Companion story C: True Love

True Love: Everyday Miracles (through Layla's eyes)





I am the only daughter of Knox Kent and Angelica Kent. My parents met in high school. They were engaged when my mother was 21 and my father was 22. My mother's friends were all married; my father's friends believed in cohabitation. They didn't live together before they were married. My mother wouldn't hear of it. They delayed the wedding so she could finish College. The day of her college graduation, my father surprised her with a mix cd of his favorite love songs. As they drove to Richard and Penny's house, she asked him to turn down the music.



That winter right after it snowed, my father organized a ski weekend in Colorado. They may have had their own cabin but she insisted they wait until the wedding night. All his friends kept saying, “I couldn't get married, without going for a test drive.”

Knox always said, “Angel wants us to wait.”

Emory Clay eventually stopped asking “Still waiting?”

It took six months after college to get her started writing the rough draft of her first novel. My father was the most supportive of her dreams. He suggest for 2 years that she write a book. The whispering of perfect strangers and coworkers of Knox didn't help matters. Everyone assumed my father was the abusive significant and she was in a bad marriage, which couldn't be further from the truth. The book changed my mother. They fought more and she got so defensive. When she was writing the book, he would take messages so that she could make her deadline.

But Emory told me, “Layla when your mom was writing As The Bough Breaks, Knox said I miss my wife. We tried to quiet the critical voices of the populace. But most of us hoped that her next book would be more positive.”

About the time frame of the separation, Samuel said, “ Knox, really loved Angel; she seemed to become more combative and he said that she didn't seem like the woman he married. Like a stranger had taken her place.”



After 6 months of publicity events, she started to see a counselor to help her to let go of old hurts. They separated after the first month she had the counselor. At the 9 month mark, she said that she missed her husband. And that the separation had been her fault. But in wisdom the counselor said “you had to unpack all your baggage. That can put a strain on any marriage.” She suggested writing a love list. Not something you mail. But the counselor helped her put his best features on display in her “Love List” At the tenth month she rallied my friends by emailing her “Love List” to them and asking what they thought she should do. Jade showed Jas; Kat kept it to herself; Rachel didn't think Angel wanted her to share it; and Chrystal-rose showed Ronny.



That was how my parents got back together. Jas and Jade Canton helped Angel organize a letter for her husband- Knox. It was the first time in her life that she ever asked God anything for herself. Then the phone rang on Christmas Eve. That had been the second time my father called her. He asked her if she got his Christmas card. She said “I have. Do you still love me?”

“Are you sure that you still love me?“ He asked complacently.

“Yes” she said sniffling.

“Come Home.” he replied. They closed up the apartment in January.



I asked my father, “what is a miracle?”

Knox thoughtfully responded, “Anything that make life easier, increases love between people, or is unexpected. If it brings you hopefulness, it's a miracle.”

When I asked my mother “what is a miracle?”

She said, “Layla you saved our marriage. Children united us in a way only love can.”

Angelica Kent had been the more protective of her children but Knox had realized that she still had trust issues. When they got back together after the trial separation, Fr. Patrick suggested that they use the counselor she had been seeing for couples counseling. It helped because in a year and half she was expecting her first child – Me.



My parents were foster parents so they could adopt Daniel Louis Kent. When he was 10 years old, Angelica Kent called up Rachel Wilkerman and asked her for help in telling Daniel he was adopted. Ely Wilkerman was 7 years old at the time. I was just about to start high school. I had been at Ronny and Chrystal-rose's Apartment when they were at the court and the day his birth mother gave birth. I found out later that Knox had told Angelica that it was better if it was a semi-open adoption. We called his birth mother: Tina, a new friend of the family. For years, we didn't question it. Tina insisted on Daniel knowing the truth when he turned 10 because she wanted him to know the truth. Angelica borrowed a cartoon from Rachel and Knox took me bowling. Daniel didn't ask who his birth mother was at first; much to Tina's regret.



When Daniel told me when he was in 6th grade, but I had teased him, “They bought you but I was their miracle.” He went running to mother in tears; Angelica and Knox sat us both down and told us: “You're both our miracle. Just because I gave birth to Layla and we adopted Daniel doesn't mean we love either of you more. You both came to us as babies.”

