CHAPTER ONE THE ENGAGEMENT
It is funny how destiny plays a major role in our life.
Roger was a charming young man full of dreams and aspirations with striking body features. Some would say that Roger was the spitting image of a young James Dean in his sensational athletic build. He stood at about 6 ft 3 with the enviable charm of a well-mannered gentleman.
Roger was in the national guard when he met Irma. and it was a strange encounter because Roger was moments away from making the biggest commitment of his life. He was about to ask for the hand in marriage of his high school sweetheart, Jackie.
Jackie was a beautiful young lady with big brown eyes and long wavy black hair that cascaded down her back and with a smile of an angel that would make a man melt like hot butter on a hot skillet. Her beauty would always make him ask the question.
What is she doing with me?
Nevertheless, the surprise proposal dinner was at a Mexican restaurant called Rays.
Rays was a quiet family-oriented restaurant with an old Mexico décor “the fresh aroma of homemade tortillas” saturating the air. The stage was set, this would be a night to remember.
Roger and Jackie’s family arrive at Rays to have their dinner.
Irma was already there, sitting at the bar drinking a glass of tea waiting patiently for her mother to finish her shift. Irma’s mother was a waitress at Rays restaurant and Roger’s mother also worked at the restaurant as a tortilla maker. What manner of hard work for such little pay! but these women’s lack of pride ensured they worked for their children as they have no other source of income and they did not regret it nor complain. It was a job they love.
After Roger and Jackie’s family finished their dinner, Roger began to get nervous, the moment is at hand, it was time to ask Jackie for her hand in marriage.
Roger became a bit jittery, tiny beads of perspiration trickled down his forehead. Roger could feel a slight anxiety come over him. He had to gather his composer so he decided to go to the restroom and freshen up.
Roger excused himself and headed to the restroom as he passes the bar he met Irma. Hello! He said apprehensively with a bit of confusion in his voice as he asked Irma, how she was doing?
Irma answered fine and went further to ask him how he was doing too. Roger responded that he was a little nervous as he explained to Irma that he was about to purpose to his girlfriend, you would clearly notice the anxiety on his face.
Irma looked at Roger straight in the eye and wishes him good luck. Roger later found his way to the washroom with an utter disbelief that the time has finally come.
He glanced at his reflection in the mirror griping the sinks contour top as if he was holding on for his life and begins to self-motivate himself by repeating that he could do it.
After his mental words of motivation, he slowly made his way back to the table.
As he approached Jackie, Roger took a huge breath of air and got down on one knee and with a gleam in his eyes, Roger calmly asked Jackie for her hand in marriage.
In that one moment in Roger’s world, time and space stood still. It felt like there was nothing but an absolute silence in the whole-wide-world until the answer he wanted to hear came forth from her lips. Alas, she answered in her characteristic heavenly voice, screaming, yes!
And with one word the two gator high school sweethearts were engaged, at last, a commitment between two young souls sealed with a kiss.
A few months later Roger was deployed to war.
Roger took Jackie by the hand and told her with much affection how he loved her so much with a slight hint of tears in his eyes. He persuaded Jackie to wait for him at Fort Hood while he was off to war and as he looked with a sincere gaze into her eyes, you could see the honesty in his eyes. He muttered with a soft voice, I really love you and I pray that we can spend our whole life together, my heart would bleed every day we spend apart.
Jackie put her arms around Roger as she sadly responded, I love you too and I want you to know that I to want to spend the rest of my life with you but my mother is sick and in dire need of my care and attention but if you really need me to go, I will my love.
Roger being the kind of man that he is, agreed and accepted that Jackie should stay and tend to her mother’s needs. After all, she would be alone in Fort Hood while he was off at war.
As for Irma, being a free-spirited young woman in her early twenties without responsibilities, living life to the fullest such as indulging in club hopping and dancing every other night with her friends is a typical lifestyle ritual for young souls.
Irma was a naturally beautiful lady. She was Petite with strong Latina features and long black hair. She has high cheekbones, stood 5 ft 5 tall, soft-spoken but very committed to her virtues although her future was not yet clear to her she was interested in the now.
Meanwhile, over at Afghanistan engaged in combat, Roger was trying to follow in the footsteps of his veteran father who served in world war II but every war is different, each generation becomes victims of the aftermath of a previous war, there is truly no victor at the end.
