Damien

    In my bed there is the person I can connect to the most. The one I was actually physically connected to him until about a week ago. I am referring to beautiful Damien SaDiablo, of course. He's as big as a cat and weighs a bit more. I love him mor than anybody in thewhole world, well... except one other. Damien steals my heart when his little thumb goes to his mouth for comfort as he deeply sleeps. He's mine, my baby boy.
    His father, Marco, is a great man and although he isn't here now I know that if he were it would make everythin so much easier on me. I'm only in tenth grad eof high school and he has already graduated. We were going to go to college together after he spent time in the Army but then the pregnancy strip turned pink. He had to leave before Damien was born because of the problem in Iraq. It was so hard to not have him there by my side while the miracle happened. I must say that I never imagined the moment would be so magical. It was very painful and now I know how expensive, but I managed to get through it with Marco's picture by my side.
    My mom is a great help to me and my stepdad watches after him when I am at school. It must make him ahppy to be with Damien because he himself has never had a kid. My older sister hasn't said much to me since I told her about the pregnancy. She usually just keeps quiet and sometimes at night I can hear her crying to herself. I have a feeling tha tshe takes some of the responsibility for the accident because she wasn't always there for me to talk to about bing safe. My mom was pretty acceping of the whole thing as well. I can tellt hat she feels really sorry for me because she helps out a lot with paying for the basic things a baby needs. My stepbrother and dad are both really aginst what's going on because they feel like I was far too young to be doing any of that physical stuff to begin with. It will take a while before they finally understand that it asn't just my boyfriend's fault I ot pregnant. By that time they will start to like my son.
    In a way I am very regretful to what happened because it deprives me of those things that most teenagers are able to do. I will still always love him, though, and give him the life he deserves to have. His little arm caresses mine while he sleeps like he is trying to protect me. I smile to myself and close my eyes, trying to follow his pattern of breathing It soothes me to feel as though I am connected to another being and i slowly begin to drift off to the same consciousness he is at.

*****Many Years Later*****

    Damien hs helped me through my years but as I watch him go off to college I can't help but think of how much he reminds me of his father. From the height to the brown hair that bounces any time a movement is made, all the way to the size of his feet, Damien happens to be a spitting image of his father at that age. I couldn't b more proud than Iam right now of him. My eyes well up with tars and I go into the house to look for a tissue after one last wave is given to the cab driving off.
    I walk over to the en table in  my room where a box of tissues is always at hand. Next tot he object I see the picture of Marco I have stared at so many times before. He was just like his son i every way. I remember the emotion shown throuh Damiens' face when he looked at these pictures and how it was the expression Marco might have used when reminiscing with hi son's baby pictures. The photograph is just how I remember him. It was taken that last day before he went into the army. My heart melts every time I see that picutre of him, knowing he was just the age of my little boy when he died.
    Now I am so glad that Damien is in my world because we help each other with all of the problems that we share. I try to tell him everything I remember about Marco but it just seems to be fading away. Now as my baby boy walks out of my life, I can at least say that I have made one difficult decision that turned otu for the positive. That chioce was to keep Damien SaDiablo for my child, to care for and love for the rest of my life.