana told me he intends to get a bigger home when he receives his tax return. I do hope so.Roxana is a sweet faced, damaged little soul. She is also the mother of a 6 year old girl called "Precious Angel". This birth was the result of poor Roxana being raped by her OWN brother and uncle. How atrocious.
I am willing to be Roxana' friend, and occasionally feed and counsel her. I told her that I will buy her some vitamins for her pregnancy. SO I will! I plan to walk her home tonight, maybe that will give her the courage and confidence she will need to break the pregnancy news to here father. I am sure I will have more visits from Roxana since she lives in my neighbors' low income apartment complex which is practically next door to me. I have to stress to her that I work alot and am only home at certain times so she does not disturb me or my room mate. I really wish the best for this young women. She has already had a tough life.
Where is Roxana right now? Still too scared to go talk to her father, and is still sleeping on my couch. Yes I know she has scabies but I can't turn her away. Her biological mother lives in the same town but they are not close. Roxana's older sister raises her 7 year old daughter who is apparently healthy and in the 3rd grade.My big hope is that Roxana's "boyfriend" is a good man and stands before Roxana's father and pledges that he will marry and take care of little Roxana and raise the baby. I hope is that this happens soon. My hope is that the nasty neighborhood boys stay way from this innocent, disabled little girl. I may not have much time between my job, my roommate and animals, but I choose to be Roxana's friend.