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Christmas Memories

By. Emmanuel Kouadio

Full of excitement my cousin Ronnie came into my room and woke me up. After he woke up I realized it was the 25th day of December, Christmas. I went down stairs to go see what my family had in store for me. When I got downstairs my cousins and their parents were happy and excited. To me it was just another day, a day that I loss and couldn’t regain. When I came downstairs I saw my uncle Ronnie, his wife Linda, and their two kids Jason and Caroline. I greeted everyone.

I went to go sit down for a traditional family breakfast, waffles and bacon. My cousin Caroline was telling me how she was because her parents got the wrong colored shoes for her. I told her that she should appreciate what her parents brought her. Some kids didn’t receive any gifts today, so therefore we should be grateful for what we have. I got a little deep into explaining to her, since she was a 10 year old spoiled girl that gets anything from her parents. I told her that she should cherish her gift especially is someone went out their way to get gifts and thought about you.  When you don’t appreciate a gift that can hurt someones feelings. She apologized to her mom, even though she didn't mean it.

What is the reason for Christmas anyway? I felt hurt, but I tried to have fun with my family. I never figured the reason of Christmas until one day something major happened. Today marked the three year anniversary of my parents death. They died on Christmas Eve from a head on car collision. Ever since my parents died I have been trying to figure out “Who am I?” and what can I do to honor my parents. That questioned ran through my head ever since they passed. I really miss my parents and sometimes I just feel like crying, but I realized that I have to be happy, live up to my expectations, and become the man my parents expected me to become.

I’m Jason Henson a smart 13 year old orphan who is mixed into society, living with my uncles middle classed family. Since my parents died I have been living in Brooklyn, New York a rough neighborhood where dreams are hard to come true or even exist. My uncle and aunt are pediatrician’s at Lennox Hill Hospital near our home. Me and my cousin Ronnie are the same age and are in 8th grade, while Caroline is in 6th grade. I finished my delicious breakfast and went over to sit with my family. Their were gifts of different shapes and sizes waiting for me. I started to let a tear drop because I was so happy. I thanked them because it showed how much they loved me. 

After my family gave me my presents I asked to take them to my room, so that I can open them by myself. Caroline and Ronnie finally learned to appreciate presents from loved ones. I opened all my gifts and was happy. I had new sneakers, clothes, games, and a lot of money from friends and family. I put all my gifts on one table and I realized I had one gift left. I went to open my gift. It was in an envelope, so I thought it was more money. I opened it to see a moral of my parents. This was the best christmas memory ever.

As we enter the room I saw how my baby is plugged up to all these wires and all I wanted to do was cry and his mother saw my pain in my face, but she left my head up and told me not to cry.Soon as we come in the room there a female holding a baby and I was thinking in my head who the fuck is this but by me begin so up set I didn't pay it no mind. and I saw how Ms Kim had made the same face as me and was think the same thing I was . So his mother ask her was her name is she said khaijah and they she ask who are you, she stated Im josh baby mom and I looked and cry his mother was like that not true and why didn’t he tell me about you or the baby. I had this shit running through my mind, I didn’t know how to feel because I was the wife and I just found that my husband was living another life. I mean we been together for 5 years now and he didn’t even act like he had a baby on me. So I started to question her like how do you know him because Im don’t even think that this is he baby, Even if it was why didn’t he tell his mom or sister because only tell them the truth about everything,How do we even know that this is really his baby. As time so on we going back and forth. Ms Kim told us to stop because we where here for him and didn’t want us to act like kids. But me begin up set I left the room and went in the waiting room with the rest of the family and friends and his sister saw the pain in my eyes and how the tears was coming down my face. Na what the matter what happen in the room. Well their was a girl in there with a baby 

