Brotherly Love....Chapter 1

BROTHERLY LOVE

Chapter 1



No! No! Vanessa screamed as tears flooded her eyes and streamed down her face like a waterfall, “Momma please don’t let them take my baby; please don’t take my son,” she continued to plead with her mom but to no affect, her mom just looked at her with a cold blank stare as to say, “I despise you and your baby,” as she turned away from her hysterical daughter she signed the adoption papers and ordered the nurse to take her grandson away. The nurse wrapped Vanessa’s baby boy in his blue blanket and whisked him away at her mother’s command. At that very moment the love she had for the woman that she held so dear to her heart, the woman that gave birth to her, that she held in such high esteem became hatred. Between the sniffles Vanessa managed to tell her mom that she would never forgive her for this and she never wanted to see her again. Heartless, her mother smirked at her as if at that point and time she could care less because she was determined not to raise a grandchild nor have everyone know that her daughter had a child out of wedlock at the age of sixteen. That would totally ruin her good name and reputation in the church community. Vanessa looked at her dad with tears still slowly streaming from her now red eyes and said, “Daddy… why didn’t you stop her? Why?” He then began to cry for his daughter’s loss and the pain he knew she felt in her heart, her mom looked at him with a cold blank stare, he dropped his head in shame and walked away. Vanessa’s mom followed suit.

Vanessa slowly turned onto her side and sobbed and thought, how could her parents be so heartless, how could they plunge a knife into her back and at the same time rip her heart out, I never even got a chance to see my baby, she thought, the baby that I carried in my womb for nine months, sang lullabies and love songs to just ripped away from me. She began to yell, “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you." At that moment Thomas walked in with a dozen of beautiful red roses and a small brown teddy bear for his son. When he saw the pain in her eyes he gave her a comforting hug and asked her what was going on, Thomas was under the impression that he would at least get to see his son before they took him away to give him to the family that adopted him. He sat next to Vanessa and as she leaned on him, they grieved together for their loss. Before the family that adopted Vanessa’s son got to the hospital one of the nurses had sympathy for the young couple and took a picture of the baby and brought it to Vanessa. They were so grateful that they both held on to that picture as if their life depended on it. Thomas and Vanessa met in high school and fell in love, they were both virgins and had vowed to stay celibate until their wedding night. Thomas was very athletic, the captain of the football team at Rozelle High in an upper class neighborhood in upscale New York. He was the type of boy that all the girls went crazy for and would have given it up to him in a heartbeat if that’s what he desired but he only had eyes for his baby girl, Vanessa. Nessa, as everyone called her was captain of her debate team and always had her head in the books and I guess that’s why all the other girls couldn’t understand why he was so in love with her, but she was very beautiful and had a great personality with intelligence thrown in the mix, go figure huh.

They both had planned on going to college to become lawyers and that’s what their parents wanted for them but without any interference. Thomas’ parents were the total opposite of Vanessa’s parents and a bit more understanding but Vanessa thought his mom was a bit snobbish. When he first took her home and introduced her to them his mom held out her hand as if she wanted Vanessa to kiss it and said in a uppity tone of voice, “how do you do?” Vanessa, being the comical teenager that she was replied in the same tone of voice and she grabbed his mom’s hand, "I do fine and thank you for asking," Thomas elbowed her and quickly introduced her to his dad. His dad just grabbed her and gave her a big hug, now she was pleased with that greeting. As his parents was on their way out the door for their dinner engagement they told him not to stay up to late and his dinner was in the frig. His mom told Vanessa that she were more than welcome to stay for dinner and she replied with a very polite thank you. “So Thomas do I get a tour of your beautiful home or what” she asked him. He took her by the hand and gave her the grand tour making their final stop at his bedroom door. As he slowly opened the door, her mouth dropped open in awe of his room. "Wow! I’m impressed, this is a cool room and that bed is to die for, you have mirrors on the top of your bed"? Vanessa asked as she jumped in his bed and stared at herself in the mirrors.