Regardless, Roger was comforted with the thought that Jackie was waiting at home for him.
Roger would hear from Jackie his future bride to be at least 5 times a week for the first month, and after that Roger would call and Jackie would be out with friends at clubs. Roger convinced himself that Jackie was just blowing off steam as the stress was beginning to get to her. Slowly but surely the calls dwindled down to two times a week. Suspicions started to fill his thought but Roger had to overcome and shake off his doubts. A man must keep his mind on the operations as one mistake can prove fatal.
After a long and dangerous nine-month, Roger was deployed back home only to have his heart shattered into pieces. He discovered that Jackie, his young lover had found another love. Jackie found the attention that she had needed in the arms of another man in the absence of Roger. The verbal commitment between two lovers to each other had been broken and the destined marriage between two high school sweethearts has become only a memory like an old love song you hear on an oldie station but Roger had learned one thing in combat and that was not to let your emotions control you.
With a straight face, Roger didn’t let Jackie see that he was in pain and heartbroken and with a smile and a hug they split up agreeing to remain friends.
With the void of the separation he slumbered through the passing weeks and after a lengthy and winding month, Roger finally decided to go out with a few friends to a club and have a few drinks it was time to become social again.
That night at the club a familiar face from the past unexpectedly walks into Roger’s life again
Irma walks up to Roger to greet him.
Irma asks Roger how is your wife?
Roger sighs and hopelessly tells Irma with grief
That he and Jackie never got married.
Irma replies.
“I’m sorry.
Roger answers.
That’s ok.
And so, he began in deep detail the long sad story.
They slowly merged into a corner of the club sharing each other’s hardship as they held on to drinking corona beers. This night was the first in a long time that Roger would feel alive again, their conversation carried on as did the night and led to dancing. . .. the night ended with both exchanging phone numbers. This would be the end of Roger’s sorrows and the beginning of an entirely new life.
After that one outstanding night, Roger and Irma began to see each other regularly and slowly became intimate. The couple were almost inseparable as they lived together in Roger parents’ house and were considered to be a common law.
But sadly, all honeymoons must come to an end just like all couples, they had their ups and downs and the true trials of love were just starting to be tested.
Everybody knows it is hard to be a young couple sharing home with any parents. People have their own opinion and are set in their own ways, these and similar issues were only a few factors that were tugging at their relationship. Irma was not happy and started to become a bit uncomfortable.
To top matters off, Irma had just found out that she was six weeks pregnant. So, you could only imagine the mood swings she will be enduring. Irma began to feel the pressure when she had to break the news to Roger.
When Roger heard the news, his face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost. Irma had tears in her eyes she didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad but something died inside her when she heard Roger suggest to her to have an abortion.
Irma could not believe the word he had said to her. She could neither kill anything nor anyone let alone her baby. She stared right into Roger’s eye and said, No. Roger and Irma’s relationship began to head downhill real fast. Their love would never be the same again.
Irma tormented and repulsed by Roger’s suggestion decided to move out of Roger parents’ house and moved back in with her own parents in their house
Irma being the oldest of three children had to readjust to this lifestyle again, living with siblings and parents can be rough especially when you are six weeks pregnant. However, life must go on.
Irma’s pregnancy was not showing yet as she still looked really good for her condition. So, she decided to have some fun while she could, she continued to go out to the clubs and dance after all you are only young once.
Roger would feel a bit of jealousy when he would go out to the club where he and Irma met and see her having fun and a good time dancing with some of her male companions.
Sometimes alcohol and jealousy would get the best of Roger and he would confront Irma and pull her off the dance floor and frantically ask her. what was she doing?
And she would reply with anger and a high voice.
I am not doing anything wrong!
And vindictively return to dancing.
A few months passed and both Roger and Irma’s parents held a baby shower.
Beside the ordeal between Roger and Irma, Roger Parents still liked Irma. They had no ill feeling whatsoever towards her, in fact, they were beside themselves and impatient. They just could not wait until the birth of their first grandchild, everybody was excited about the new Rodriguez child that would soon be born.
