This is also the first offering from the John Maxwell story series. You'll see a few more offerings in this area. We now begin our tale.
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I guess when love happens, that events take place over a long time but they don't seem to last that long. In fact, they seem to fly by like a jet plane in the sky. It never really happened like that to me. I'm a person who let time pass him by when I felt I should. Somethings do take time and I should know.
As I neared 18, my mother knew that I was due to leave but I didn't plan the distance. I guess I should explain where I am at this moment. I'm currently about 25 miles south of my hometown of Buchanan, Michigan, a small stub of a town in the southwestern corner of the state. It's the early morning, about 6 or so as I make my way further south.
Why am I here? Well, I guess it relates to the beginnings of my life on Earth. I've told you how I came to be and a similar story was playing out in Buchanan. One of the girls in school, name of Beth, had a rep around the town for being as loose as a Superman comic book plot. All of her features state "Come here" when you near her.
Anyway, when her 18th birthday occurred, she had the bright idea to hold a party to celebrate. I was invited to the party by two of my male friends because she made the party an open-invite type of thing. They would concerned about my welfare ever since WJPJ closed down. I think she did it to see what kind of man-material she took get her hands on.
When I arrived, the party was gearing up a bit. Beth's first go-around was exiting the bedroom and she came out to flirt up another one. I knew that I would become a target if I didn't remove myself from her vision soon I hid behind a small potted plant. As I watched her look over the party's male visitors, I was hoping I wouldn't get spotted. She soon managed to pluck a victim and lure him into the bedroom.
As soon as the door closed, I walked away from the potted plant and intermingled. I sat down on the lamest looking couch I had ever looked at. Her parents had little good taste, as evidence by their daughter's personality. I soon heard sounds come from the bedroom door. The music she had chosen, lame pop garbage, covered the noises but I still heard them.
The party also included a few guests of the female variety, Beth's excuse for friends. One was a blonde whose brainpower is normal for her hair color. Her only good point was her chest. Her chest was more ample that her brain. She had also had her share of boys. She managed to sit next to me after a few minutes.
"How are you doing?" she said in that blonde voice of hers.
"I'm doing fine." I said as I turned in her direction.
She was wearing a shirt with a neckline that plunged pass her chest and almost made me lose it.
She happened to look down to where my eyeline was.
"You like them?" she said.
"Somewhat." I said.
"I could show them to you." she said.
"I don't know." I said.
Before I had a chance to think it over, she lifted that shirt and flashed me. Not so much flashed me as gave me a free show.
"These are all mine." she said.
For a moment, I couldn't think a single thought. She then lowered her shirt. My blood soon returned to my brain.
"I think I should resist or I'll die from the lack of oxygen." I said.
"Okay." she giggled as she got up.
The bedroom door then opened and the guy walked out as dazed as if were on drugs.
"Next." she said as she returned for fresh meat.
I sat there still as she walked passed. She passed me without incident and plucked another male for a ride.
As the evening wore on, the sounds from the bedroom and the atmosphere of the party made me wish I was at home. I had no need for this but I couldn't leave yet. One of Beth's friends managed to obtain a keg of beer and pass cups of it to all guests except me. I made myself the designated driver, even thought I can't drive a car.
The evening soon degraded as the booze allowed Beth to collect victims easily. I managed to stay out of sight as guy after guy had their time with her. A couple of her friends even joined in. I never disliked the notion because the longer I could avoid her, the easier I could get home in the same condition I came in.
I managed to have one of my friends, Jon, sit with me to distract Beth. As we talked, he sipped her beer slowly.
"John, why don't go with Beth?" he asked me.
"Because I don't want to lose it to a woman like her. If I ever lose it, it will be in the name of love, not fun." I said.
"Love is fun but if you do this, you'll enjoy a better rep. I mean, man, you have one of the worst reps in school. You're pretty old-fashioned for someone your age." he said.
"I guess so but that's because I believe in things other than what society feels." I said.
"I think I'll agree with you. I mean, I shouldn't be drinking this but I am." he said. "Good point." I said sarcastically.
"Right." he said.
Just then, the bedroom door opened and Beth became looking for another good time.
"Go, John." he said.
"You go. That way, you can... warm her up for my turn." I said.
"I knew you get it. I'll warm her up for ya." he said as he got up.
He soon went inside. I then decided to make my exit at last.
As I left, I saw a few of Beth's other rides walking out drunk as a bug. I was happy I wasn't among them. I have the one thing they don't have, dignity. Dignity was the one thing my mother gave me to use and I use it often. I don't intend to waste myself. I want love to find me and I'll use my dignity to love, not my body. Cheap thrills are good for some but not me. I enjoy life the way it can be.
The night soon passed into day and I went out into the world to inspect the damage. I saw many of the partygoers roaming in the sun acting like someone twice their age. That party sure left a number of them and I could take pride in being clear, calm, and collected. That all changed a week later. I was sitting in the library, reading a sci-fi novel. I like those kinds of books.
I was reading when I happened to see Beth come in. From experience, this was one place she had never been in. In fact, I was sure she had never read a book in her whole life. I pondered why she was here as I returned to my book. As I resumed reading, I felt someone come next to me. I looked up and I saw Beth standing there.
"Beth, what are you doing here?" I asked her.
"I came to talk to you." she said.
Talking was a change of pace for her. Happy to be part of what I felt was an historic moment in her life, I told her to sit down. As she sat down, I saw that she had a worried look on her face.
"So, what do you what to talk to be about?" I asked.
"About the party." she said.
"The party? What about the party?" I said.
She then said the words no man in the whole world wants to hear, "I'm pregnant."
I was floored.
"Pregnant? How?" I said.
"I had a lot of sex at that party. Yesterday, I did a pregnancy test and it came up positive." she said.
"Why are you telling me?" I said.
"Because it's yours." she said.
This floored me more than the first statement because I knew that I wasn't mine. "Mine? I can't be mine!" I said.
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because I came nowhere near you that night. I spent that night avoiding you. Why me?" I said.
"I don't remember much about that night but I do remember having sex with someone named John." she said.
"There were another people there named John. It's not uncommon." I said.
"I have a feeling its yours because you did it best." she said.
"I didn't have anything to do with you that night. I don't even know where to proceed with things like that. How can I do it best?" I said.
"You just did." she said.
Over the rest of the week, the school swirled with the news, with my name under the subject of "father" After breaking the news to me, she broke it to her parents, who had been in the dark on their daughter's sex life. They felt she hadn't one. My mother was then informed by Beth's parents. Over that time, I knew how my father felt when told that he was the source of a new life. Only this time, I knew I wasn't the source.