Father added: “Layla apologize to your brother.”

“I was just teasing you Daniel,” I apologized. “I'm sorry I made you cry.”

Daniel nodded hestitantly.



Later he told me: “You only apologized because our father told you to.” I told him: “When I was

16 that may have been true in the moment, I didn't mean to hurt you and I thought teasing you

was part of my job as your big sister.” At 19, I added, “Don't you realize by now I still love you

even if they did adopt you. Slugger, I come to most of your baseball games (even the away games), I even switch work shifts at my job to see them. And I come home on my college breaks – Trust me, it's not only our parents I come home for.”

“That's true.” Daniel said

“Why would I even try if I didn't like you?” I said.

Daniel smiled.



My brother was artistic like Mother, but into football and baseball like father. He joined both teams at high school but during middle school he played softball at our church. I was in forensics in middle school and high school as well as being on the tennis team. Uncle Matthew had played tennis with me when I spent a particular summer in California with him. I didn't feel religion was as big a deal as mother made it out to be and my father always said “Angelica's faithfulness inspired mine.”

My godmother was nondenominational and my godfather was Matthew. My brother's godfather

was our uncle on my father's side and his godmother was Kat. While my Godmother attend church regularly, my Godfather only did when he was in town. But he felt that there was a difference

between believing in God and going through the motions. My mother called him when she looked

at the bible they gave me for confirmation. I had written my name in pen on the open side and the inside cover was covered with doodles. My Godfather told me he had been confirmed just like Angelica had been.



The summer before my junior year I spent half the summer with my Godmother and half the summer with my Godfather, discussing confirmation options part of the time. I returned at the beginning of august for the start of tennis practice with my decision. My parents had both said, “you have to do first communion and reconciliation for us but you get to decide about confirmation.”

While I got my driver's license when I was 16, Daniel got his eventually after he turned 18 but he took after my father when he began to drive. He fell in with some 19 year olds his senior year, one of them was into drag racing and off-roading.



He had been drag racing when he lost control of the car, and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. My mother answered the door to a police officer. Knox had been out for a guys night. Mother was in no shape to drive so I drove her to the hospital as she relayed the news to my father. Samuel drove him to the hospital. He had picked him up for the night out and they had met his friends at the bar for a concert. The band was on a break when his cell phone vibrated. My father was angry, “and you let him drive.”

“It's not my fault honey. I didn't tell him to race. Meet me at Community Memorial.”

I had been home for easter break; it was my sophomore year of college at the community college in Stevens-point. I had been 23. I had been undeclared at the time.



Everybody was really quiet in the waiting room of the emergency unit. Daniel wasn't expected to live. He had been barely conscious when they brought him in. They had been working on him when we arrived. Knox wasn't calm; I got a-hold of Rachel but there had been no answer at Kat's house. Knox asked Samuel to call Christopher but at first Edwards just stared at him. “Edwards, I would call my twin if I knew I wouldn't yell at him to get his ass to the hospital.”

Priscilla answered the phone, “What do you want Samuel? I know you weren't all that pleased when Emory introduced Christopher Kent to me. “

“Daniel Kent is at community memorial hospital and Knox wants him to come to the emergency waiting room. This isn't his finest hour.” Samuel hung up.

Christopher Kent arrived just as the doctor came to talk to my parents. I had been text-ing Matthew Smithton. “Mother needs you to come in if Daniel dies” – I text. Twins have an uncanny way of reading each other and after one glance Christopher's protective side took over.



Angelica almost fell down, but my father caught her. He tried really hard not to cry. Tears were sliding down my mother's face. “Are you the parents?”

Knox nodded. “Daniel died a minute ago; we couldn't save him.”

“What was the cause of death?” Christopher asked.

“Severe internal bleeding. It was a wonder he even made it to the hospital.”

“Did he suffer?” I asked.

“No but his life signs were weak when he arrived.” Christopher took care of funeral planning and I took an extension on the rest of the semester's courses. The funeral was in the beginning of June. Those that didn't make the funeral called to offer condolences. It's never easy to lose a child. You always figure as a parent, they'll outlive you.