“I know what you’re thinking” Thomas replied as he crawled next to her “And no I’ve never had a girl in my room, you are the first.” Vanessa smiled and snuggled up against him and wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, he kissed her on her forehead as she slipped her hand under his shirt and ran it up his chest, he looked at her and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this"? She kissed him on the lips gently and whispered, "Yes." Since it was the first time for them both they didn’t use protection. At 10:00 pm Thomas dropped Vanessa off, walking slowly hand in hand, savoring every moment, smiling at each. Once they managed to make it to the front door, h looked into her big brown eyes, gave her a passionate kiss and softly whispered in her ear, "Baby I love you so much, more than you know. She replied with a big smile, "I love you Thomas and one day I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy." It was hard for them to say goodnight at this point but they needed to sleep. She then walked in the house, closed the door behind her and as she leaned on the door still smiling she let out a big sigh. "Nessa, is that you"? Her dad called out. "Yes daddy, Thomas dropped me off," she answered as she went into the living room where her dad was watching T.V. in his favorite reclining chair.

"Where’s mom"? She asked. "She went to the movies with Linda, so how was your day baby girl? And how is that future son-in -law of mine"? "Oh daddy," she laughed, "He’s good and I’m in love with him daddy!" she replied excitedly as she slumped down on the couch with love written all over her face. Her dad looked at her and smiled, "I figured that, you’re with the boy it seems like 24-7, your mom and I almost forgot we had a daughter, we were thinking about renting out your room until I said, wait, don’t we have a daughter"? And your mom answered, "darn! That’s right." Vanessa just laughed at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek then replied, "As if daddy, good night, love you." Vanessa was so excited about losing her virginity to Thomas but determined to keep it a secret from her mom and dad. Both of their parents wanted them to concentrate on school and less on each other, yea right, like that was going to happen. They were both young, free and in love and displayed their affection towards each other every chance they got and took advantage of every opportunity to be alone that came their way. Approximately six weeks in between all the baby I can’t live without you love making sessions Vanessa began to fill nauseated mostly in the morning.

Vanessa decided she'd better tell Thomas about the morning sickness because she was beginning to worry. He thought it was just a virus that would pass and told her if she didn’t feel any better in a couple of days he would take her to the doctor. Vanessa thought that was a good idea and agreed. Later that evening Vanessa was eating dinner with her parents and her mom made a statement regarding not seeing her around the house much lately because they were always going shopping or to the beauty salon forever getting their hair and nails done. “ I’ve been hanging out with Thomas and studying , If we’re going to go to college and become attorneys we have to study all the time, right dad” Vanessa responded. “Well as long as you’re studying baby, I guess it’s ok to be with Thomas,” her mom exclaimed. Vanessa began to feel nauseated and if she could be excused so they excused her. She walked upstairs normally as not to alert them to the fact she had to regurgitate. Once she made it to her room she dashed for the bathroom and closed the door, fell to her knees, stuck her head over the toilet and regurgitated. After it was all over she immediately called Thomas and told him not failing to mention the fact that she missed her period, Thomas began to panic, “What do you mean you missed your period babe?” Wishing within himself that she was only joking. "Well babe, just like I said, I missed my period, I think I might be pregnant." Thomas was dead silent. "Hello, hello, Thomas? He finally broke his silence and in a shaky voice replied, "Babe, you’re freaking me out, you can’t be pregnant, we’re in our last year of high school, you can’t be pregnant, right babe!?
Vanessa began to cry softly, “You’ll have to take me to Planned Parenthood tomorrow so that I can take a pregnancy test.” Thomas agreed and told her to stay in tonight, get some rest and he would pick her up tomorrow morning. After hanging up the phone Vanessa laid down across her bed with all kinds of thoughts running through her mind...If I’m pregnant mom is going to kill me and Thomas, how am I going to hide this from her? Maybe I’ll just write a note and runaway with Thomas, and do what? You’re an idiot. I know, I’ll make Thomas tell her if the test comes back positive after all he’s the one that did it. She then said to herself, "Ok Vanessa that’s enough let’s just calm down because we don’t know for sure, let's just go to sleep and everything will be fine when the test comes back negative, Lord have mercy!

Thomas in the meantime was up in his room pacing back and forth, talking to himself. My parents are going to have a fit if I got her pregnant, I’m not ready to be a dad, why is she going to Planned Parenthood? This wasn’t planned. He threw himself on his bed and screamed in his pillow so that his mom and dad wouldn’t hear him. Unfortunately his mom was walking by his room and walked in. "Tom, honey, is everything ok"? She startled him because he didn’t hear her open his door, she usually knocked first. Thomas removed his face from the pillow and replied as he tried to keep a straight face, “Oh, hey mom, I didn’t hear you knock” mom said “that’s because I didn’t sweetie” "I’m fine just kind of stressing about a test tomorrow, hoping all that hard studying will pay off" he replied nervously. "Babe I’m sure you’ll do fine, are you coming down for dinner"? Thomas thought to himself, how in the heck can I eat at a time like this. "No, I’m not very hungry mom, I think I’ll just go to bed early tonight, I have a test early tomorrow." "Ok, I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors so don’t stress, love you son, goodnight.." Thomas told his mom good night and thought, this is one test I don’t want to pass with flying colors.