talking about how she is josh baby mom and she been with him for about 2 years and her son is 2 years of age. Dacia looked shock because she wanted to know to know who the fuck is khaijah.
  I want to see her I can’t wait until she come out the room so I can see what she and the baby look like, thats all Dacia kept saying but some many things was coming to mind because i was in my second year of college at truth university. Its was so hard because I was wondering did he do it when I was in school, I don’t know mean but this shit was crazy. Then the doctor come out and tell us that he heart rate drop and that they was able to stop the blood and pick up the heart beat. But he will have to remind here for a couple of nights and we would like to know who staying  with him. khaijah say I will, before I could get the words out my mouth his mother and sister say no honey but my daughter in law Na is staying here with him we don’t even know you all like that you just so happen to pop up. As Ms Kim and the girl was speaking Dacia pulled me over to the side and she was like I know here she used to live on 27st. I heard that all she does is sleep around with people men and then say that they are her son father. After this point I didn’t know how to fell or what to do.So later that night I stayed in the hospital with him just waiting to see if he was going to get up.Then on top of that I had a paper that had to be turned in for school that morning.

       So later that morning I heard some one called my name but I think Im dreaming but as soon as I open, I saw that my husband was up. I was happy then again I was say because some girl just told me yesterday when we was here that he might be the father. Man i had so much on my plate with was crazy. So I ask him who she was and why did you cheat on me while I was n school. Josh looked at me as if i was high of some type of drugs. All he kept say was who are you talking about and I don’t have no kids. In the back of my mind I had the weird feeling like he was telling me the truth but then again I had to think with my head and not with my heart because thinking with my heart could of got me in to a lot of mess that I really didn’t need at this moment. Three weeks go by and Josh had came home and when we got home that had a party for him at his mother house and as soon as we walk in the door I saw that girl khaijah that said she was his baby mom but I didn’t want to start anything because his family and friends was around, but the way she was just looking at me gave me the impression that she was mad that Im his wife and been here for 5 years strong and still  not going no where. So as time went on josh didn’t see her because didn’t no one wanted him to get mad about thing that was going on. While everyone is outside she was getting smart, and me I have a loud mouth so I know people was going to heard me, and next thing I know i hit her and everyone heard us and stop what they was doing and ran into the house Josh didn’t understand what was going on but when he saw her his face had drop and all he did was pull me and away and started smacking me asking me house could i be so dumb and go back and forth with her. This time i knew i was right that might of had something going on with her. So I ask him a again what was going on with them two and yes he told me the truth but he also had told me that they only met and by that time she was prego and he didn’t know until one day she called his phone right after she had her son. One thing I can say about him is that he is not dumb when it comes to that and I know we then had that moment so many times.

Then a week goes by and Josh had did a DNA to find out if he was the father or not and that only was a two day wait. I was so scare to had to deal with all these problem and then as I was noticing that I only had 3 weeks left until I went back to school and I felt like if i left he was going to be up to his ways while Im gone even though he comes up to my school and stay with me for about a week time and time threw out the school years so I felt like I had to trust him somewhat people at least he call and checked in with me but he didn’t even know that I had eyes on him everywhere this man was at and trust and believe they always came back and told me things about him even if I didn’t want to heard it most of the time. In my heart i know god cant give us to much that we cant handle. So the test papers can back and me and him was to scare to open it so we drove all the up northeast to give it to him mom so that she can open it. so about 5 min later we pull up to her house. I had all these butterflies in my stomach i didn’t want to eat or sleep, but all I was thinking is what if this is his baby so we both get out and walk up to the door. I guess his she saw us and she knew why we had came there and soon as she open the door i took the papers from him and told her to open it cause i was to scare to even look at it. We sit down in the living room and everyone was there beside the baby mom.( There was a long pause after she read the paper)

   In the case of 2 year old khayni derrick josh pray you are not and the “I yell the father” and she look at me as if i knew he wasn’t the father  and in my heart i knew he was because him or his family didn’t know that later on the took a test and found out that me and him was having a baby. Then that time came I it was time for me to come back to school. I was happy because it seem as if everything was right and I was happy about coming back because I had all my work done but i miss going out wit my room mate siani and plus i know her since i was a buck in south philly. So it was time for me to leave and all I could do was cry because I was leaving him. I know i was coming back and I knew he was coming to see me so I didn’t have no worries.But the last time i told him is congratz where having a baby. He was so happy but i don’t think I was so we got in the car and he took me to the airport where he was holding me so tight and kiss. Then we went our different ways .