Chances Are

Chapter 1 Meeting the New Family

Two people were having a heated discussion in a coffee shop. One man looked like he hadn't slept for a long time. His eyes were weary and his face filled with lines, it seemed like he had aged 10 years in a short span. He was trying to explain to another gentleman his problem and he was almost begging him to consider his position. The other man was well dressed, he was wearing glasses and it was obvious that he was an intellectual. He was just listening to his friend now. As the dishevelled gentleman talked, the other man just had a pensive look on his face. Finally the second gentleman just nodded, agreed to whatever it was the first gentleman asked for and the two left the coffee shop. They were driving separate cars as the first gentleman led the second gentleman to this Day-care Center. As soon as they went inside, the first gentleman burst into tears. He then sighed saying: "Thank you for agreeing to take care of my baby boy. Matthew, I promise I'll owe you big time for this. You're a literal lifesaver and I wouldn't know what I'd do without your generosity and understanding." The second gentleman just shrugged off the comments and said; "Don't even think about it my friend. It is my pleasure. I promise to care for your son as if he is my own. You don't have to worry about a thing." And with that, Matthew carefully took the young boy from his father's arms and went on his way. As Matthew drove for his home, he was talking to the baby boy saying: "Don't you worry about a thing baby boy, my wife will love you. We'll take good care of you and you'll want for nothing else in life. Oh shoot, I wasn't even able to ask my friend what your name was. I'll just call you Milton Casper, yes Milton Casper Carmichael. What a wonderful name."

Matthew and the Carmichaels were not what you called a traditionally wealthy family but they lived comfortably. They lived in a small house in one of the more exclusive subdivisions in the city. Matthew as the breadwinner of the family, worked as a professor in the city's university, while Denise worked in Real Estate to provide support and supplemental income. The Carmichaels weren't really the kind of people to be extravagant but they had a pretty good nest egg and they were prepared to be whole as a family and wanted to become parents. So when Matthew's friend asked for help in taking in the bouncing baby boy, he couldn't say no as he thought it was a good idea as practice for when they would have a child of their own. Little did he know that the boy would become a permanent fixture in the Carmichael household...

As Matthew arrived home, he was thinking of ways to tell his wife about this new development in their life. He knew that it was an iffy situation agreeing to take care of his friend's son without telling her first, but he also knew that he couldn't say no to his friend. As he went inside the room, caressing the sleeping baby boy in his chest, he just plainly said: "Honey, I have a surprise for you." Denise came to greet him and her eyes grew as she spoke: "Honey who is that baby? I thought you just went out to meet your friend? What's that baby doing here?" As Denise said those words, Matthew stepped back just a little bit as he sensed the angry tone of his wife. "Now hon, relax this is the son of the friend that I met today. He said that he was having a difficult time and asked me if I could take care of his baby for a little bit." "And you accepted without even consulting me first? Matthew I'm your wife, I thought we always make life changing decisions together? Why would you agree on such a thing? Am I not enough for you anymore?" The strain on her voice masked the betrayal that she felt as her husband made a life-changing decision without even informing her before agreeing to take in the baby boy. "Hon don't say that, of course you're more than enough but the last few years we've been trying to have a baby, don't you think this is a good trial run for our family to care for this child until we have children of our own?" As she listened to him explain his decision, her heart seem to win out as she calmed down and accepted her husband's generosity in taking on the boy for the time being. "Honey you're right; this is a blessing for us. By the way I didn't want to tell you this until I was absolutely sure but I think I'm pregnant." Matthew felt like his heart would burst at the news that her wife was pregnant to their first child that he hugged his wife tight and held her close to him as he spoke: "Honey, that's great! Now we have two miracles in our life..." Denise's apprehension once again came to the forefront as her husband's assertions seem to say that the boy would stay longer than she would like. "We will have to bring this baby back to his real father once our baby arrives right?" "Of course, don't worry this is just a temporary thing."

