The Step-Father

A Little History

      Carlos is the baby of five boys. There's Ricky Jr. , Lorenzo, Andrew, Julian Jr. , and then Carlos. Lucy married Ricardo and had three sons Ricky Jr., Lorenzo, and Andrew. She told me once that they where high school sweethearts.

     "After my Ricky was born everything was ok at first. It wasn't until he turned five my husband started drinking. And that's when everything went down hill. Especially when i found out i was pregnant with the twins." Miss Lucy would say.

      The twins, Lorenzo and Andrew, where dubble trouble. There was no separating the two. Miss Lucy would laugh when she told me that when they where about two she would have to put a "L" on Lorenzo, and a "A" on Andrew just to tell them apart.

      "They were always together, they looked the same, acted the same, laughed the same. As much as i wanted to know which one was which i just couldn't. Like Andrew would break something i would say Andrew why did you do that. he would look so confused, and then ill realize that he's actually Lorenzo." She would say while laughing.

     Unfortunately, Mr. Ricardo's drinking got the best of him. He eventually became abusive. She feared that one day if he didn't kill her first, he would go after the boys.

        She told her sister and cousin what happened between them. They waisted no time getting her and the kids out. "I felt bad for little Ricky, because he saw his father hit me at times. He would try to help, but you know." Miss Lucy would tell me. Her sister made her get a restraining order against him.

         At first he wasn't up for it. He tried everything to get her back but she knew she couldn't do it. For her safety, but mostly for her boys safety. "When i turned him down that last time he said, 'fine if i can't have you no one can.' That scared me so bad i had to have the police watch me at all times." She said.

      Having them watch her was the best choice. One day after she had just got home from getting groceries he came to her house with two beretta 92FS inox semi-auto pistols. "The next thing i know there a shot out in my front yard. I grabbed the boys, and hit the floor  so fast i almost broke my leg." She said.

     He died after taking twenty bullets. It was traumatic and she moved right away. A few of the cops on the case felt bad for her. So they raised money for counseling, and other small things they would need. Since she was still an young underprivileged single mother with three boys.

    After a while they where doing pretty good. She had a good paying job at a restaurant, and the boys where happy. Eventually she decided to try dating again. Although it never worked either she didn't like the guys, they couldn't handle her history, or weren't up to the fact she had kids. "One night I was working late and a man in a suit can in a little sad." She told me over dinner.

      "I went over to serve him, plus I wanted to know if he was ok. Turned out he was lost. He was having a hard night and was just driving around. He asked me to have coffee with him. I wasn't sure at first, but I did. He was sad and I  felt bad." She continued.

      Later he told her that he caught his girlfriend of five years cheating on him when he came home early from a business trip. She later told him her story. At first She thought he would judge her and run from her like every other guy she talked to.

    To her surprise he didn't, in fact he understood her. His sister struggled with domestic violence and he brought her, and her daughter over from cuba as soon as he could. They would eventually become friends. "He would come to my job twice a week." She told me. She started to really like him, but knowing her history with men she was afraid.

      "I told him i had three boys and he accepted them. So my last test was to see if they liked him. At first they didn't, but by the end of the night they loved him. I think he loved them more." Miss Lucy said.

        After six years of dating they good married. "I loved Julian. He made me happier then I've ever been. He treated the boys like they where his. He was my true love." She said. Not to long after they got married Julian Jr was born. She thought after little Julian was born he wouldn't treat the others the same anymore. Again, he surprised her.

     "He played with all of them, we took family photos, he bought them whatever they wanted, went to every event they had. He was really the boys father. Which is really what my boys needed, and deserved. He even watched how he drank. He would say 'i don't want ricky to think of me as the father who drinks and will hurt him or you Lu. I want to be the man who he looks up to and especially feel safe around.' He did everything for us." She said.

       And then she gave him two more children , Carlos and Cassandra. They where twins, but Carlos was the only one to make it home. Cassandra died right after birth.

         "We all where torn, but we knew it was nothing we could do. Just had to thank god for Carlos and having a chance to actually see Cassandra. And to keep her memory alive." She would say.