Thomas barely got any sleep that night, he tossed and turned worrying about the test results, praying and hoping that they would come back negative. That morning he got up early, still worried about the results of Vanessa’s pregnancy test, he drove over to pick her up at 6 a.m. He called her on the cell phone to see if she was ready, Vanessa answered in a groggy voice and asked Thomas why he was there so early to pick her up. Well babe, he answered, I want to get this over with the suspense is killing me. Vanessa talking through her yawn said, “the suspense should be killing me, I’m the one that have to take the test and they don’t open until 8 am or maybe 7, I’ll be ready in 30 minutes.” Thomas sat outside in the car nervously and waited for Vanessa. They hardly said two words to each other on the way to Planned Parenthood because they were both so nervous and anxious. When they finally arrived Thomas got out and opened the car door for Vanessa and they walked towards the office building clutching each other’s hand tightly. After they got inside she went to the front desk to check in and after filling out all the paper work Vanessa was nervous and began praying within herself, begging God to please let the test come back negative, at that moment the nurse called her to the back. She and Thomas looked at each other with anxiety written all over their faces. The nurse gave Vanessa a cup and asked her to urinate in it so she took the cup and went into the bathroom. After returning to her room and waiting for what seemed like hours but was only for a few minutes the nurse returned with the results.

Your test came back positive, she said to her. Vanessa sat there in disbelief as her eyes began to fill with tears and stream down her cheeks. A vision flashed before her eyes, her mother was choking the life out of her, the nurse asked her if she was ok. Vanessa answered, no, my mom is going to kill me when she finds out. The nurse replied, I’m taking it that you didn’t expect a positive test result. She gave Vanessa some brochures and told her that she did have options as to what she wanted to do and explained to her that according to the date that she gave of her last period, she was only about five weeks pregnant and if she didn’t wish to proceed with the pregnancy that she could terminate. The nurse apologized for the positive results and told her she could get dressed. Once she got dressed she went back out to the waiting area where Thomas was anxiously waiting the news but once he saw the look on her face he knew what the answer was.

Vanessa grabbed Thomas’ hand and they walked out the door, when they got in the car they both started to cry and embraced each other in solitude for at least ten minutes. Vanessa broke the silence by stating that she was going to have to get an abortion, Thomas wasn’t pleased with that decision at all. What do you mean, so you’re just going to terminate a life that our love created, I know this won’t be easy babe but we will get through this together. I’ll get a job and we can get married after we graduate and still go to college, it will just take a little longer that’s all. Vanessa was so surprised at his reply that she didn’t know what to think or say. I love you Vanessa and I want to marry you and raise our son or daughter. Vanessa started to cry all over again, I love you too baby and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, being a good wife and mother.



They kissed and agreed to have the baby. Vanessa asked Thomas how they were going to break the news to their parents. Well, Thomas said, my parents will be upset but they will accept it but on the other hand your parents is a whole different story, especially your mom, I love you but I will not be around when you tell her. That is so messed up, Vanessa said with a smile on her face. Well I think since you are the one that got me pregnant, you should be the one to tell my parents, especially Gladys, my mom. Thomas had the most terrifying look on his face as he imagined what would happen to him as he told her that he banged her daughter and now she’s pregnant and stated to Vanessa, "A snowball will have a better chance in hell than me telling your mom that I got her precious baby girl pregnant." Vanessa laughed and said, "Well it was just a suggestion." "Yea, suggestion hell," was Thomas’ reply. As he started the car he asked her where they should stop first, his house or hers.