Matthew Smithton came in for 6 weeks and Chrystal- rose came in at the last week of June and stayed until the second week of August. Knox and Angelica joined a grief support group. But the people that really pulled them through were Christopher, his friends, and angelica's friends. Matthew spent more time consoling me. Our extended family came to the funeral. And on one side of Angelica sat Jade and on the other side sat Knox. Matthew Smithton sat next to me. A few of us gathered for the fourth of July but my mother didn't want to go to the fireworks. Nobody at the house went that year. I helped my father put Daniel's things in storage. At the beginning Angelica barely rose. He took some time off work as medical leave. They use to hold each other a lot. Chrystal- Rose went to the storage unit and got Daniel's first lunch box. She put the death notice in it and handed it to me. We filled the box with memories, and buried it in the flower bed in July. Chrystal-rose said it was an exercise in letting go.



Just as my mother recovered, her godfather came down with cancer. They missed it on the tests and misdiagnosed it. My father switched to the night shift so he could spend his days with mother. At first my mother seemed to take on Richard's symptoms in empathy, but the counselor said “it is important to be present while he was still with you.” Even though the counselor said it, my mother couldn't be at first. Knox held her hand a lot. This time it was mostly my mother who cried. As my father remained strong for her, she refused to take visitors. She didn't want people to see this. Rachel and Adam waited patiently for her to reconnect. Kat said, “I'll pray for your family.” Audrey Smithton keep updating us on great-uncle Richard. Of the family, the one taking the news the best was Richard. Penny was involved in her husband's care plan. Jade and Tim did yard work. Christmastime came and the family gathered; but this was the end of the second year and it was a miracle that he made it to Christmas. Jade's kids knew grandpa was sick but Jade told Angelica that they may not realize how serious his cancer was. When Matthew came in, I was busy with my senior year of college, but that Christmas he suggested I make an extra effort to come home anyway.



Knox didn't tell his friends at first. But he told his twin and his twin told Priscilla who was expecting their first kid. Their Christmas card said What would Santa be called if he was more like superman and could fly without reindeer? I opened the card : Super-claus. Sorry to hear about your uncle – Priscilla and Christopher.

“Knox!” I said my voice trailing off.

“He's not dead yet Angelica.” Knox said

“And Christopher is the only sibling I told. My friends don't even know.”

“I just sent an email to my contacts and yours, they know now.” My mother said.

My parents shared an email account. If you counted that one, my mother had three accounts. The one with her writer's name Marigold Raye. And one with the id – [e-mail] that she used with people she didn't know as well. Their joint account was A&[e-mail] Knox had used the id “fooyball9” when they were dating. Fooyball was my father's word for football (I never really knew why), and nine was the number on his jersey.



Richard had problems keeping warm that Christmas and he was tired a lot. He fell asleep at Christmas and Jade said, “Let him sleep.” Jade and Tim had gone half and half on this nativity that lit up and play the song: What child is this? They almost didn't get it because the store sold out and all that was left was the display model. The store manager said they normally didn't sell the display model except in extreme cases. “Is irreversible cancer a good enough reason? Our father is dying.” Tim explain.

The store manager said, “In that case, we'll sell it to you.”



By this time, I had moved out of the dorms and into an apartment with my boyfriend Bradley. I had brought him home to met my parents at thanksgiving; he slipped up and said we were cohabiting. My mother didn't say anything but it was that uncomfortable “didn't I raise you better?” look while my father didn't seem that fazed by it. Bradley had graduated at the beginning of summer. I was waitressing at the Grizzly Bear. He was managing a shoe store. But while Knox wasn't surprised we were living together, there was something about Bradley he just didn't trust. It was like when Angelica biked past him in his catcher's gear the summer before her freshman year of high school. He saw the puddle and he waited, watching with Alec to see if she would go around.



When they went out with his friends for coffee, she was grumbling under her breath.

“Richard?” Priscilla asked Knox.

“No Bradley and Layla.”

“When did this happen?”

“That's what I'd like to know,” I responded shortly. Edwards looked surprised.

“Our daughter's living with her boyfriend; I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but Angel thinks cohabiting means trouble.” Knox explained.

Edwards responded calmly “ Both my girlfriend and I; and Priscilla and Christopher are cohabiting. It does happen more often these days.”