I talked to her after awhile and asked her how she could finger me and she told me the following, "I don't remember much of that night but I do know you had sex with me and that you were the one to do it right."
That didn't sit with me because I don't know a thing about doing it right or wrong. My parents skipped that part. I had to learn about it out of an encyclopedia when I was in fifth grade and there are no pointers in the World Book.
Over that week, I started getting a few higher standards thrown at me. My friends, the few I had, started inviting to places because of the deed now placed on me. They called me one of the boys. I felt like one of the losers I had been a part of before. I was proud to be among that glass and I had now evolved.
My mother, however, was beginning to see the cycle repeat again. I was turning into the man she left behind 18 years ago and she didn't like the idea. Her parents, which had long ignored the idea that their own daughter had been with half the boys in school out of sheer stupidity, now had indeniable proof of it, fought over what the logical course of action should be. About three days after the news was sprung, the decision was finally, which brings me to why I am now 30 miles south of Buchanan, getting further away.
The decision was made that I was to marry Beth in order for me to raise my child. I was not about to raise a child that wasn't mine but my mother, remembering what happened 18 years ago and now in a state of regret because of what was happening to me, agreed to it because she felt I needed it.
I didn't need it at all and I tried to collect myself some more after I was told to marry her. That idea was not an option to me so I went over my options that I liked. I soon came to the only conclusion that was available to me: running away. Over the course of three days, I planned my escape while my mother and Beth's parents planned our nupitals.
They were to take place at church during the sunday service so they wouldn't be a big fuss. Early Sunday morning, about two hours before the sun reared itself, I left my house and made a break for the outskirts of town.
That brings us now to 35 miles south of Buchanan on an August Sunday with me, having hitched a ride out of town when I arrived at the railroad tracks, which marked the southern boundary of town, heading as fast as I can. My mother is just waking up now to the discovery that her son has bailed on his child. I'm the only one who knows I'm running from a mistake of life.
I've had several of those mistakes of life, so I have the ability to spot one when it comes and this was one of them. As I travel further into northern Indiana, I felt that a huge weight is lifting from my shoulders, while at the same time, a small weight is being placed, the weight of what I leave in my wake. It was very small, almost pebble-sized, but it was there nonetheless. I just ignored it and kept moving on.
The driver took me as far as Kokomo before he dropped me off. I then hitched another ride to Indianapolis where I was dropped off again. This continued over the next seven days as I hitched ride after ride, marking the increasing number of miles between me and Buchanan. Finally, I ended in the town of Elizabethton, Tennessee with 630 miles traveled.
The driver, who I had met in Johnson City, took only as far as a few miles, but I felt I had got enough miles between me and Buchanan to stop. I dropped me off in the parking lot of a Subway and I felt hungry after all that traveling. I've had a few bites to eat but they were small. I needed my stomach filled finally.
"This is where I'll settle." I said to myself.
Just then, As I was making my way to the front door of the Subway, I saw a jeep pulled in. This wasn't one of those commerical jeeps. This was a military jeep. It looked like it had seen a lot of miles go by. What impressed me was the driver. It was this woman behind the wheel.
She looked to be at least 10 years older than me. As she got out, I noticed that she was dressed in a black outfit, which seemed to suit her. I pulled the door opened and she walked in, with a thank you to me. I walked in behind her and we took our place in the short line to give our orders.
As the one other person in line ordered, I looked at the menu. The woman with the jeep gave her order and I gave mine. When I got my order, I went to a table and started eating wholeheartly.
As I made that first bite, I saw the woman with the jeep sit at my table and start eating herself.
"Hello." I said between bites.
"Hello yourself." said the woman.
"I see you drive a jeep." I said.
"I do." said the woman.
"Where did you get it?" I asked.
"From my father. I don't where he got it from." replied the woman.
"I see." I said, taking another bite.
I then noticed the woman taking a glance at me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"What?" she said, startled a bit.
"I noticed you staring at me for some reason." I said.
"Oh, I just noticed you look a little... worn-in." she said.
She was referring to my appearence. My clothes were a bit on the dirty side and so was I.
"I've been on the road for seven days straight." I said.
"That long? How much further will you go?" she asked.
"No further. I've decided to stop here." I said.
"For how long?" she asked me.
I thought it over.
"Nine months." I said.
I gave myself that amount of time because nine months from now, Beth's baby will be born and they'll perform a DNA test on it and find it's not mine.
"No, ten months." I said. I decided to give myself some extra time in case they don't perform it right away.
"Ten months? That's an odd amount of time. Where are you staying?" she said. "I don't know. I have no one around here to stay with." I said.
"Then why stop here?" she asked.
"I feel I've traveled far enough and need to stop." I replied.
"I guess the least I can do is offer you a place to stay." she said.
"You would do that for me?" I said.
"Yeah, I've got a guest house and I need an occupant for it because I don't use it often." she said.
"Before I accept, I have two questions to ask." I said.
"Ask your questions." she said.
"Question number one: how much for rent?" I asked.
"How much you got?" she replied.
I searched my pockets and found my wallet. Before I left, I stuffed it with all the money I had, about $950 worth.
"$950." I said.
"Tell you what, I'll let you have the guest house for about $25 a month." she said. "Good, and now my second question: what is your name?" I said.
"My name is Jess McIntyre." she said.
"Nice to meet you, Jess." I said, finishing my sub.
"Nice to meet you... "she said.
"John. John Maxwell." I said.
When we finished our meals, Jess and I headed to her jeep.
"This is the first time I've ever ridden a jeep." I said.
"Really? I guess not many people drive jeeps." said Jess.
"Not many people own an army jeep." I said.
"You're right." she said.
As I threw my bag into the jeep, I realized that I was finally somewhere else. I was 600 miles from anyone who would ruin me. I climbed into the jeep as Jess turned the engine over. As the motor revved up, Jess pulled out the jeep out into traffic. As we drove along, I took in the sights. This was to be my new home, for nine months at least. The downtown seemed nice, and there was even a movie theater, something that Buchanan doesn't have. I felt I was gonna have a nice time here.
We soon arrived at Jess' house. It was this nice-looking thing sitting next to old out-of-use railroad tracks. One look at those tracks told me that I had nothing to worry from trains passing by. I got out of the jeep and got my bag of various items.
The guest house was at one end of a long porch which went over to the main house at the other end. I knew that access to the main house was easy. The guest house was small but large enough for me.
As Jess unlocked the door, I felt the anchor I had been carrying for seven days drop. When the door was opened, I walked inside and drop my bag about two feet from the door. "Home at last." I said as I took in the living room.