The day before Irma was expected to deliver the baby, Irma’s mother Lupe was making some of her famous homemade enchiladas to settle Irma’s cravings when all of a sudden, Irma began to have contractions. She let out a high pitch yell of agony which alarmed Lupe that the time has come. Irma was having the baby, Irma began to panic and without a clue of what was about to happen or what to do she freaked out. But Lupe knew exactly what to do. Lupe packed Irma’s bags and called out to Roxanne, Irma’s younger sister the middle child to bring the car around to the front of the house so they could rush Irma to the hospital. Lupe and Roxanne laid Irma across the back seat of an old four door ford car and headed to the hospital. Lupe sat in the back seat with Irma holding her head on her lap and telling her to breathe slowly. Roxanne driving at high speed honking the car horn like a small kid trying to get on his parents’ nerves.
They finally arrived at the emergency room then Roxanne ran inside to ask for help. A few medics rushed out to assist Lupe with Irma. Roxanne sweating out of control and breathing rapidly with excitement hyperventilates and faints. Lupe discovers that Irma had dilated 3 to 6 centimeters.
Irma’s cousin, Denise was a nurse in this hospital and was assigned to assist. Denise had been studying and training in baby delivery and had recently attained her license to deliver babies.
Irma’s child would be the first baby that she would help deliver. The main doctor had noticed that something was wrong. Irma was in labor for 18 hours and she was not dilating anymore. The doctor decided that it would be best to go ahead and have a C section.
She was sedated but still aware of everything that was going on around her. The C section was a success, after 19 hours of pain and labor Irma heard the cry of her newborn child. Irma swore that she heard the cry of an angel and when she looked at her child for the first time, her heart was filled with love, she never thought that she could ever love anyone as much as she loved baby John.
Irma then realized that Roger was nowhere to be found and disappointment started to set in. Irma would have wanted Roger to be there for the birth of their son. Irma had to stay in the hospital for a week for observations and upon the doctor request, she was told not to lift anything heavy and get as much rest that she could.
As the days passed, family members visited Irma and baby John in her room. Nevertheless, an empty void still haunted Irma but that emptiness was not for her it was for baby John.
Baby John’s father still hasn’t come to the hospital to visit his son and that there will be no picture of a husband nor father for memories in baby John’s photo album.
On the day that Irma was to be let out of the hospital Irma was informed that baby John would not be able to leave with her because baby John was born with croup. It was a croup that was very dangerous and deadly. And that the doctor would have to keep baby John under very close observation.
This would be a terrifying experience for Irma to leave her child in the hospital and maybe lose him due to illness, her heart was broken she cried all night in her bed and you could even see the agony on Lupe’s face, after all, it was Lupe’s first grandchild but Lupe had to be strong for her daughter Irma.
Irma’s family prayed for the recovery of baby John and after a week of hard prayers, baby John was allowed to come home.
The day after Baby John arrived home, Roger intoxicated with alcohol decided to go and see his child for the first time, at about 3 am in the morning Roger stumbles across Lupe’s front lawn and began to bang on Irma’s window loudly. so loud that Juan the neighbor heard the noise and came out of his house with his shotgun shouting shut up and leave them alone. But Roger just ignored him and continued banging on Irma’s window until she finally came out to realize that Roger was drunk. She asked him what he wanted, he replied that he wanted to see his son, Irma told him that the baby was asleep but Roger still insisted on seeing him.
Irma let Roger in but informed him that he would have to wait till the baby is awake. Lupe had to wake up at 4.30am in the morning as she often goes to work by 6 am. Quite surprised to see Roger, she greeted him as she still had some respect for him.
Shortly after, baby John woke up for his feeding and Roger asked to hold him, Irma placed John in Roger’s arms correctly and a smile appeared on Roger’s face. Lupe told him that he had made a beautiful baby boy with Irma. His intoxication faded away and now Roger was intoxicated and overwhelmed by the sight of his lovely son. After carrying the baby in his arms, Roger never let go of baby John for the rest of that night.
After a while, Roger put John back in the crib to sleep he then turned and walked over to Irma and gave her a kiss. Irma still secretly in love with Roger returned the kiss holding back as much of passion that she could so that she would not reveal her attraction and lingering feelings of love for him.