“You don't think we're problematic couples, do you?” Priscilla asked drinking her steamer.

She order a steamer because she was almost done with her first trimester and the doctor told her to stay away from caffeine. Emory and Alec sipped their drinks waiting for her to respond, “She'll always be my little girl, guys. I can't help feeling like I have to protect her.”

Emory spoke up, “What? Is he abusive?”

Knox replied “Not necessarily but I don't think we have seen his true colors yet.” Knox and Christopher's parents were happier about me than they were about Priscilla.

“When are you going to set a date? Your child needs a stable home.” Angelica responded to Priscilla.

I heard the story from Emory after Bradley left me when I got pregnant with Ian. He never really wanted children; but that didn't mean he wanted to wait.



I met Ben after Richard died; well at the funeral actually. He was the son of one of my great uncle's friends. Eventually he met Ian. My son was two when I brought him to our apartment to met him. After I graduated college, I got a job as an intake specialist at a health clinic in the area. I was expecting Ian when I brought Bradley home to met my parents but I hadn't told him yet and I didn't show. Ben Kampt was everything Bradley was not. Patient, understanding, considerate of my feelings, and he was great with Ian. I wasn't expecting that. He was Catholic which my mother loved and even though I had a child already, he was willing to wait for marriage for relations and cohabitation which made my father happier.



Ben was great; I only wish I had met him first. Priscilla and Uncle Christopher got hitched about a week after great-uncle Richard died, but Jonathon had already been born. He was still an infant when Priscilla married Christopher (rather than change her last name altogether, she hyphenated it). He would have no memory that they hadn't been married first, because Christopher's parents always lied when people asked them what came first the baby or the wedding. Christopher went to court to change Jonathon's last name to Kent when he was 6 months old. My father said it didn't really matter; what mattered more was that they loved each other. He always said Christopher would make a great Godfather. After Daniel died, Angel agreed. He thoughtfully added your brother might not be a regular church goer as he chose my godfather, still she insisted on Chrystal-Rose as my godmother.



We eloped and were married under a waterfall in Hawaii because of the story my parents told every New Years at their party. A friend of mine from work and his younger brother- the second youngest, were our best man and maid of honor: the two required witnesses. And the army Chaplin from the nearby base married us, his best man was stationed in Hawaii. The Chaplin was his idea. We visited my godfather after spending a few days in Hawaii. We were going to rent a car at the airport, drive the historic route 66 to Japlin, Missouri and then hop a fight into O'Hare airport to tell my parents the big news. I mean on thanksgiving, right in front of my parents he proposed. I didn't want a big wedding; that was when his brother had joined the army. He was stationed in Hawaii, awaiting orders to ship out.



Instead of a tux, I asked him to wear his dress uniform. My maid of honor was in a sun-dress and sandals. I had gotten something more like a prom dress than a wedding gown and sandals ; Ben wore a dress coat, dress pants with polished shoes, and a white dress top without buttons. Me, Ben, Caterina, Ely and Hannah checked into the hotel. Hannah and Ely had agreed to watch Ian while we got married.

Then we would all met up after at the luau. I wouldn't have trusted just anyone to watch Ian but I had grown up with Ely Wilkerman and Aunt Rachel trusted Hannah. Adam had met her in synagogue, she was the Rabbi's niece.



Ely was shy as a child and shy as an adult. He was as modest as Angelica had hopes Daniel would be; if he hadn't fallen in with the wrong crowd, he would still be alive. Ben knew that seeing Ely reminded me of the way my brother had been when he was younger. He and Ely used to hang out all the time until he got to high school his sophomore year. Ely reconnected with me at Daniel's funeral when he offered me condolences in a quiet voice. And so I let the two of them watch Ian.



A fellow cadet of Ben's brother took pictures for us. When I called from the St. Louis Airport where we turned in the rental car, Knox said “I'll come and meet the plane in Chicago- Your mother's out for the day with Rachel, Kat, and Jade.” By then, Chrystal- Rose and her husband Ronny had settled into a house in New Mexico.