I saw that the house was fully furnished with furniture and appliances. The kitchen held a small stove and mircowave. I then journeyed to the bedroom and found a bed, ready for someone to sleep in it. I returned to the living room and sat down on the couch and streched my legs out.
"Do you like it?" queried Jess.
"I do. I'll take it." I said.
"I'm glad you like it." she said.
"Now, I must put my down rent up. You'll need first and last month's rent so I'll give you $50 to start." I said.
I grabbed my wallet, pulled out a 50 and gave it to her.
"Thanks. I didn't even have to say anything on it." she said.
"I like to be prepared when I go places." I said.
"I'll just go get you some food, if you don't mind." she said.
"Go ahead." I said.
Jess then took her leave, leaving the keys on the couch and closing the door.
As I laid there, I took in the utter quiet of the place. Back at my old home, my mother and closest kin filled the house with noise and now, I was left with quiet. Of course, the first thing a man does when confronted with quiet is to make a little noise.
At least my noise will be the only noise most of the time. I then picked up a slight odor in the air. I turns out that it was me making a stink. I hadn't done anything close to hygiene in seven days. I then decided to wash off the dirt of the road. I walked to the small bathroom and found a shower.
"I wonder if the water's turned on." I said.
I soon rid myself of my clothing and stepped into the shower. I then bent down to turn the handle. When I did, my backside received a chill of cold water. I quickly turn the handle the other way and washed off.
After the wash-up, I decided to do re-dress and return to the couch. I took noticed of the TV set and turned it on. I was quickly confronted with Sunday afternoon programming on one of the local stations. I soon switched to a cable channel and took in that programming. Over the next few hours, that's all I did.
Then, I heard a knock at the door. I got up and went to the door. When I opened it, I was confronted with a wall of shopping bags.
"Help me with this." I heard Jess' voice say from behind the bags.
She was back from the supermarket with my food. I took a couple of bags from her as she entered.
"That's a lot of food." I said.
"Well, this saves you some money." she said.
"Yeah, but I want only some food, not the whole store." I said.
We soon put the food down.
As I sorted out the food, I decided to think up dinner. As I looked at the food and plan a menu, I wanted to include Jess for giving me a place to stay.
"Say, Jess, I want to thank you for giving me a home." I said.
"With what?" she asked.
"By inviting you to dinner. Just a small one and you can leave at any time." I said. "Okay, I'll take it. It save me the trouble of cooking." she said.
When I finished putting the food away, I told Jess to arrive at 6:00 pm for dinner. It was already 3:00 pm and I decided on spaghetti because it's simple to make. After an hour and a half, I started making the spaghetti.
I grabbed the hamburger and chopped it up and threw it in the pan. After the beef had cooked some, I poured in some sauce and mixed it in. When it was done, I set it aside and waited for Jess. Sure enough, at 6:00 pm, Jess showed up and I set the table right away.
"So, where are you from?" asked Jess as she took her first bite of my spaghetti. "A little town called Buchanan, Michigan." I said.
"Michigan? What's it like up there?" she said.
"Cool." I said. She giggled when I said that.
"No, I mean, what's it like?" she said.
"Well, the people are friendly. They're nice enough." I said.
"Why did you leave?" she asked.
"I left because... I wanted to." I said.
I wasn't about to reveal the truth and risk a return.
"You wanted to? I guess you like to travel." she said.
"I do. I've often dreamed of life on the road and for a week, I had it but now, I wish to stop for I've had my fun." I said.
"Well, I wanted to travel." she said.
"What stopped you?" I asked.
"People." she said.
"I see. Well, I'll try not to hold you back. In fact, just pretend I'm not here." I said.
We continued chatting for the rest of the dinner about mundane things. I'm sure you've talked about them yourself so I won't bore you by telling about them. Some things are so boring, you just skip them and hope no one asks. Anyway, at the end of the dinner, Jess left the guest house and returned to the main house.
I cleaned up afterwards and putting everything away for the night. Since I didn't bring bedclothes, I just slept the night away in what I had on. It was a weird feeling to sleep in a strange bed but I told myself I would settle in.
Settle in is what I did over the next few days. I went and bought some new clothes and shopping for more food. After a week, I felt that I was blending in. Still, I kept a low profile, in case Beth had any relatives in the area that would love to ship me back to Michigan.
Soon, I was used to my routine and felt no need to change it. However, I started getting bore after a couple of weeks of nothing. As the leaves fell from the trees, so did my excitement over this new town. It was beginning to become as much as my hometown as Buchanan. I felt I needed to get to know Jess.
She let me stay here and I felt I hadn't seen her much. In fact, I hadn't seen her much at all during the last two weeks and I felt it was time to get to know her. So, one Saturday, I walked over to the main house and knocked on the front door. My knock was answered when Jess opened the door.
"Hello, John. What do you want?" she said.
"I've come to visit you. I'm bored and I need to talk to someone besides the wall." I said.
"Come in." she gestured and that's what I did.
As I looked around her living room, I noticed some awards on the wall. I read one. "Award for Best Teacher in Carter County, 2005"
"Nice awards." I said.
"Thanks. As you can tell from them, I'm a teacher." she said.
"A molder of young minds. I think it's a great profession." I said.
"You think so?" she said.
"I do. The only good advice I ever got in my life was from teachers and that's was few and far between. Most of the times, people around me would just think of what they thought of me and act on it." I said.
"I hope I don't do that to you." she said.
I then sat down on a sofa. "You wouldn't believe the things I've done." I said.
"I don't know that for sure." she said.
"I hope you don't, for if you do, you're like the rest. Tell that piece of wisdom to your class." I said.
I could tell that Jess was collecting herself over my unexpected visit.
"I get the feeling that I should leave. I just wanted someone to talk to and if you need an free ear, you know where to find one." I said as I made my way to the door.
I soon departed and returned to the guest house and settled back into my routines. By the next week, I had added one routine. I began to watch Jess as she left for school in the morning. She usually leave early, at about 5:00 am, Monday through Friday like clockwork.
Soon, the first of October reared itself and it was time to pay the rent. I quickly flushed out a 20 and a 5 and waited until Jess came home and I paid my rent in person. I didn't know why I did but I did. I soon went back to my routines and felt something else for the first time.
I didn't know what it was because I never had it before. One day, about the first Wednesday of October, I headed over to the main house at about 4:30 am. Since I usually slept through mornings, I felt I needed a chat to either wake up or nod off. Jess was sure surprised by my visit but she let me in for a brief coffee and chat.
As I drank my coffee, I saw the rapid pace she went through to get ready to teach those young minds. I never finished my education myself. I had left on the verge of going to the 12th grade but what had happened forced me to bail.