At first, Denise loved taking care of this new boy in their lives. But as her stomach grew bigger, she soon realized that this baby was becoming too much of a hassle for the family. Because of Denise's pregnancy, Matthew decided to get another job. Aside from his job at the university, Matthew also spent his weekends as a private tutor. He would work 12 to 16 hour days on the work week, and work at least 6 hours on weekends. Denise was in Real Estate but as her stomach grew in her second trimester, Matthew convinced her to stop working for the time being and to relax as much as possible. So as early as her fifth month of pregnancy, she already stayed at home and allowed her husband to be the sole breadwinner. But even when she just stayed at home, Denise was decidedly not having a relaxing time taking care of Milton. At two years old, Milton was already quite playful and naughty. He would climb chairs and sofas, climbed tables and even broke some of Denise's fine china along the way. Denise was beginning to lose her patience as Milton carried on with his playful and destructive ways. One day she finally confronted Matthew as she said: "Matthew, taking care of this boy has been much more than I bargained for. I'm not even due for another few months but I'm already stressing out so much because of the boy's messes. Didn't you tell me to stay home to relax? With the boy around, I can't do that and I'm feeling even more stressed than when I was at work. Tell your friend to take back the boy now!" As she said this, Matthew instinctively stepped a few steps back as he thought of what he was going to say in response. "But hon I already promised my friend to take care of his son for him while he was away." "What do you mean; 'While he's away'?! I thought you said this is just a temporary thing?" "I did say that but now we have no choice. My friend told me that he'll be gone for a few more months on business." "I don't like this Matthew, I don't like this one bit." "Don't worry honey, we'll be fine. The second he comes back from his business trip, baby Milton is gone."

And so Milton Casper remained with the Carmichaels until Denise's baby was born. The new baby was a girl and the elated parents named her Jean Elizabeth Carmichael. She was a precious little angel that immediately Denise promised to love her more than she would love the baby boy that came unceremoniously to their lives. As the months wore on and Milton remained in their care, Denise became more and more frustrated with the situation. Denise couldn't take it anymore that she confronted him one hot summer day. "I thought you said the boy would just be a temporary thing in this house? Our daughter is celebrating her 1st birthday soon and he's still around messing things up." "Hon I know this isn't exactly what we bargained for but my friend is still away on business. I heard that he will not be back for a few more months. Just don't mind the boy. At three years old, he's just curious about the world and just wants to play around. In time he will be gone from our lives."

Matthew's promises though never came to fruition. Denise's daughter Jean grew to be a beautiful but spoiled princess. By her 6th birthday Denise became angrier and angrier towards Matthew. "Matthew I am a very understanding woman but that kid has stayed with us for over six years now! We have argued about that boy staying with us ad nauseam for the past 6 years. Your excuses remain the same. Now I want to know the truth, will he ever go back to his real father?" "Denise he will be. His father is just having a hard time trying to break the news about his illegitimate son to his family. So until then he stays with us. Besides I haven't been unfair to our daughter. I love her just as much if not more. Milton is growing up to be a very kind and impressionable little boy. I haven't even really put him to school. At his age now, he should be in the third grade but still he is in Day Care because you refuse to pay his education with our money. So I finally talked to the boy's father, by the start of the new school year, him and Jean will go to the same school at first grade and his real father will pay for his son's education." "Fine, all I want is transparency. I also don't want you to spend your hard earned money on that kid. He is not our kid. So remember who your real child is. Jean is your real daughter. Remember that." "Don't be selfish Denise, I am doing what I can to be fair to both Jean and Milton. Of course Jean will always have more but I am not going to deny Milton with the simple joys of growing up with some comfort if I can afford it. You can't dictate me on this Denise. Now I don't want to talk about this anymore. This is the last time we talk about this, understand? As long as I am able to provide a comfortable life for my family, then it doesn't matter if I share some of my blessings with little Milton." With his last words, Matthew left Denise to contemplate on the sudden finality of the situation.