(Sh)It Happens: A Short Story

A Letter to Jackson

It was just a normal day for me: a typical high school dropout. No likely aspirations in life and no life. After the 8th month of managing a guy's sport and attending biweekly tennis meetings along with church events, I was going to explode. No one ever knows how little guys listen, until you try to tell them to do something. Believe me, I can and will rant about this all day. As for you, my dear one, you came on a not so ordinary day. The mundane schedule of my daily activities was in play, but this time, during a church meeting, your mother needed me. She tried calling, but I didn't pick up due to the Priest talking in front of everyone. Then the text was sent: I'm in labor and need you NOW. You see, I was your mother's ride to the hospital; your dad worked a lot, as he still does now. I flipped out standing up immediately and sped walked out of the room, the church leader chasing after me. "Jo where do you think you're going?" as I was running out of the building I screamed back at her "My cousin's in labor!" I rushed off to your old house and grabbed the baby bag, throwing it in the car and then I went to collect your mother. Eve and I have been like sisters since she was born and even though she is two years younger than me and she already has the perfect life: a college degree, a handsome, well off husband, and now you. I was so far from her perfection that I actually thought that I was from another family; in no way could our mothers be related. I dropped out of high school due to lack of interest: stupid I know. But because of this I now managed a boy's tennis team at a high school. Did you notice I didn't say coach? Yeah, this is because I'd have to be a teacher to coach, and in order to become a teacher, something I have no interest in doing, I'd need a degree. I've never been one for education. But that's beside the point, back to the day you were born. Once your mom was in the car I was about to hop in the driver's seat when I heard a scream. I jumped, it wasn't your mother. I turned around to see a young girl before me "Please help me, I'm in labor and I have nowhere to go." "Join the club" Eve said The teenager smiled weakly "Hop in the car, we're heading to the hospital right now" I said "I don't think I have that kind of time" she was breathing heavily "How long have you been in labor?" the girl started screaming again. I grabbed her hand and helped her inside the house. Her contractions were less than a minute apart, she was going to give birth and it was going to happen now rather than later. "Lay down on the couch honey" she did as I instructed "I don't think you're going to have enough time to get to the hospital so we're going to have to do it right here." She nodded; too weak to speak The teen was wearing a dress so the moment she lied down I saw everything, including the head of her baby. "Eve come in here!" Eve screamed in response As I almost forgot: she too was in labor. "Never mind stay out there! I'll be right there!" Okay I'm going to have to deliver this baby. No health class could ever prepare me for what was to happen next. I delivered her baby boy within a matter of 10 minutes. "Jo she's coming!" your mother screamed from the car "Can you wait right here and call an ambulance? Here's my phone" She did as she was told and so I left her and the baby boy on Eve's couch "Spread your legs" "Why are you covered in blood?" "I just delivered a baby, now spread 'em." Eve listened and just like before, she was about as far along as the teen had been "You're going to have to push a little, okay?" "Okay" she took a deep breath and pushed This process was repeated until your sister was born, right in the front seat of the car. She was beautiful, just like the handsome baby boy that was inside. "The girl called an ambulance, they should be here soon. Stay here I'm going to go check on her and the baby." I walked back into the house and heard the baby screaming on the couch, the teen was gone. I picked up the child looking all around the house for the mother, but she left. "Eve! She's gone. She left the baby! What are we going to do?" Eve stared at her daughter lovingly and then looked up at the baby boy A fair skinned little guy with blond hair, similar to her husband's. She gave me these eyes and I knew exactly what she was saying. An ambulance blared in the distance coming closer to our destination. Once it arrived we told them what happened; the only part of the story that we changed was about the teen. According to the California state government, Eve Roth had twins that day: Marley and Jackson Roth. It was our little secret, the four of us. (Five of us later on as your dad had to have been told.) You see Jackson: just because you weren't born into this family by blood doesn't mean you aren't apart of it. I didn't have the drive or education to fulfill any dreams in life and so I thought I wasn't related to my cousin, your mother. But even if I ended up being related to your biological mother and not Eve, doesn't mean I am loved any less. So I tell you this, on your 21st birthday: you are loved and have been taken care of since before you were born. We love you Jackson Roth and now, along with your adulthood...your mother is leaving you our old house. Just in case your birth mother was to ever stop by and visit her child, just as I know, eventually, she will.