I kept that fact from Jess for fear she might put me back in the school system and I was used to what I was doing. I did all the talking at first, Jess too busy to respond. I didn't think she ever respond to anything I say.
About a week into this, I said something to the effect of, "I guess I better start raking your leaves as well as mine."
Then, I heard Jess stop in front of the small table I sat at and say, "I guess you should."
That's was the first time she responded. I then started to rake the leaves. After raking the leaves, I felt I needed time to talk, so I talked to Jess one day as she returned from work. I was busy raking the leaves into a pile when I spotted her.
"Good day." I said.
"Good day to you." she said.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" I said.
"Sure you can, John." she said as she walked to the pile of leaves.
"What do you wish to talk about?" she said.
"Anything. How about you tell me about your day?" I said.
"My day? Why would you want to hear that?" she asked.
"Because there's nothing in my day to tell you and I feel that teaching young minds brings up a moment or two per day." I said.
"Okay, where do I start?" she said.
"At the beginning of the day, when the students you teach file into your room with expectations of boredom." I said.
"I'm not boring. In fact, today in class, the students were to hand in their homework assignment I had given them yesterday. It was about history." she said. "Which part of history? I feel there are more interesting time periods than others." I said.
"The Constitution." she said.
"Now that's interesting. 55 guys in a hot room building a country. You sometimes have to wonder if it was worth it." I said.
"Well, I told them to write an essay on how the Constitution has affected them." she said.
"See, now they have to wonder if it was worth it." I said.
"Well, you should have seen some of the essays. I feel some of my class will grow up and be lawyers." she said.
"Anything else, like a test." I said.
"Not today but two days ago, I quizzed them on the Revolutionary War and some of their responses made me wonder if they're listening." she said.
"Try me." I said.
"One of the questions was 'What group of Germans fought on both sides in the war?'." she said before I said, "The Hessians."
"Right, but some answered in weird ways. A few answered the Nazis. A couple answered that the Swiss and one kid answered the question with the response, 'The beer guys.'." she said.
"'The beer guys'? You have to wonder what kind of home life that kid has." I said. "Well, half of them answered correctly and that's good enough for me." she said. "What grade do you teach?" I asked.
"6th grade." she replied.
"6th graders. Those are the people you need to look out for. That's when boys start answering questions with their hormones instead of their brain." I said.
"I hope they learn more. Every time I hear about falling test scores, I worry for the future of this country." I said.
"Don't worry, they're new students. I'll whip them into learning shape." she said. "I guess I'm finished raking so I guess it's time to part for now." I said.
"See you later." she said as she headed back to the main house.
I headed back to the guest house and remained there the rest of the day. Over the next week or so, every day when Jess came home, I would rake the leaves and hear about her day. I wondered about those students will do to her.
When I was in the 6th grade, I tried to get involved but remained a learning student. One of the things my teacher did was read stories. I remember one story that was told but I missed the ending and I can't remember the title now.
Anyway, every time I heard Jess tell about her day, I was interested to the point it was the highlight of my day, which was of nothing. The leaves soon all fell off the trees as October moved into November and winter came closer and closer.
The trees were soon bare and I had no reason to be outside when Jess came home so I started spending time at her house every weekday afternoon when she came home. Each day she told me about told me more about her.
She knew that students learn at different speeds so she kept up with her students very well. She was a fresh addition to the teaching profession, having only held it for three years and so, she was learning along with her students at the same time. She also began to get to know me. I didn't tell much but I could tell her interest was peaked by me.
Finally, halfway through November, I was sitting at her table, listening to her tell about her day when something happened, I became more interested in her than her day. I pushed it aside and continued listening about her day.
November moved closer to a close and Jess soon headed off to join the rest of her family for Thanksgiving and I decided to house-sit for her. Over the holiday, I spent more time thinking about what was happening. Soon, Jess returned to the main house and I moved back into the guest house.
As Christmas neared, I could tell her students knew for they're concentrating on the holiday season than their schoolwork. December soon moved in and I felt a warm feeling every time I saw Jess. One early December morning, I saw Jess off to work. When she left, I knew something. I was somewhat attracted to Jess. It was weird to me to have a attraction to a woman ten years older than you.
Later that day, I listened to Jess tell about her day and that warm feeling I kept getting felt stronger. When I returned home that day, I had a thought. It was the idea that I was falling in love with Jess. Was it love? I didn't know. I have seen her every day for two months and something was bringing us closer. If it was love, I had no idea.
It was something like this that had resulted in my birth 18 years ago and I resisted it for a while as I continued to listen to Jess but I couldn't ignore it for long. Halfway through December, I felt a flame ficker on in me one day while listening to another telling of Jess' day.
I looked at Jess and felt the warm feeling really burn. I was pining for her. I debeated after I returned to the guest house if I should pursue it. I then made my choice, I gonna see if what I had for Jess was love.
I started with a Christmas present for her. I went to the dollar store and went looking for a gift. I soon got the right one for her. I bought it and wrapped it up. I also went and bought one of those small plastic Christmas trees for her. I placed my present next to the tree and waited for Christmas day. Christmas day soon came.
"Merry Christmas, Jess." I said as I entered her house that day.
"Merry Christmas to you, too." she said.
"Do you see your tree I got you?" I said.
"I see it. I also noticed a gift next to it. Is it for me?" she asked.
"Yes, it is." I replied.
"May I open it?" she asked me.
"You can, it's Christmas Day." I said.
Jess went over to the small tree and plucked the gift from it. She sat down on her sofa and tore the wrapping paper off. She opened the box and pulled out her present.
"A coffee mug." she said.
"Yep, one that says 'World's Greatest Teacher'." I said.
Jess thanked me for the present with a quick hug. As I stood there, I knew something was there and I was now determined to find it. The year soon passed and the month of January soon arrived along with the new year. The beginning of the year marked the beginning of a romance.
I had never had one, so I thought it over carefully on what to do. I had to be careful for anything I do from now on must be taken seriously or it will failed. I decided that the first thing any couple does is a date. So, one day when Jess was telling me about her day, I interrupted her, "Jess, can I say something?"
"You can." she said.
"For the last three months, I have listened to you talk about your day and each day, I feel something inside me. It's a warm feeling and every day, it gets warmed and now, I feel that there's love between us. So, I feel I must ask you out on a date." I said.
Jess, I could tell, was stunned by what I had said.
"A date?" she said.
"That's right." I said.
"I don't know. I mean, I feel something, too, but I don't feel it's anything like that." she said.
"Then you share my feeling." I said.
"I guess so. This is big." she said.
"I know that. We've only know each other for a few months but I feel we've grown to like each other and it's starting to turn into love. The only way that I'll know for sure is if we have a date together." I said.
