Stolen Heart
Welcome Johnny
I held Johnny in my arms and smiled at Vic. Junior sat with his wife.
"Well?"
I grinned at him.
"I'm still too damn young to be a grandmother."
He laughed. Vic wrapped his arms around me. I started thinking.
-------------
When you were 2, you said you're first word.
I lay back in bed. Vic rolled over and hugged me.
"He's just settled back down."
"I know."
The baby monitor crackled again and I groaned.
"Momma."
I stared at Vic and jumped up. We both ran into the nursery. I picked Junior up.
"What was that baby?"
He sucked his thumb.
"Momma."
Vic and I laughed and hugged Junior. I forgot my sleepiness. I hugged my baby boy for hours.
---------------
When you were 3, you got your first tooth.
I watched Vic rock Junior but he wouldn't settle. I sighed.
"Let me try."
He passed me him. I looked down as I rocked him and I spotted something on his gum. I rubbed it.
"Vic! He's teething!"
Vic rushed over and looked.
"Aww, our little baby is growing up."
I wiped the tear from his eye and kissed him.
-----------------
When you were 5, you first went to school.
"Mommy."
Junior clutched to me through the gap in the seats.
"You have to baby."
He sobbed and clung to me.
"Daddy, don't make me."
"You've got to."
We were sitting in the car outside his school.
"I don't want to."
I got out and opened his door, picking him up. He screamed and cried. It was breaking my heart. Vic joined me and we looked around. Junior wasn't the only kid upset. We took Junior into his classroom. I put him down. Vic kissed his forehead and I held him close.
"We'll pick you up, hunny."
He sobbed.
"Mommy, don't leave."
I kissed his forehead.
"We love you hunny."
I took Vic's hand and we left. I could hear Junior's cries. Tears welled up.
"Vic..."
"He'll be fine."
........
I jumped up at five to three.
"Let's go."
Vic looked up.
"OK, baby."
I grabbed my keys and looked eagerly at Vic. He took my hand and we walked to the school. I saw Junior come running out and I sprinted towards him.
"Junior!"
"Mommy!"
I picked him up.
"I missed you, Mommy."
"I missed you, too, baby."
---------------------
When you were 7, we brought your sister home.
I help Copeland in my arms as Vic unlocked the door. We walked in and smiled at Mike. H came over.
"She's adorable."
His arms wrapped around Vic.
"How was Junior?"
"An angel."
Mike and Vic walked upstairs. Mike to the spare room, Vic to see Junior.
...........
I woke up in bed to see Vic holding Cope.
"Is she alright?"
"Hungry."
He turned and I watched Cope suckle on her bottle. The door opened and Junior poked his head round. I smiled.
"Come meet your little sister."
He clambered on the bed. I wrapped my arm around him. Vic finished feeding Cope and burped her. He sat next to Junior, holding her. Junior's eyes shined as he looked at her.
"What's her name?"
"Copeland."
He held his arms out and Vic carefully placed her in them. He looked at her.
"I'm gonna be the best biggest brother ever."
-------------------
When you were 15, we nearly lost you.
"Mom? Can I got to Daren's party?"
"Will there be alcohol?"
"Maybe."
"No."
"But Mom!"
"No."
I watched him scream and run upstairs. I sighed. Lately, we were always arguing. Cope sighed.
"Is he ok?"
I nodded.
............
Junior was quiet all through dinner, not even looking at Cope, which was odd. He finished, rinsed his plate then went for a shower. I finished and went upstairs. As I did, I heard a thump. I ran into the bathroom and screamed. Junior was lying in the bath, unconscious. His arms were bleeding. A bloody razor sat in one hand and an empty bleach bottle in the other. I pulled my mobile out of my pocket and called an ambulance.
............
I held Cope in my lap as she sobbed by Junior's hospital bed. Vic was pale and kept tracing the scars on his wrist.
"It's not your fault."
He looked down. Both our heads shot to the bed as Junior groaned. His eyes opened.
"Mom. I'm sorry."
I passed Cope to Vic and hugged my baby boy. We both sobbed and Vic left, giving Junior and I needed alone time.
----------------
When you were 17, we met your girlfriend.
"Mom, don't embarrass me."
I laughed.
"No promises."
The doorbell rang and his eyes lit up.
"Ashley's here!"
