Her Fight

Chapter Three

   At one point in my life with Jim, he had met a woman who also had a young child. It felt like for so long it was just me and him but now he was introducing me to this amazing lady and her son. When I met them it was like we clicked almost immediately.

I guess when you meet someone that's supposed to be in your life your souls just fall into place. That's how I felt with both of them. I don't think any of us knew it at the time but we were meant to be in each others lives.

The only thing I truly remember about the night that I met Jan and her son was how terrified I was. 'Would they like me? Would the boy be nice to me? Could they love a messed up soul like mine? What if I get to love them and they leave?' So many thoughts swam through my mind. As a young girl thinking these thoughts was hard. It's hard to even think of now.

But her smile... It was so warm and gentle. She was like a ray of sunshine to my dark life. The only word that could describe my feelings for that moment was 'safety'. For some reason with her I felt like my life would be ok. As long as I had her I would always be fine.

She bent down to my level and said
"You must be Stephanie" with a smile.

That's when I knew I would never let go of her. I prayed and crossed my fingers asking god to let me keep her forever and for some reason I knew that I would. Then she introduced me to the shy young boy that stood behind her. He nervously had his shirt in his mouth between his little teeth. She gently pushed him forward towards me and we both locked eyes.

From that moment on he has been one of my brothers. Even to this day I consider him my 'not so little' brother. The guys two times my height now. Not really but he definitely towers over me.

Everything seemed to move so fast from that point on. We started doing things together like bowling and spending holidays together like halloween. My first year with them I dressed a cute little genie. If you ask me, it was by far one of my best costumes to date. Especially because she helped me feel like a real girl. Not a tomboy that Jim had me feeling like.

My dad and Jan decided we should all move in and be a family so that's what we did. Our first place together was a cute little apartment across the street from a Chuck E. Cheese. Prime location for two small kids.

   We had the best time there. We made friends with the neighbor kids and lived as a happy family. Me and Benny use to help Jim with his truck and the repairs he was making to it.

We were out front with him handing him the tools he asked for while he was under the truck. I had heard a car pull up so I looked up and it was a police cruiser. My heart sank.

   I guess I always associated police with bad situations. Meaning they only came around me when something bad was happening or going to happen. Or when they would flip our house upside down when Jim was on parole.

Two police men got out and asked for James M. With that being my dad, he came out from under the truck. His face dropped when he saw who was asking for him.

   Everything happened so fast. Jack stood up and was placed in handcuffs. Benny ran into the house and I sat there crying for my dad. Even tho I was scared to be with him because he wasn't the nicest I still loved him. And life was just starting to get better with him because Jan didn't put up with his anger towards me so that had died down a bit. Plus he was clean now.

   Jan came out from the house and asked what was going on.  He had a warrant out for his arrest. Imagine learning what that is at the ripe age of five or six. The police let Jan grab Jim's belongings like the watch he was wearing and his wallet that held the last of our money.

   She cried and gave him a kiss goodbye. I was still a mess but now standing on the grass crying my eyes out. My dad beckoned me so I went to him and hugged him as hard as I could.

"Jan will take care of you. You will be ok. I love you" he said holding back tears.

   I believe I told him I loved him too but I was in a whirlwind of emotions at the time. I quote 'lost' my mom and now I'm losing my dad. I was grateful for having Jan but I still felt so scared.

   That night Jan let me and Benny sleep in hers and my dads bed. I cried until I fell asleep. I drifted into a nightmare that to this day is so vivid.

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I was on the apartment balcony looking down at my dad as he worked on his truck. The police cruiser came and lava followed it. But before the police could get out the lava took their car then started to engulf the truck with my dad who was still underneath. I tried to scream but I couldn't. No noise was coming out. Then the lava started to rise and take over the apartment.

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   I woke up in a puddle of sweat crying again. Jan heard my cries and patted my back as she embraced my little body. Eventually I fell asleep again in her arms.. no dream just darkness..

   My dad eventually got out but that wasn't the end to the police saga. I still don't know what he did to go in there but after he was out the police raided our apartment tossing our beds and dressers.

   I was so upset because it made Jan cry. She took good care of our home and they destroyed it within minutes. The aftermath looked like a tornado ran through our place..

   We all cleaned up our home together and sighed at the thought of what we went through..