"I don't know about this. I mean, what if you find out it isn't what you think?" she said.
"Then I know for sure but until then, I feel we should have a date. Just a small date to see if anything's there." I said.
"And if you find something there?" she asked.
"Then we'll go from there." I said.
"Okay, we'll have a date." she said.
We then shook hands over it.
Over the next few days, I went over the places I could take Jess for a date. There are many places where one can take another for a date and I felt it had to fit with how fragile this date. I mean, one false step and I could lose my home.
Not to mention that someone might spot me and drag me back to Michigan to attend a shotgun wedding. I'll tell you, that thought has sprung up in my dreams quite a few times over the past few months and it just gave me more reason to stay with Jess and now, with love possibly in bloom between the two of us, the idea of any ruining any chance with Jess was heavy on me.
After four days of soul-searching and resturant hunting, I finally came up with a plan for our date. I decided that it should take place on a Saturday, so it wouldn't interfere with Jess' job at school.
I then sprung my plan on a Thursday on Jess while we were discussing another day in her life as a school teacher. As I explained the plan, I felt Jess taking it in and feeling some as well that she would like to find out.
That ten-year age difference doesn't help matters at all in this case, so carefuliness, as I said before, is key. Jess agreed to the plan and so, a Friday passed with the both weighing what we were about to do.
Then, Saturday night arrived on time. I dressed up the best I could and walked over to the main house and waited for Jess. When Jess stepped outside the house, I was stunned. For the first time since I met her, she was wearing a skirt. It was blue, I recall.
"Ready?" I asked her.
"Yes." she replied.
Because it was the middle of winter, we were both wearing winter gear over our dating clothes.
The two of us soon climbed into Jess' jeep and sped off to our date. As we drove to the dating site, the two just looked ahead at the snow-covered road speeding by us. I knew that what we did tonight would change our lives. If for better or for worse we would find out.
We soon arrived at Pizza Inn, the site I had chosen for our date. As I disenbarked, Jess was looking very nervous. I was the same but also a bit confident. I opened the door for her as we walked inside the place.
After waiting for a minute, we were escorted to a table and were given menus. As we looked the menus over, I felt a sense of uneasy over this but I knew it had to be done. The two of us soon picked our ordered and we gave them to the waitress.
"So, how are you feeling tonight?" I said, trying to break the ice.
"Half good, half bad." said Jess in her own way.
"I feel it, too. Is what we're doing right?" I said.
"I think so. I mean, if there is something there, we shouldn't be afraid to find it. That's how love is." said Jess.
"You're right. I've never been in love before so if this is love, I shouldn't be afraid of it." I said.
"Right." she said.
"You do look nice." I said.
"I do?" she said.
"Yeah, I've never seen you like this. I feel very warm right now. If it's the ficker of a flame in my heart, I know tonight." I said.
"Well, let's not go too far with this." she said.
"How far should we go?" I said.
"With what?" she said.
"With whatever we find tonight." I said.
"I don't know but I do know we should hold back for awhile." she said.
"You're right. We should wait until the second date, if there's one after this." I said.
Soon, our food arrived and the two of us ate whole-heartedly.
"Love is funny." I said.
"How so?" asked Jess.
"That love in one form brought me down here and love in another form brought us together." I replied.
"What kind of love brought you here?" said Jess.
"The physical kind. Ours is of the more mental variety. I kinda prefer a slow-as-it-goes kind of relationship. That way, you won't be as likely to step on any toes as you go along and discover what's out there for you." I said.
"I guess you had a troubled life before you got here." said Jess.
"I guess so. I mean, my father wasn't around to see me born or to raise me and my mother had little to do with me. I guess it's because I'm not the daughter she wished a thousand times over to have and left my upbringing to her parents and that's was that." I said.
We spent the rest of the date chatting away on what we did to get to where we were. It didn't bring up my attemptted marriage or the mistaken child that were thrown at me and forced me to bail from Buchanan in the first place. We had some leftovers so we asked for a box to take it home in.
As we left, I felt very happy and I felt I really liked Jess now. She was a kind and warm human being, unlike Beth, who slept with men for fun and never really loved anyone. In fact, I often wondered if her baby was forced on me because I was the only one never to fall under her useless spell.
If that was the answer, I wouldn't know until the right amount of time had passed to allow a return to Michigan. When we returned to the house, Jess retired to the main house and I retired to the guest house and spent the night reflecting on the date.
Over the next week, Jess and I went about our daily business as if nothing had happened. Every day, I would listen to Jess and take it in. Meanwhile, the warm feeling for her was burning and I felt if I didn't do something, I would explode. I didn't know what course of action to take. I felt the answer was easy but couldn't find it.
Then, one day, it hit me. It was a moment when Jess was at school teaching and my mind brought up Beth, the girl I had bailed on. I then remembered the reason I left her. She told everyone that the two of us had sex together and that resulted in a baby. While I removed the baby from the equation, the answer then became clear.
I had to take Jess for my own use. Since it was love of the physical variety that brought me here, I should see if Jess and I have any of that.
The question then came up of how to approach the subject without ruining what we had built up. As I listened to Jess tell me about her day again, I thought over what I was going to say.
"Jess, can I have a word with you?" I said.
"Of course you can." she said.
"Okay... I know the two of us have had a date together and it went well." I said. "Of course it did. Are you planning to ask me for another?" she said.
"Sorta. I mean, all couples do it eventually. I don't know how to tell you." I said. "Tell me what?" she asked.
"That the next step we should take is one in the... physical sense." I replied.
"You mean, as in make love?" she said.
"I guess so. I mean, I wouldn't force you to do it. We could just keep it simple and not complicate it with this. Any thing you say about it will all right with me." I said. Jess then thought it over for a minute or two, the longest time in my life.
"Why not?" she finally uttered.
"Why not what?" I queried.
"Why not do this? I mean, we have nothing to lose and nothing to gain." she replied.
"Except whatever love we find after this." I said.
"That's true. How should we do it?" she said.
"I feel we should ease into it. We eat first in the guest house and then we would ajourn to the bedroom and see where it goes. If there's nothing, we won't do it. If there is something, we'll see." I said.
"I agreed." said Jess as she put out her hand.
We shook hands on and now, we were going to see how far our love, if we had any, would take us. As we decided on when we should go it, I was wrecked with nervousness. We then agreed to go for it on Friday because if it didn't work, we have a weekend to sort it out. I washed up a bit that Friday and readied both the table and the bed for what was to come.
Soon, Friday night came. It was now the beginning of Feburary and the snow had piled up outside from the snowfalls and as I saw Jess walked towards the guest house from the main house, I know that the snow dwarfed what I was about to do. I had never done this and if I made a mistake, it would ruin not only me but Jess, as well. She then knocked on the door and I answered it.
