The Love of Three

The Start of it All Part 1

(Jack POV)

Today was a stressful day I thought to myself as I looked through the big window in the classroom I taught in to see kids running from the school on to school buses and into the arms of their loved ones. I was putting drawings into folders the kids did in the class of their dream careers. One kid in the class named Michael who is the height of my waist with these big blue eyes and black curly hair with tan skin walked up to me with the biggest smile.

"Mr. Harlow?" he said in a timid voice to me as he looked down at his shoes. I looked at him smiling back.

"Yes, Michael is everything alright?" I said to him and I saw his eyes shifting left and right. He then bit his lip before looking back at me.

"Can I be like you when I get older as my dream career Mr. Harlow?" He then looked back down and I got up from my desk and got on my knees in front of him instead of standing over him like a giant.

"Well, Michael what makes you want to be like me?" I said to him in a curious voice and lifted his chin to look at me.

"Oh, Mr. Harlow you are funny, smart, and big!" He shouted the last part with enthusiasm and spread his arms wide.

"Michael it's nice you want to be like me but you are already all those things," I said to him and he looked at me shaking his head with a pout.

"I am not big like you and all those things," he said defiantly and looked down again. I put my hands on his shoulders and he looked at me with those ocean eyes.

"Michael you are all those things and the giant part will come when you get older but never think you aren't good enough to be smart funny and a great future teacher. How about you draw a picture of yourself as a teacher?" I said to him and he smiled and hugged me running back to his desk to draw.

Thinking about Michael as I clean up my class had me thinking of the future. I am going to be a father! I was in shock six months ago when Chyna handed me a pregnancy test with the pink plus sign on it. I acted like it was the best news in the world even twirled her around as she made me the happiest man ever. The reality of the situation is I have mixed feelings I'm only 25 graduated at the top of my class for my Master's in Primary education.

In college, I met Chyna who graduated with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. We are both so young living in a big city with a crappy apartment and my teaching job does not pay much. I am scared, nervous, angry, and even a little happy.

This child could be a blessing for Chyna and me the only thing missing is a house and marriage. I wonder how Chyna would feel becoming Mrs. Harlow and her laying next to me as my wife and mother of my child. Things are unexpected but I am a man that has a responsibility to think of which is my child, Chyna, and the future of us and everything.

I hear my phone beep on my desk I walk over it to see a text from Chyna that she is craving Italian food tonight and if I could pick something up. I know this great Italian place downtown that I could take her to instead so, I text her back asking her to put on her best dress and I have a surprise for her tonight. She responded with an "okay" and I finished cleaning my classroom then sat down opening the top draw on my right. I took out this surprise which will change things.