It was a cold night in the summertime, which was very unusual, and John and Jennette were planning--well, Jennette was planning--to adopt a child. She was very excited, but John wasn't.
"Hey, John, have you filled out your part of the application, yet?" Jennette asked from the kitchen.
"No, but let me just rest for a few minutes, would ya'?" he moaned. But right before John settled on the couch, Jennette slinked behind him and used all her strength to push him right back up.
"John, the deadline is tomorrow! If we don't turn in the application, we won't be allowed to adopt a child from the orphanage center downtown," Jennette retorted back.
John just sighed. He was tired of having to deal with more children. Although he thought about that, even his thinking about it guilted him. If he told her that he didn't want to adopt a child with her, it would leave her heartbroken, and he knows how Jennette is when her heart is broken, all depressed, and constantly tired. So depressed that Jennette rarely pays her bills and taxes, takes the vitamins and medicines that her biological babies Fern and Avery need, even some for herself, doesn't even take a shower, the list goes on. But John had to be honest with his wife. John sighed again. And it was deep. Deep enough that the breath caught Jennette's attention.
"John, why the heck are you sighing so much?--" That question hit John back into reality.
"Jen, how long was I thinking? Twenty seconds, fourty seconds, 1 minute-"
"Ten seconds, hon, ten seconds." John said one thing, and Jennette was already getting pissed. She went on.
"Again, my question," she sneered with gritted teeth. "Why are you sighing? Is something wrong? Is there something you need to tell me? 'Cause if you don't, then please fill out your part of the application, because I did my part, mind you, and the form, mind you, is due tomorrow!"
"Yeah, about that..." John trailed off.
"Look, Jen. I feel like this is too much stress for the both of us," John said softly.
"How is this stressful? We're adopting for a good cause, John, to give care to a child-"
"But we already have children, mind you. Two to be exact. Twins, to be even more exact. Fern and Avery to be exactly exact! I don't care whether you want to do this, but you are sometimes too much for me!" He has gotten from whispering to yelling within two seconds.
From the moment John yelled, Jen already knew that he didn't want to adopt a child. Jen was on the verge of crying. And he can able to tell because her face was tomato-red, and when John walked to her, held her waist in his arms, and hugged her, he heard her quietly inhaling and exhaling. He really hurt her. John was already visualizing Jen on couch, tired and depressed--NO! He can't be thinking that. He was acting selfish, and he had to make it up to her.
"Aren't you happy for what you have? Aren't the twins enough?" John whispered in Jen's ear. He was trying hard to blink away his tears. See, his own hazardous words guilted him.
"Look, John, you don't understand," she whispered back, "I know the twins can be stressful, but...I'm adopting because I need to. As sad as it is, there are kids in the world who are not wanted by their own biological parents. So, I need to be there for the unfortunate children. But I can't do this without you. I literally cannot do this on my own. The application needs both parents. We need to help one another in this world, and if we just stay put, the world will destroy itself."
*****
The orphanage was right across the street, and John finally filled out his part of the application.
"Hurry, John! The building opens in 6 minutes. I know we can make it in time," Jen said.
"I'm trying, Jenny," John replied.
Even though they were in a hurry, the couple had one car-seat for each twin, so John had to drive carefully as they could. There was their son Avery, who was in his baby blue Graco car-seat, and as well as their daughter, Fern, who was enjoying her light hot pink Graco car-seat. They had one extra car-seat, which is saved for the adopted baby.
Because of one of North Carolina's most supportive orphanages, Masonic Home For Children, Oxford got a 1-up above the other orphanage.
As wonderful as it was he went with his wife to adopt, John's deep thinking and wreckless driving almost ran into an orphan. Hmm. How ironic.
"Ah, merde," he mumbled under his breath.
"You do realize that I am half and speak french, right?" Jen whispered. John could feel his cheeks burning considering he got busted.
"Oh, well, pardon my french, tout savoir," he retorted.
Together, they quietly come out of their Lexus, and shyly apologize to the kid that had his life flashed before his eyes.
"Oh my God! Honey, we are so sorry! I'll buy you some ice cream?!?!" she begged.
It was funny and ridiculous that Jen was doing all the talking, who clearly was not responsible for the five and a half second incident, whereas John, the wreckless driver, stood there, not saying a word.
"Well--I'm so sorry, again, but, we're in a big hurry!"
From that moment, she felt so rotten and evil. How could they have parked their car, and leave the confused boy?
YOU ARE READING
Charlotte's Journal
Fanfiction"A novel based on Charlotte's Web, somewhat similar, but a little twist to the plot." -Music_110702. Willow Arable loved her life, with her family. Even though she was adopted, she doesn't see herself any differently. She seems to be in a happy mo...