As I looked upon her face, I could tell she was ready for it. I had fixed up some spaghetti to eat. It was the first meal we shared and I felt it was appropriate for the occassin. I had decided to entice her into it. As we ate, we chatted about her day and what she had planned for the weekend. We then finished and headed off to the bedroom. After a brief talk, it was decided that she would go first. As she walked over to the side of the bed, I knew I had steered myself into a course of events that were irreverseable.
She started by removing her shirt and pants. As she did, the uneasiest feeling I had ever felt ran across me. This wasn't a thing but a woman with needs and if I did anything wrong, I would have blown it. She then laid down on the bed face-up nude. As she laid there, I began to undress myself. Each piece I removed, I removed with unease. I then climbed up onto the bed at the foot end and began inching towards her on my knees.
When I was over her, I lowered myself onto her and relaxed a bit. She then helped me get started. Being almost a complete novice, I felt her guidance help me get into it. As it proceeded, I felt a force draw us closer together. I soon wrapped my arms around her as things went further. She started making those noise I've heard about.
We soon turned over and I was leading up to it. I could tell that she was really getting into it. As we made love, I felt another sort of feeling. This one was different than the other ones. For a moment, I didn't know what it was. Then, I knew. It was the feeling of true love. I had never felt and don't think Jess has ever felt it herself but we both felt it that night.
I now knew it was love between us. It was a sort of irony that only I knew. I was doing the same thing people said I did that forced me out of town in the first place. When we finished, we just laid there, looking at each other with newborn eyes. The eyes of love itself. The feeling was very surreal. I almost felt it a dream but I knew it wasn't at all. The two soon drifted off to sleep in each other's arms and that's how the night passed for us.
The next morning, I awakened first to find Jess still asleep in the bed. I looked at her with the happiest grin on my face. I then got up and dressed myself. After that, I walked over to Jess and woke her up gently.
"Good morning, Jess." I said.
"Good morning to you, John." she said as she awakened.
"How was your sleep?" I asked.
"It was fine for me. For you?" she said, propping herself up.
"The same for me. I never like that before." I said.
"Me, too. I mean, I've done it before but never like that. It was fasninating." she said.
"I think I felt true love between us." I said.
"Me, too. I guess we had nothing to fear." she said.
"We had everything to fear. I mean, if it didn't work, I don't know what I might do." I said.
"Well, now we know it worked. Now, what do we do?" she said.
"We take things slow again and this time, we'll face it again." I said.
Over the rest of the weekend, we went over what to do. I had no idea and neither did Jess. Finally, we decided that I should move in and stop paying rent. After what we did, it didn't seem right to go back to our usual routines. I moved my stuff out of the guest house and into the main house. As we did that, the two of us were now on a course to see if love really did exist. Love has been confused for lust sometimes and if it was lust instead of love, it was all for nothing.
However, if it was love, then the possibilites were endless. After we finished moving my stuff, we began the process of being a couple. When we started, we thrived on the physical love we felt by flinging ourselves into bed whenever Jess came home. Morning, afternoon, and night, we made love. Even when there was no reason to, we did. This kept going for awhile.
For three weeks, to be exact. As February came to a close and March began, we began to slow down a bit as the true essense of love set in between. Finally, we just made love to each other when there was reason to, like when we felt like it. As the snow began melting outside, so did our hearts as we really fell in love.
Spring was arriving soon, but it was in the air and we could feel it. We started exchanging looks between us every time we saw each other like a couple of high-schoolers. Of course, one of us was one but that age difference didn't hurt us now. The two of us were an item among Jess' fellow teachers, who I finally met when a teachers conference happened. Those people seemed to like that Jess was in love. My age made no impact.
"Love is love." said one of them and I agreed.
Finally, April came. By this time, Beth's baby would be full term and ready to come out. The amount of time I had set aside for myself was running out. A new question was popping up with the spring flowers. The question of whether I should leave when the nine months I had given myself were up or stay with Jess. To leave Jess was the last thing I wanted.
Another possibility then crept up. The idea that Beth's parents wouldn't perform a blood test on the baby at all. They would just assume it was mine, so my relationship with Jess could end if I was found and I was forced to marry Beth. It pained me to think that. I then decided to stay away until I felt I could return without destroying what I had built up with Jess, who was now the love of my life.
By the first week of May, the snow had all melted away and the sun was shining down on fields of flowers and tall grass. My nine months were up but I had decided not to leave and Jess had forgotten it completely. The first Saturday of May, I decided to take Jess out on a picnic in the park. As we drove to the park in Jess' jeep, I felt great at what I had done over the last nine months.
I had fallen in love with a 28-year-old woman who was teaching and she had taught me a lot over the months. As I placed the picnic cloth on the ground, I noticed Jess was smelling a flower she has plucked from a small flower bed. I had to smile at the sight as she came over and sat down on the cloth. I soon sat down and we just enjoyed each other's company and just took bites of the food I had brought.
As we ate, the subject turned to my departure. Althought I had decided against it, I felt that it was unkind to Jess to not be included in my decision-making and since she was my girlfriend, I felt I needed her input.
"Jess, what would say if I were to leave?" I asked.
"I don't know. Are you planning on it?" she said.
"Not really but I feel I need your answer." I said.
"I guess I would be unhappy if you left." she said.
"That's good to know, for I feel that since the nine months I gave myself when I came here are up, I wonder if I should stay or go." I said.
"I feel you should stay because leaving now would ruin you more than me." she said.
"Why me?" I asked.
"Because you've learned to live with me and I don't think you would survive elsewhere." she said.
"You're right. I'll stay." I said.
With my decision all locked up, my thoughts turned to the summer.
"In a month, you'll be on vacation for awhile." I said.
"Yep, one more month of teaching my current class and it's three months until I get a new one." said Jess.
"Yeah. They got their end-of-year exams to test if they learned anything during the last nine months of learning things. I bet that their view of the world has changed, just like mine." I said.
"In what way?" asked Jess.
"Before I came here, I felt that I had been given the short end of the stick but now, I see I've been given a second chance and I'm doing pretty well. I've got you and a new future to look forward. Who knows what else is in store for me?" I said.
"We'll find out... together." said Jess.
"I am lucky to have a girl like you." I said as the two of us kissed.
The picnic soon ended and we returned to our lives together. Every morning, seeing Jess off to work to complete the year, I felt utter joy at Jess. She was mine and I was hers and I felt nothing could stop it. Then, one morning, after Jess had left, a shocking thought cross my mind. It was something I had never really thought of and if I did, I had forgotten about it.