He ran past Vic to answer it. We laughed. Cope came downstairs. I smiled at her. She was in a pale blue dress that brought her eye color out. Junior brought Ashley into the kitchen. She had brown eyes, straight long black hair and a dazzling smile.
"Mom, Dad, this is Ashley."
I smiled and greeted her. They seemed so in love.
...........
I sat opposite Ashley at the table.
"So what are you doing?"
"I'm studying graphic design at Yale. I also play bass in a band."
"That's very cool."
She smiled.
"Thanks."
Vic cleared his throat.
"Junior, take Cope to bed please. It's getting late."
He nodded, kissed Ashley's cheek and picked a nearly asleep Cope up, taking her upstairs. Vic turned to Ashley.
"Why are you good enough for my son?"
"Honestly? I can't answer. I love and care for him and I have a deep respect for him and his family."
Vic smiled and cleared the plates.
-----------------
When you were 19, we got a call in the middle of the night.
I rolled over and grabbed the phone, groaning.
"Hello?"
"Mom? It's Junior."
His voice was thick, as though he had been crying.
"Junior? Is everything OK?"
"Ashley and I are getting married?"
I screamed. Vic shot upright.
"Where's the fire?"
I laughed. "Ashley and Junior are engaged."
"Awwwww! Congratulations!"
I could imagine Junior's grin.
"We're gonna get some sleep. Catch you later."
I hung up and smiled.
-------------------
When you were 21, you tied the knot.
I watched Ashley walk down the aisle to my ecstatic son. He took her hand and I started crying. My baby boy wasn't a baby anymore.
"Do you, Kellin Fuentes, take Ashley Cerulli to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
He slid the ring on his finger.
"Do you, Ashley Cerulli, take Kellin Fuentes to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
She slid the ring on his finger and they kissed.
--------------
When you were 23, Johnny came into our lives.
The phone rang and Ricky, Cope's fiancée, answered. He beamed.
"Mr and Mr. Fuentes, you've a grandson."
We jumped up and piled into the car. Vic drove.
........
We ran into the room and I stared at my grandson.
------------------
I looked down at Johnny and started crying.
"Mom?"
"It just seems like yesterday your Dad and I brought you home."
He hugged me.
"I love you Junior."
"I love you too, Mom."
"Well?"
I grinned at him.
"I'm still too damn young to be a grandmother."
He laughed. Vic wrapped his arms around me. I started thinking.
-------------
When you were 2, you said you're first word.
I lay back in bed. Vic rolled over and hugged me.
"He's just settled back down."
"I know."
The baby monitor crackled again and I groaned.
"Momma."
I stared at Vic and jumped up. We both ran into the nursery. I picked Junior up.
"What was that baby?"
He sucked his thumb.
"Momma."
Vic and I laughed and hugged Junior. I forgot my sleepiness. I hugged my baby boy for hours.
---------------
When you were 3, you got your first tooth.
I watched Vic rock Junior but he wouldn't settle. I sighed.
"Let me try."
He passed me him. I looked down as I rocked him and I spotted something on his gum. I rubbed it.
"Vic! He's teething!"
Vic rushed over and looked.
"Aww, our little baby is growing up."
I wiped the tear from his eye and kissed him.
-----------------
When you were 5, you first went to school.
"Mommy."
Junior clutched to me through the gap in the seats.
"You have to baby."
He sobbed and clung to me.
"Daddy, don't make me."
"You've got to."
We were sitting in the car outside his school.
"I don't want to."
I got out and opened his door, picking him up. He screamed and cried. It was breaking my heart. Vic joined me and we looked around. Junior wasn't the only kid upset. We took Junior into his classroom. I put him down. Vic kissed his forehead and I held him close.
"We'll pick you up, hunny."
He sobbed.
"Mommy, don't leave."
I kissed his forehead.
"We love you hunny."
I took Vic's hand and we left. I could hear Junior's cries. Tears welled up.
"Vic..."
"He'll be fine."
........
I jumped up at five to three.
"Let's go."
Vic looked up.
"OK, baby."
I grabbed my keys and looked eagerly at Vic. He took my hand and we walked to the school. I saw Junior come running out and I sprinted towards him.
"Junior!"
"Mommy!"
I picked him up.
"I missed you, Mommy."
"I missed you, too, baby."
---------------------
When you were 7, we brought your sister home.