Lupe told Roger that he could stay the night but he would have to sleep on the couch because if the baby wakes up again Irma would have to put the baby to bed with her.
A week later, John took ill once again but this time it was very severe and Irma rushed John to the hospital, the doctors had very disturbing news as John’s croup had returned and for the worse. The doctors, however, had to warn Irma to prepare and expect the worse.
Irma’s tears flowed out like a never-ending waterfall, her pain increasing with every passing moment as the words of the doctor kept echoing in her mind.
Prepare for the worst!
Helplessly Irma was wishing that Roger was there to comfort her.
Irma was sitting in the waiting room when she had a strange feeling come over her, she knew that something was wrong. All mothers have a cretin bond with their kids somehow, they know that something is wrong or their child needs them. In a not too long moment from when she had the feeling, the doctor stepped into the waiting room and broke the news that Baby John had slipped into a coma.
Irma was heartbroken once again, she vowed that she would never leave baby John’s side while he was ill and in the hospital.
Day after day she mourned baby John illness, never leaving the infant’s side. Lupe would beg her to go home and get some rest but Irma would not budge. She could not rest while her son was ill.
Baby John remained in a coma for three days and on the third day, baby John opened his eyes. Irma was full of joy and tears. Irma had blisters all around her fingers and hands from holding a rosary that was wrapped around her hand so tight while she was praying.
Baby John’s health was getting better every day, within a week he regained enough strength to be sent home.
Times were getting hard with Irma not able to work, for she had no one to watch the baby and as Lupe makes only 2 dollars and 25 cents an hour and a few tips here and there, they were really feeling the crunch. Irma really needed help to buy milk and other nauseates for John, so she was forced to ask Roger for some sort of assistance in taking care of baby John.
The day that Irma asked Roger for help for their son, she was stung with disbelief by his reply.
Roger plainly said, no!
He also said to Irma that John was her baby and she wanted to keep him thus she has to take care of him herself.
Irma had no other choice but to take Roger to court for child support.
When Roger received the letter from the attorney general that Irma had filed for child support and he had to report to court Roger was mad and began to say to everyone that John was not his child.
He decided to get a blood test, everybody knew that baby John was Roger’s son because the baby looked just like him. Roger’s family did not want any confrontation over the situation as “the Rodriguez” are a very close family and were going to back up Roger one hundred percent, right or wrong.
Irma finally had her day in court.
Roger requested a blood test and the judge agreed. The results were in after three days, they met again in the courtroom to hear the results.
The judge asked the couple if they were ready to hear the results. Roger and Irma both waited with anticipation and the judge looked Roger straight in the eyes and said.
Mr. Rodriguez, you are 99.9 percent baby John’s father.
Irma never with a doubt in her mind about who the father was looked over to Roger and smiled.
The judge then said to Roger that he was going to have to begin to pay to the mother a child support stipend of one hundred and seventy-five dollars a month along with insurance.
Roger replied with a stutter that he could not afford the child support. He went ahead to explain that he was a full-time student, the judge said sarcastically, you want to play you must pay.
The judge then asked Roger if he had parents?
Roger answered yes.
The judge suggested to Roger to borrow the money from his parents and when he gets a job he can pay them back.
After the ruling, Roger’s father began to pay the child support. Roger the youngest of five felt that he was a disappointment to the family. Roger didn’t want anything to do with Irma and the child henceforth. So, he kept his distance.
Roger’s mother, Mary was the only one of the Rodriguez family to stay in touch with Irma and the child. Irma and Mary got real close and formed a special bond. Mary began to teach Irma to make homemade tortillas. Irma’s own often wouldn’t come out as round as Mary’s would but they sure would taste good.
Irma felt good that Mary was such a good soul and loving person and to be more precise a great and loving grandmother to baby John. Mary wanted to be a part of her grandson’s life.
Joe, Roger’s dad was a good man too. He would never complain about paying the child support stipends because he knew that John was a Rodriguez by name and blood and Joe knew it in his heart from the very first time he laid his eyes on baby John.
Joe was a bit disappointed in Roger for keeping it from him although he would not let Roger know how he felt. He was completely different from his son, Roger, he was a good and hardworking man with good family values. He raised his family the best way he could, the way a true man should raise his children, he belongs to the rare and old-fashioned dying breed.