It was the idea that Beth's parents and my mother could be looking for me beyond the range I thought they look. Then, the idea of me being dragged back to Michigan came back and the fear I felt came with it.
If they had perform the blood test by now, I was safe and I could relax but if they hadn't or never do, I was in trouble of losing, not only the life I had made here, but Jess in the process. I soon put the idea aside and continued with Jess.
May faded into June very easily and school soon was out for the summer. I now had more time to spent with Jess. As we enjoyed those first few full days together, I knew that Jess was the one I had been looking for and I had nothing to fear, even if I was found and dragged back to Michigan.
I still hadn't told the reason I came down here for and there was no need to. However, as the summer days passed, an awful feeling came over me. The feeling that I was somewhat lying to Jess about the reason I came here. I had never mentioned it but I felt I was living a lie.
June passed very quietly, spending most of it in the arms of Jess. I felt nice to have her all the time and we really got to as much as we would allow each other to know. Still, one last thing stood in my way of my relationship.
It soon arrived the birthday of our nation, the 4th of July, and me and Jess spent it together. That night, as the two of us watched the fireworks, I felt that little weight I had gotten when I left Michigan was starting to grow, now I was spending more time with Jess.
As the fireworks blew, I felt I had to tell. So, later that night, I sprung it. I was with Jess, starting another night of passion. The fireworks really got Jess going a bit. During a quiet interlude, I spoke.
"Jess, I have something to tell you." I said.
Jess, who was at my mid-section, soon inched up to where my face was.
"What is it?" she said.
"I haven't told you the reason I came here." I said.
"You haven't really." she said.
I then took a huge swallow and told her the real reason I came here. You know what it is so I won't repeat it. Needless to say, when I broke the story, Jess fell silent.
I explained my side of things in detail, about Beth, the baby, how it wasn't mine, my almost wedding in the church, and the seven days I spent traveling. When I finished, I felt Jess was going to leave. Then, surprisingly, Jess gave me a kiss.
"Nice of you to tell." she said.
"Aren't you mad at me?" I said.
"Listen, if that baby was yours, I wouldn't have had to guide when we made love for the first time. Trust me, I believe it isn't yours." she said.
"I know it isn't." I said.
"Why didn't you tell until now?" asked Jess.
"Because I felt you might turn me in and seeing how they might have performed the blood test by now, I feel I'm safe. Besides, I didn't know how you would take it." I said.
"I know you, John, and I know you wouldn't do anything like that." she said.
"I guess you do know me enough to believe me." I said.
The weight shrunk back to its pebble-sized load and I felt free for the first time in my whole life. I had a woman who loved me without question and a life I wouldn't trade for anything. The next day, the idea of marriage appeared. I had left Buchanan to get out of marriage but now, I felt I was ready for marriage to Jess.
If I married Jess, I could return even if no blood test had been performed, which started a brand new idea. The idea of where I was to spend the rest of my life. I would be weird to ask Jess to abandon all she knew here and move with me to Michigan.
On the other hand, if I returned before I had married Jess, I could still be forced to marry Beth if no blood test had been performed.
July moved as slowly as June did and I wrestled with what to do for awhile as Jess and I continued our relationship. Finally, July passed into August. It was now a whole year since the whole thing started. A year ago, I had no idea what was about to happen but I was now glad I did because I had found the woman I was to spend the rest of my life with.
Things finally came to a head when one day, I looked back and discovered that the party where this whole mess of events had happened exactly one year ago. A complete 365 days had passed, which means in six days, a full year would have passed since I left Buchanan and almost two weeks until Jess and I's first anniversary together.
I had to mark it in some way. Finally, it hit me. The perfect way to celebrate would be to take the final step in a relationship and ask for Jess' hand in marriage.
I had a perfect cover in which to do it. Jess was gonna start her work for the school year and prepare the lesson plan for the next year. This would comsume her time, which would allow me to get the okays out of the way.
The one person I felt I needed permission from was Jess' dad. I had never met him before. When I learned where he lived, I headed over there one day when Jess was busy with the lesson plan. As I approached the front door, I had nervous feelings.
Jess had told them of my existence but this was a huge step forward and I could be shot down at any time. I knocked on his door. I noticed a nameplate next to the door. "Dr. & Mrs. Frank McIntyre" it read. The door then opened to reveal a man in his late 50s, looking at me.
"Hello, I'm John Maxwell, your daughter's boyfriend.
For a moment, I felt like he was gonna turn me away. I then gave me a slap on the back.
"Come on in, son." he said in a fashionable southern drawl.
I then walked inside and sat down in a comfy chair.
"Hello there, son. Jessie told me about you." said Dr. McIntyre.
"She has, Dr. McIntyre?" I said.
"Call me Frank. From what I hear, you're a nice kid." he said.
"Thanks, Frank." I said.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"Well, I've known your daughter for a year and I feel I need to take that last big step in a relationship." I said.
"You've come to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage, have you?" he said.
I shook my head yes.
"I can't do that... until we've chewed the fat a little." he said.
We then proceeded to chew the fat for a few hours until he gave me the permission to marry his daughter.
Frank suggested I stay until his wife, Jess' mother, came home. When she did come home, Frank introduced me to her. He then proceed to tell her about me and my idea of marriage between me and Jess. The first thing Jess' mom did after hearing of my marriage idea was to hug the stuffing out of me.
She then dotted me with praise that her daughter was marrrying a good boy. The age difference didn't even phase them. They welcomed me with opene arms. After a long discussion, I returned to the house. When I got back, Jess told me that she had missed me and wondered where I was.
"At the movies." was my response.
When Jess informed me of how much time had passed, I said it was a double feature. She accepted it. I then went about the business of setting up the proposal.
Over the next week, I spent a lot of time on the phone with Frank as we set up the proposal. As Jess made up her lesson plan, I had an idea of how to stage my proposal. I went over my idea with Frank, who agreed wholeheartly. When Jess had finished drawing up the lesson plan, I told her that I would take her out to lunch at the Subway where we met. I even suggested that I finally met her parents.
She argeed and told her I would call them. I phoned them to tell them that the plan was on. As we pulled into the parking lot of the Subway, I knew that what I was to do would be the greatest thing I ever did.
"Here we are." I said.
"Let's eat." she said.
"Let's wait for your parents." I said.
As soon as I said that, they pulled in. As they got out, I gave Frank the signal. The two of them walked up and pretended to introduce themselves.
"I'm Frank McIntyre and this is my wife, Peg." he said.
He then gave me the signal to proceed with the proposal.
"Now that we'll all here, let's go inside." I said.