Ben had to move his stuff in, which meant we needed his bed for Ian. Ian and I had shared a queen size bed even though it was a two bedroom apartment. When Bradley left, I couldn't believe it but by the time I married Ben, Ian was too big for the cradle; Jade had handed it down to me and Ian. Father knew I didn't want to move back home so while I finished college and located the new job, he helped us with the rent a little. Benjamin's television was better than mine; so we put mine in storage. My computer on the other hand was newer than his. His had been a hand-me down from his older brother. We added a book shelf and stereo. All I had was a boom-box which was newer than when cassettes were big but it was not an entertainment system. He even had speakers for surround sound. We sorted through the dishes, glassware and other kitchen stuff, packing a third of it away.



As a wedding gift, Catrina gave us what she called a romance pack: candles, place settings, mood music, massage lotion, a book on couples massage, in a picnic basket with a picnic blanket in it's own carrying case. His brother had given us an invite to the base for a party in the officer's club. He said his captain appreciated his behavior so much that when he told told him about the wedding, he insisted on extending the invitation to Me, and Ben as well as the young cadet. Ely and Hannah got us a spa package from a place Aunt Rachel liked, for when we got back to Wisconsin. I told my father when he picked us up at the airport, I had a surprise for him.



When we were in California, my Godfather gave us a photo album with three different types of pages. Full sheet pages, and two sized picture sleeved pages: 5X7, and 4X 6. He dropped us at the LA-X three days later, so we could rent a car for our trip on historic route 66. We were making a stop near Gallop, New Mexico to visit Aunt Chrystal-Rose and her husband Ronny. She took me to a Christian Store to pick up my first family bible with a place for heritage listings. At dinner, she asked Ben Kampt what religion he was exactly. That night with a calligraphy pen that she had we listed our parents in the bible: Angelica and Knox Kent; Judy and David Kampt; Layla and Benjamin Kampt, and Ian Kent. I said if he adopted my son,I could put parenthesis around his present last name and add my husband's last name to it. There was room for other generations. I kind of expected a bible from my godmother. She was happy to learn that I had returned to church, and that Benjamin Kampt had suggested it. In St. Louis Missouri we boarded a plane for O'Hare and the three of us were in the baggage claim when my father arrived; the baggage all arrived in Chicago intact. We collected three bags from baggage claim and I carried on a bag with valuables. Knox Kent paid for parking and met us in the airport. I showed him our left hands with the wedding bands on them. He responded favorably “Ok, now we have to tell your mother. She wanted to help you plan a wedding.” Knox Kent was noting the rings: simple gold bands with three gem stones in the band (Ben, Ian and my birthstones).



“I wonder what Layla and Ben have in mind for a wedding; I hope it doesn't set me and Knox back too much.” Angelica mentioned to Rachel and Kat. Rachel got this “I know something you don't know” look. Kat noticed, Jade wondered what the look was about, and so did my mother. “Rachel, what aren't you telling us?” Angelica Kent said. Jade got her “scheming” look.

“If you're lucky you won't have to do anything, I overheard Ely and Hannah discussing Ian and Hawaii. But they got really quiet when I entered the room.” Rachel said, “So I know Layla is going to be there.” Jade imputed, “Sneaky.”

“That's right Layla said it was an engagement trip. But why would she need someone to watch Ian.” my mother said. Kat's eyes got wide(like a light bulb went on).

“Remember, when I eloped, perhaps it's more than an engagement trip.” Kat announced.

“You think so,” Rachel and Angelica said in unison. Jade and Kat laughed.

“Maybe you do spend a lot of time together.” Jade said.

“Well, in case your right, let's check out the bookstore. I want to pick up two books for them with the title Love and Marriage.”



They were in the food court when Angelica Kent pulled a red pen from her purse. The first book she wrote “humor and marriage go hand in hand- with love, your mother.” Then she opened a copy of Love and Marriage by Marigold Raye writing “For the cherished moments, a gift of verse. The poet: Marigold Raye.” Her phone dinged, she opened the phone to see the message: “the love birds are back. And they have a surprise. We're taking them out for dinner, look nice. Knox.”

I text back: “I got them a gift when I was out. Angel.”

He text back: “Then dinner is on me. Knox.”

Rachel Wilkerman glanced at her watch, “Kat it is getting late. Especially if Angel has Dinner Plans.” “How did you know?” Angelica asked.

