The True Tale of a Teen Mom

Chapter Thirty-Two

After my initial shock, I scrambled to put myself together enough that my parents wouldn't see the overwhelming amount of emotions flashing through my mind in that instant.

Somehow, thank the gods above, I made it through the evening without much suspcion from my parents. If I couldn't handle all the crap going on between Jason and I at the moment, I sure couldn't handle dealing with my parents too. I know, I know - my mom would have all the right intentions and try to help me. She'd try to be understanding, she'd try to reach out to me in any way possible. But, she'd just make me more of an emotional wreck. I wasn't ready to share with her the nightmare I'd been living in just quite yet.

Of course, my parents both knew about Jason's most recently failed drug test.That one I couldn't hide or lie about.

Half way through dinner my mom brought up the dreaded subject. She didn't beat around the bush much either.

"So, you are currently unemployed because of that failed drug test?" she asked while serving my dad another scoop of mashed potatoes.

"Yes, ma'am," Jason replied, eyes glued to the plate in front of him.

I watched nervously between the two while also attempting to get Austin to eat his green beans.

"And because of that you are facing the possiblity of loosing your apartment, correct?" my mom pushed.

"Yes, ma'am," Jason again responded, still not looking up from his plate. At least he had the decency to be respectful to my mom and not try and place the blame elsewhere.

"Ok," my mom mulled everything over. "This is what needs to happen. I'll keep Austin downstairs with me tonight. You two need to get together, and think about goals for your lives. Tomorrow morning, I want a list of what you have come up with. I need a few goals that you think you can achieve this year. A few goals you'd like to have achieved in five years and lastly some goals you want to achieve in ten years. I think this will help you figure out how to get from where you are now to a better place."

Uggh, I felt like this was some lame homework assignment.

"Mmmmom," I whined. "Are you being serious? We have to 'report' to you in the morning? Shouldn't this be something we plan together and something thats not anyone else business?" I pressed.

"Under normal circumstances, you are absolutely right," my mom began. Maybe I could wiggle our way out of this ridiculousness.

"HOWEVER," my mom continued, bursting my hopes. Nope. There would be no wiggling today. "You two seem incapable of getting things together for yourselves and your baby. I will not sit idely by while you throw your lives away."

She then turned her wrath towards Jason.

"Do whatever you want to yourself. I don't care about that. But while you are in charge of my daughter and grandson's well-being you will get your act together and man up," she said, with that famous 'don't-mess-with-me attitude.

Jason smartly just nodded his head in agreement.

Eventually, we cleaned up the kitchen, cleaned up Austin and went upstairs to diligently work on our homework assignment.

For this year, we plan on:

Jason getting (and keeping!) a job.

Making enough money to pay our own rent.

Cassie getting back into school.

In five years, we plan on:

Having our own house.

Cassie graduating.

Both be in careers we wish to stick with and enjoy doing.

Have a college fund in place for Austin.