I then got out of the jeep, checking my pocket. As I passed Jess, I then executed the plan. I fell down to one knee.
"What's wrong?" said Jess.
"I've got a problem." I said.
Jess then gestured to her doctor father to come close.
"What's the problem? Are you hurt?" she asked.
"Not really. My problem is how I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with you." I replied.
I then held on to Jess' hand as I pulled out my ring box.
"Jess, for a year now, I've been together. Although we didn't start off that way, we ended up that way. Now, I ask you, in front of your parents and God, for your hand in marriage." I said.
As tears started a run down Jess' cheeks, she managed to squeak out a big "Yes."
I then hugged her tightly as her parents cheered. After I had let go, I was subjected to an hug from Frank. It was a true bear hug in every sense of the word.
"I guess I can now call you for real 'son'." he said.
"I guess you can." I said as Jess slipped the ring onto her finger.
She looked at it happily. This is the happiest moment in both our lives. I had left to escape a marriage and now, I was running into one. We then went inside and eat a special lunch. Jess showed off her ring to everyone inside the place and everyone was happy for us. There was nothing holding me back at all, except one thing.
That pebble-sized weight I had gained when I left Michigan was still on me and no matter what I did, it was still there and I knew why it was there. I had one more thing to do before I married Jess.
It was the last week of August before school started and Jess had some free time to spend and I felt I could use that time to finally do the one thing I hadn't done in the past year. It was time to return to Michigan. I remembered when I told that idea to Jess. We were enjoying a normal morning together.
As Jess took a sip of coffee, I spoke, "Jess, there's one more I have to do before I marry you."
"What is it, John?" she asked.
"I feel that it's time to me to return to Michigan." I said.
"Will we be moving up there?" she asked.
After a minute, it came up with an answer, "No, we going up there to visit and finally put my past behind me."
"I guess you have to do that. Otherwise, you'll be racked with guilt for the rest of your life." she said.
"When shall we go?" I asked her.
"Right now." she replied.
We quickly packed some bags and threw them in the jeep. We then climbed in and drove off towards Michigan. As we started off, I still felt that pebble-sized weight on me. As I left the state of Tennessee for the first time in a year, the weight started to fall off. With each mile, it shrank a little more.
By the time the sun was on the early evening side of the sky, we were in Indiana and that weight was almost gone. It was about 6:30 pm when we were in South Bend. At 6:44 pm, when we crossed the Michigan state line, I finally felt the pebble fall away. The last weight had fallen and we were nearing Buchanan.
When we crossed the city limits, I was back. A year ago, I was a man on the run and now, I was returning a man on the verge on getting married. I just hoped that those plans won't be derailed.
We finally pulled into the driveway of my mother's house. I saw my mother peaking out the window as Jess' jeep pulled in the driveway. My mother rushed out the door when Jess turned the engine off. My mother gave me a big hug as I greeted her. "Oh, John, you have returned." said my mother.
"You must be Mrs. Maxwell." said Jess as she got out.
"Who are you?" said my mother.
"My name is Jess McIntyre, soon to be Jess Maxwell." said Jess as she flashed my mother the ring I got her.
"You're getting married to him." said my mother.
"I am." said Jess.
"Well, he's due to marry someone else." said my mother.
"You mean to tell me that they still haven't performed the blood test on Beth's baby yet." I said, getting out of the jeep.
"They needed your blood to do a DNA test on it and since you weren't here when the baby was born, you're listed as the father and you must marry Beth." said my mother. "I will not. I'm gonna to marry Jess. She's ten years older than me and I fell in love with her while I was away and there's nothing you can do." I said.
"Oh, yes, I can. I can still have you married to Beth by having a justice of the peace do the ceremony." said my mother.
"You don't get it. That baby is not mine." I said.
Just then, I heard a baby's cry. I looked over onto the porch and there stood Beth, holding the three-month-old baby.
"Beth... " I said as I walked over to her.
When I got there, I looked at the baby.
"Who is that?" I said.
"This is Tom, my baby." said Beth.
Jess then came over and looked at the baby. She then the one piece that someone had failed to point out.
"He looks nothing like you." she said.
"Oh, yes, he does. He has some of his features." said my mother.
"A lot of people have those features." said Jess.
"I know I asked this question but I'll ask it again. Why do you think I'm the father? What details do you remember of that night?" I said.
"Like I said, I don't know much but I remember having sex with a guy named John." said Beth.
"There's lot of guys named John. It's a common name. I told you before. In fact, there's were a couple of other Johns at that party." I said.
"How many?" asked Jess.
"About three, including me, and only two of them had sex with you. In fact, I think every guy at that party except me had sex with you. The John who gave you this baby must have be a good shot." I said.
"I think we should do that DNA test with the two other Johns and see whose DNA matches." said Jess.
"Will it work?" I asked.
"I hope it does." replied Jess.
The next day, we went around and rounded up the two other Johns that were at the party. The three of us then consented to have a sample of our blood taken. I was first up and it hurt a bit. Up next was John B. He's a kind of interesting fellow. His sample was taken and then, it was time for Jon, my drunken friend. I know the spelling is different but since it all sounds the same, we had to be sure.
With all three samples taken, the samples were then sent off to a lab to be checked. These DNA tests work by taking a sample of the mother's DNA and the baby's DNA with the father's. If they're similar, the test is a match.
They had to match the baby's DNA and Beth's with the three of us Johns to see whose DNA it matches the most. The test took three days to perform. With time running out on Jess' vacation, the results came back from the lab.
As it turns out, it wasn't me after all. The DNA matched up the most with Jon. With no time to spare, Jess and I packed up and loaded our stuff onto the jeep. As I prepared to depart, I confront my mother one final time.
"Son, I know I doubted you before but I don't now. For the past 18 years, I've had some worries about you but I see that you've taken up with a nice lady. I hope you don't ruin it." said my mother.
"I hope so, too. I also hope that you manage to visit us down in Tennessee." I said.
"I will try." said my mother.
I then boarded the jeep and looked over at my mother, Beth, and Jon., who's decided to move in and take care of his child.
"Take good care." I said to all three.
As we drove off, I felt another weight lift. The weight of the past 18 years just fall away as Jess and us head off to spend the rest of our lives together. I leave you with a quote from a song I know:
"If all my days were hills to climb and circles without reason, if all I was, was passing time, my life was just a season." -- Roger McGuinn
THE END
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This concludes today's blogisode of Blogtime Theater. Tune in next time for the musically-inclined offering, Our Lady Singer of Buchanan. This tale will take you from the back of a video store to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry itself. It's also a tale of fulfilling one's destiny. It promised to be quite a post. That's next time on Blogtime Theater.
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