I help Copeland in my arms as Vic unlocked the door. We walked in and smiled at Mike. H came over.
"She's adorable."
His arms wrapped around Vic.
"How was Junior?"
"An angel."
Mike and Vic walked upstairs. Mike to the spare room, Vic to see Junior.
...........
I woke up in bed to see Vic holding Cope.
"Is she alright?"
"Hungry."
He turned and I watched Cope suckle on her bottle. The door opened and Junior poked his head round. I smiled.
"Come meet your little sister."
He clambered on the bed. I wrapped my arm around him. Vic finished feeding Cope and burped her. He sat next to Junior, holding her. Junior's eyes shined as he looked at her.
"What's her name?"
"Copeland."
He held his arms out and Vic carefully placed her in them. He looked at her.
"I'm gonna be the best biggest brother ever."
-------------------
When you were 15, we nearly lost you.
"Mom? Can I got to Daren's party?"
"Will there be alcohol?"
"Maybe."
"No."
"But Mom!"
"No."
I watched him scream and run upstairs. I sighed. Lately, we were always arguing. Cope sighed.
"Is he ok?"
I nodded.
............
Junior was quiet all through dinner, not even looking at Cope, which was odd. He finished, rinsed his plate then went for a shower. I finished and went upstairs. As I did, I heard a thump. I ran into the bathroom and screamed. Junior was lying in the bath, unconscious. His arms were bleeding. A bloody razor sat in one hand and an empty bleach bottle in the other. I pulled my mobile out of my pocket and called an ambulance.
............
I held Cope in my lap as she sobbed by Junior's hospital bed. Vic was pale and kept tracing the scars on his wrist.
"It's not your fault."
He looked down. Both our heads shot to the bed as Junior groaned. His eyes opened.
"Mom. I'm sorry."
I passed Cope to Vic and hugged my baby boy. We both sobbed and Vic left, giving Junior and I needed alone time.
----------------
When you were 17, we met your girlfriend.
"Mom, don't embarrass me."
I laughed.
"No promises."
The doorbell rang and his eyes lit up.
"Ashley's here!"
He ran past Vic to answer it. We laughed. Cope came downstairs. I smiled at her. She was in a pale blue dress that brought her eye color out. Junior brought Ashley into the kitchen. She had brown eyes, straight long black hair and a dazzling smile.
"Mom, Dad, this is Ashley."
I smiled and greeted her. They seemed so in love.
...........
I sat opposite Ashley at the table.
"So what are you doing?"
"I'm studying graphic design at Yale. I also play bass in a band."
"That's very cool."
She smiled.
"Thanks."
Vic cleared his throat.
"Junior, take Cope to bed please. It's getting late."
He nodded, kissed Ashley's cheek and picked a nearly asleep Cope up, taking her upstairs. Vic turned to Ashley.
"Why are you good enough for my son?"
"Honestly? I can't answer. I love and care for him and I have a deep respect for him and his family."
Vic smiled and cleared the plates.
-----------------
When you were 19, we got a call in the middle of the night.
I rolled over and grabbed the phone, groaning.
"Hello?"
"Mom? It's Junior."
His voice was thick, as though he had been crying.
"Junior? Is everything OK?"
"Ashley and I are getting married?"
I screamed. Vic shot upright.
"Where's the fire?"
I laughed. "Ashley and Junior are engaged."
"Awwwww! Congratulations!"
I could imagine Junior's grin.
"We're gonna get some sleep. Catch you later."
I hung up and smiled.
-------------------
When you were 21, you tied the knot.
I watched Ashley walk down the aisle to my ecstatic son. He took her hand and I started crying. My baby boy wasn't a baby anymore.
"Do you, Kellin Fuentes, take Ashley Cerulli to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
He slid the ring on his finger.
"Do you, Ashley Cerulli, take Kellin Fuentes to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
She slid the ring on his finger and they kissed.
--------------
When you were 23, Johnny came into our lives.
The phone rang and Ricky, Cope's fiancée, answered. He beamed.
"Mr and Mr. Fuentes, you've a grandson."
We jumped up and piled into the car. Vic drove.
........
We ran into the room and I stared at my grandson.
------------------
I looked down at Johnny and started crying.
"Mom?"
"It just seems like yesterday your Dad and I brought you home."
He hugged me.
"I love you Junior."
"I love you too, Mom."