"Since your parents are more lenient, let’s stop there first," Vanessa suggested as she squeezed his hand. "Ok, my house it is babe." "So T, do you want a girl or boy"? She asked him. "I haven’t really thought about it, of course I never planned on having a baby at the age of seventeen either but I think it would be nice for our first to be a boy and we can have a girl later." Vanessa looked at him and asked, "How many kids do you want"? "Just a boy and girl, how many is that Nessa"? "Um, der let me think", she answered jokingly. Thomas thought it was good that they could joke at a time like this especially since their lives were at stake when Gladys found out he got her daughter pregnant he would surely die. Although they were both very nervous regarding the whole situation they laughed and joked all the way to Thomas’ house. Thomas looked at Vanessa as he parked the car in his drive way, "Well baby this is it let’s go and break the news to mom and dad." Vanessa began to get teary eyed as she responded, "Thomas I’m scared as hell babe" he leaned over and gave her a comforting kiss and assured her that everything would be fine. As they exited the car and made their way to the front door Vanessa grabbed Thomas’ hand and gripped it tightly. "Are you ready baby"? Thomas asked as he looked into her still teary eyes and she replied with a slow head shake implying yes. His parents were in the living room watching T.V., as they both entered and spoke, his mom turned and acknowledged them by saying hi. His dad saw the concern on their faces and asked what was wrong. Thomas and Vanessa made their way to the love seat directly across from where his concerned parents sat.

"Mom, dad, I don’t know how to tell you this so I’m just going to say it, Vanessa and I are pregnant, I mean we’re having a baby." His mom slowly got up from the couch with tears streaming down her face and walked out of the room, his dad looked at him and said, “Son did you not use protection? What were you thinking"? He then exited the room. Vanessa sat there quietly and cried. After composing herself she looked at Thomas and stated in a sad tone, " They hate me now because I ruined your life." Thomas consoling her replied, "Baby look at me, that’s not true, you didn’t ruin my life and they don’t hate you just give them time to digest this information." His parents walked back into the room and sat down on the sofa, Thomas apologized to his parents, his mother interrupted. 'Son you know I love you but you’re too young to be a parent and so are you Vanessa, what are you going to do with a baby? how will you support it and yourselves with no education because you’ll have to drop out of school to raise the baby. Your dad and I discussed this and I think Vanessa should get an abortion, you’re young you can have more children after you’re married and well into your careers providing that you’re still together."

Upon hearing this Vanessa became very irate and replied, "I can’t believe you said that, you have no compassion and I will not abort my child" Thomas tried to calm Vanessa down but she wasn’t hearing it. "You are such a snob and that’s saying it politely, how dare you even form your mouth to say such a thing to me you’re not my mother." Mrs. Burgess looked at Vanessa and said, 'Thank God." Vanessa ran out of the house crying and Thomas followed her, very upset at his mom. "Take me home Thomas, I can’t believe your mom what a b****," she looked back as she was getting into the car and screamed, "B****." "Nessa just get in the car and be quiet" Thomas told her. His mom yelled out the door, “And I’m calling your mother young lady.” Very perturbed Vanessa placed her face in her hands and screamed, “I hate her.” Thomas was so confused and torn between his mother the woman that gave him life, that he loved and adored and now the young woman whom he wanted to marry and the mother of his unborn child. He just kept driving not knowing what to say.

They drove in silence all the way to Vanessa’s house and once they arrived she told Thomas that she thought it would be best if he just went home to deal with his parents and she dealt with hers and she apologized for calling his mom a b**** even though she really is she added. He understood and agreed that his mom had her b**** ways about her. To say the least Vanessa commented. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and wished her luck because she was going to need it facing the “Terminator.” Vanessa tried to sneak in the house as quietly as she possibly could hoping that Thomas’ mom hadn’t called her mom and told her, she wanted to prolong it as long as she could. As she was making her way up the stairs she felt something hit her in the back and cried ouch! Her mom threw a shoe at her, got to admit she had great aim.

"Momma what was that for"? Vanessa asked praying within herself that her mom didn’t know what was going on but deep inside she knew especially after that big size ten shoe landed in the middle of her back. "You know damn well why I hit you with that shoe, don’t play with me nessa, do I look stupid to you girl"? She wanted to say yes so bad but she liked her pretty white teeth. "No momma but…" GIadys interjected, "I don’t want to hear any buts and you’d better tell me the truth, are you pregnant"?
Vanessa paused for a few seconds but saw the steam coming from her mom’s nostrils and replied with a quick yes. Her dad over heard and said, “Vanessa, baby girl you’re just 17 just a baby yourself, I thought we raised you better than this.” After seeing the pain and disappointment in her dad's eyes she began to cry uncontrollably and apologized over and over.