“I was standing and I read it over your shoulder. Sorry.”

“No problem; it was just a little thing.” Jade respond to Rachel for Angelica. Jade told me the whole story at Christmastime. “In that case, I'll drop the two of you off at home. After all, we did take my car.” Kat replied looking at her watch; it read 5pm.

“I have one my errand for my hubby- Jas. It involves a music store near my home. We'll talk more later!” Jade had just text Jas to find out what he needed for the band.



Knox heard the car before he saw my mother's face. We were sitting in the living waiting. Ben,Ian and I had made a stop at the apartment; even though he hadn't lived there prior to the wedding a few of his clothes were there along, with a toothbrush and a hair brush. There were times we fell asleep on the couch after I had sent Ian to bed. We'd wake up at around three in the morning to a telephone ringing. Benjamin lived at home until he got married. I would glance at the clock, saying, “Ben it's your mother.”

On nights like that, his parents would talk to him the next day suspicious.



Angelica, my mother, entered the house with a bag from Schultz Bookstore under her arm and a purse under the other. “Give me 45 minutes and we'll leave.” My mother said that before any of us could say anything. She rushed to the master bedroom. With me moved out and my brother dead, she could create a home office in one of the rooms. That's where the computer, scanner, printer, and fax machine are. She also has a book shelf, filing cabinet, storage unit. and a small card table. The computer is on a wooden unit: the printer/fax machine is on the table,under the keyboard are four trays and a column, the keyboard and mouse slide out, at the top of the screen is a visual communication device, behind the screen are the speakers, and on top of the shelf is a scanner. Though along the side is a place for some cds, most of their music is in the front room. My father showed me her home office once, it started out with far less things.



I heard the closet open and shut. Then I heard her jewelry case open. Then a drawer in her dresser open, followed by another drawer. Next the closet opened again. “Go in, go in.” angelica murmured .

I giggled as Knox Kent mentioned: That's earings Layla. “I know but it sounds funny.” I said. Ben just shook his head. My father said, “Get used to it, she's your wife.” Angelica Kent rushed out of the bedroom and straight into the bathroom: I heard the water and the sound of a toothbrush on teeth. Then I heard Mother say, “Dang, eight minutes.” About two minutes later, I heard the the toilet flush and the sound of running water again. Five minutes later she left the bathroom and headed back to the master bedroom. She emerged with her purse, and the bag she had come in with. “Now let's go.” Angelica said breathlessly. Ben looked at his wife, “Is now a good time?” “Mother, don't freak out.” Layla and Ben Kampt raised their left hands so that they were side by side. “We're married.” Angelica wasn't phased at all. “Kat thought you might be! So I have a small gift for you newlyweds.” My mother handed me the bookstore bag. I pulled two books with the same title from the bag. But one of the authors I recognized, it was my mother's book. Ben Kampt open the book by Marigold Raye saying- “This is so cool. My mother has this book. You know Marigold Raye.”

Layla smiled, “Yeah, I'm really closer to her husband. Maybe someday I'll introduce you.”

Angelica Kent winked at Knox. “We'd better be going. I didn't get dressed up for nothing.”



By that time, Ian was about to start kindergarten. Ben had been the only father Ian had ever known. Ian came around; they say the younger they are, the greater the chance that a child will give someone new a chance. If they're teenagers already, they are less likely to accept change and it seems like hell breaks lose. Especially with a new parent(that was what my mother told me once). I was lucky; Ian was still young.



Christmastime seemed different without Richard but we still came together as a family. And our extended family had just gained a member: Benjamin Kampt. We really did seem like newlyweds. Dating and marriage are two entirely different things. I thought that they were so similar but they are not. If I hadn't dated Ian's father, I never would have noticed the real differences between dating a Christian and dating one who wasn't that religious. Ben was more respectable; he was easier to love. I knew he would work at our relationship and he wanted so much to be a good positive role model for Ian. Bradley was not liked by my family, never wanted to be a parent. I was left to raise Ian on my own; until I met Ben, I didn't think I would ever have what my parents had: a good marriage that was mutually supportive. I had never picked up my mother's book: Love and Marriage (I expected it to be about the most trying times of their marriage) but it wasn't. And though it was dedicated to my father, I never really bothered to read it before. Ben kept pointing out his favorite poems in the book. The other one had been written by an African American comedian about the humor in married life. Ben read the chapter about a husband's attempt to redecorate. As he finished the story, he turned to me and said “You know I love you, right?”

