Mature

I have a cousin who is slightly autistic. She just can't mature completely. She's about thirty years old and she is an adult. She looks like one, talks like one, and for the most part acts like one. But you can just tell that there's something slightly off. When I was younger I loved her. She always hung around with me cause she loves kids. And I thought she was amazing and completely normal. Then her sister had a child, I began to grow up, and my parents told me she had to take medicine because she got overly emotional sometimes. So I began to notice things. I began thinking. She was very close to her niece. She said she was her mom too. She's very high strung. And always up in someone's business. She has to live with her parents because she can't move out. And every time we would go visit I would hang with her cause we're the closest in age and both girls. But anyway. When I was little she was amazing. When I was about twelve she kind of got on my nerves because she thought she was more of an adult than me and would scold me for small things. When I was about fourteen we reached the same maturity level. And we got on great. We talked about relationships and stuff and I really enjoyed spending time with her. There's a man she's been dating for eight months now that she met online and her face just lights up when she talks about him. I really hope they work out. And I used to dream about us being at each other's weddings. Then I grew beyond her. I became more mature. I've watched myself do what she can't. And it makes me sad. I get to grow up and move out and fall in love and work and have a painfully normal life. While she, is stuck at home. With the mind of a fifteen year old girl. I now can see how her mother treats her. She acts like she's unintelligent. She tells her she doesn't know what she's talking about and she gets very exasperated over the smallest little hiccups. Her mother snaps at her sometimes for an off comment or something she told her to let go that she mentions again. I never used to notice these things as a child. But now all I see is a thirty year old woman.... living a fifteen year olds life.