"I didn’t mean to it just happened," her mom looked at her and said sarcastically, "Oh he just happened to fall in between your legs and bam that was it, the big happening." "Mom you know what I mean" Vanessa tried to defend her answer. "You’re getting an abortion, now do you know what I mean, get out of my sight before I hurt you." Vanessa ran upstairs crying, slammed her door and let out a loud cry. She must have cried herself to sleep because when she woke up the sun was out. Vanessa grabbed her phone and called Thomas, when she heard his comforting voice she started to cry again. Thomas was so supportive of Vanessa and was at this time willing to do whatever she wanted. "Baby what’s wrong? Do you need me to come and get you? He asked her, "No", she replied, "I don’t know, I don’t know what to do, my mom said I have to get an abortion and I can’t so I don’t know what she’s going to do the woman is ballistic." He wasn't too happy to hear that news, "Babe you’re not getting an abortion, she can’t make you do that so here’s what we’ll do…we’ll get married, I’ll get a job and we’ll both continue with our plans for college." Vanessa’s heart leaped with joy within her and she quickly replied ok. "I’m coming over in an hour so be ready" Thomas told her. "You mean we’re getting married today? she said nervously. "No silly we have to make plans but I do have something to give you and I hope you’ll accept it." Vanessa was so excited that she forgot to say bye before she hung up the phone. As Vanessa got up and jumped in the shower her mom came in her room and just sat on the bed waiting for her, still very disappointed and saddened by the news of her pregnancy.

She began to reminisce of the times they spent together, when she brought her home from the hospital and how proud and excited she was to be a mom, a young mom just like her baby girl was about to be. She wanted so much more for Vanessa, she had big dreams for her and now everything was ruined because she decided to have sex and unprotected sex at that. She grabbed a picture of Vanessa that was sitting on the night stand next to her bed, held it close to her heart and began to cry. Vanessa entered her room from the shower and saw her mom crying, she actually felt bad but she was determined to have her baby no matter what. "Mom are you ok? She asked as she sat next to her. Her mom quickly put the picture back and dried her tears and replied in a firm voice, “why wouldn’t I be, I made a phone call to my friend in Los Angeles, she can’t conceive so I’ve made arrangements for her to adopt your baby, I am going to draw up the papers today and you will sign them….this is not up for discussion nor debate I have made this decision and it stands." Vanessa couldn't say a word because she was in total shock just listening to her mom dictate to her what she will do. Her mom politely got up and walked out of the room slamming the door behind her. Poor Vanessa didn’t know what to do or think at this point so she did what she did best, cried! Thomas finally arrived but he was told that Vanessa was sick and didn’t want to be disturbed.

"Mrs. Gladys I just talked to her less than an hour ago and she was fine so what’s going on"? "Go home Thomas, better yet go on with your life you’ve caused enough pain, you’ve ruined my baby’s life." "I love Vanessa, exclaimed Thomas and I plan to marry her with or without your permission and we are going to keep our baby." Thomas quickly stepped back after seeing the fire in Gladys’ eyes. "Go home Thomas!" She said once again in a perturbed tone of voice. Thomas relented, "Fine but I will be back because I know there is something wrong." As Thomas got in his car and drove away Vanessa stared at him through her bedroom window with tears running down her face. Gladys looked up at her, shook her head and went inside. "God this is not fair how my mom is treating us, I know I messed up but I still want to keep my baby, I love Thomas and I know he loves me as well, please Lord, please help me to get through this." That was her prayer as she kneeled by her bedside. Vanessa was perplexed and didn’t really understand why her parents would treat her this way, she knew they weren’t happy with her pregnancy but she was still their baby girl. Her emotions were running rampant and she didn’t know what to do.

Vanessa was so exhausted that she fell asleep right on the floor where she was praying, she must have slept right up to bedtime. Her dad came in and picked her up as he'd done so many times when she was a little girl. He covered her up with her favorite blanket, the one she’d had since she was a little girl, it always brought comfort to her when she was sad. As dad kneeled down to kiss his baby girl on the cheek tears began to well up in his eyes, he quickly left the room. As he entered his bedroom he mentioned to Gladys possibly letting Nessa keep the baby and just supporting her, wrong thing to say. "Are you serious? Do you not remember how hard it was for us as teen parents? How we had to struggle and lived with both of our parents off and on, I don’t want that for our Vanessa, she deserves better and in the long run she will thank us for this and realize that we were right and only had her best interest at heart." He got undressed, layed on his side of the bed and replied, "I guess you’re right sweetheart…goodnight." That was the end of that conversation. The next morning Vanessa got up early…..