“Yes, why?”

“I just read that redecorating without your wife's consent or opinion is a lousy idea. How mad would you be?”

“It depends what you change. I think the story is trying to say communication is important.” I responded.

“I like the other book better.” Ben said as he closed the book.



Ben Kampt worked for an advertising company. As long as companies wanted to run ads, he had a job. I knew what it was like to be a single parent; I must say it's far easier to raise Ian with Ben backing me up, than it is to do it on my own. Our second child was born when Ian was 7 years old or when he was in first grade. Ian's birthday was in the spring. But my second child (our first together) was born in the summer. We had our third child when our second was 4 and Ian was 11. I didn't want any more than three children so we discussed our options with my gynecologist. It was either birth control, or a procedure. Ben didn't care for either options but I put my foot down: I didn't want any more children.



“There was an upside to the procedure: no more children, but it didn't effect pleasure factors.” the doctor said.

Ben took the pamphlet saying, “I'll think about it.”

“In the meantime, we can put Layla on the patch.” the doctor said. Ben had agreed to use condoms and spermicide over the years but he wasn't sure about never having children again. Not yet. He came from a family with five children; he was the middle child. He had a two younger brothers a year apart. One older sister and one older brother. His sister always complained that there were too many boys in the house. She had been the second oldest and one of the eldest son's friends, Todd, settled down with her. The younger boys were never ready to settle down, they were always off on some adventure.



But you can bet money was tight with five children to raise. I asked his mother if she ever regretted having any of them.

“No way. Each one was unique and the challenges we face with each of them was different. The youngest two had gone to technical school. Both in Mathematics. But when Charlie was 22 he joined the army. Ben went into business. His sister took a certificate course and became an daycare worker. His oldest brother had been artistic.”

His older brother met Jas Cantan in the factory job; Jas had at one point worked at Steps Dance Studio. His older brother's friend Todd had been a baggage handler for an airline. Jade had pick up something part time to help with household assets.



The hours for my job had been cut to 30 hours a week. It was still a check. Ben worked between 40- 48 hours a week; he work between 8-10 hour days. He came home tired and 6 of 7 days out of the week, he generally had some hours. My job gave us health insurance but his job gave us a retirement fund. Even with two parents working, Ely was very supportive of us and Catrina was a good social worker. We used to be closer before I had gotten married. She wasn't married. Hannah and Ely Wilkerman seemed to be good together. If Ely opened the door for Hannah, Rachel asked Adam if he could remember ever doing that with her.



The annual new years party was for Knox Kent and Angelica's friends as well as their significants. My mother's honorary sisters and their husbands were always invited. But this was an evening for adults.

As they started raising children, Angelica and Knox decided that having the kids around meant keeping them entertained. The older children often handled that. It was just getting more difficult to get away without the children during non-school hours. And if the tradition was to continue my parents would need to evolve with the times. When our youngest was in high school, the Christmas celebration continued but new years became more private a day for my parents.



The first to die was Penny's generation, Audrey and Allan were already gone. My mother's generation was now the elderly group: some were grandparents. I revealed the writer's name to my husband after our third child was born(then again I always count Ian). She continued to write books as long as she could. Not to say that they never went anywhere. After her second book: Love and Marriage, they did some traveling throughout Western Europe. My mother's books were popular. That really helped her remain positively minded.



She died not long after my father. He died in his seventies she died in her eighties. In the obituary I wrote: Loved many times over, Marigold Raye goes home to the husband who went before her. Survived by one daughter Layla, 2 honorary sisters, and one brother as well as grandchildren. She will be missed.



I'll end here because the struggles of each new generation creates an unique tale of its own. I wonder what my children will say about us when we pass on. And join my parents on the other side. Hay Ben will finally get a chance to meet Daniel, I am hopeful. It's possible with all the praying my mother did that he got into heaven. I wonder if they have baseball in heaven.