`hope; (epilogue

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• published: 10 May 2010
• views: 2111

FIVE YEARS LATER "Dad, did you see that?!" Jacob screeched, clapping his hands excitedly as he leaned his head against the car seat. His caramel-colored eyes gleamed with wonder as his lips curled upward into a large, goofy grin. Indents in his chubby cheeks formed small dimples near his lips. "So Bobby passed me the ball, right . . . and I just . . . I shot it right into the goal and the goalie didn't even move! Did you see that, Mom?!" Selena let out a laugh as she held Lilly close to her chest. "Jacob, I saw you. Did you see us?" she teased, poking my arm as I turned the ignition on. "You should've seen your father; he was rooting for you like he was your biggest fan—screaming and yelling and jumping . . . it was quite a show on the sidelines." The three of us laughed as we made our way back to our home, the home Selena and I had formed into a family. The noon sun was rising to its highest point, beads of sweat forming on the side of my neck as we entered our scorching hot house. I turned the air conditioner on briefly until the house was cool enough and then grabbed our luggage. "Where're we going?" Jacob asked curiously, sipping his iced tea as he slipped a polo on after his shower. "Don't tell me you forgot!" I gawked, bending down to my son's height. I couldn't believe how much he resembled me when I was a kid; he was sensitive and shy around new people, but at home he was bouncing off the walls. At five, he had an incredibly precise vocabulary and even helped Selena with his little sister Lilly. His eyes were dark just like his mother's, but they resembled me in the sense of their history—a rough start, Jacob was born premature but pulled through. We didn't give up hope and look at him now. Jacob put a hand to his forehead and let out a small giggle, the dimples forming once more. "Oh yeah . . . we're going to New York!" : : : : : : The car ride seemed endless; it was nothing like my road trip with Selena five years ago. Lilly slept through the entire ride and so did Selena, who sometimes woke me up to instruct the directions. However, Jacob and I shared tales and jokes and let out tons of guffaws that made Selena snap and tell us to hush up. The city seemed to have changed, actually. In five years, people looked more like they would if they were in the future. Maybe it was because we lived in a different city, or maybe it was because New York was always advanced and always more modern than any other. We reserved a hotel room and let ourselves get comfortable for our four-day weekend in the city Selena and I grew up in. Lilly was strapped in her stroller, Jacob was holding onto my hand, and Selena and I walked side-by-side down the bustling streets. Again, it was different—people in Baltimore took their time when walking; people in New York ran like madmen. We took a simple stroll down Central Park and several people giggled at the sight of Jacob and Lilly. Our walk led further into the city until we came about a cemetery. Selena stopped, realizing it was time to give Lilly her bottle. However, my heart told me to keep walking until I saw his name. JOSEPH ADAM JONAS "Hey, that's my middle name—Joseph Adam . . . and that's my last name!" Jacob gawked, his eyes wide as he grazed his fingers against the plate. "Did you know this guy, Dad?" I didn't let my eyes leave the grave. My lips went dry as the wind breezed through our curly hair. I simply nodded, glancing at my son. "He was my older brother. He died a few months before your mom and I moved to Baltimore." "You know, Jacob . . . you may not be old enough to understand yet, but I'm going to tell you this now—I thought my life was over when Joe died. I thought if he left, I should've gone with him. But life doesn't work that way. Sometimes, the people you love leave you stranded and you have nowhere else to go . . . but there's always that someone who keeps pushing you forward. And that person is your mother. She changed me; she made me a better guy. No, you don't forget the people who leave you. They'll forever be branded to your hearts. They give you hope—to believe in love, to always fight for what your little heart desires. You're no different than any other person; don't let people tell you otherwise." Jacob simply looked at me, glancing at Selena in the far distance and then back at me. "You know, I'm just gonna pretend I understood every word you said." Laughing, I rose to my feet and took his tiny hand in mine. I couldn't believe my mind had become the way it was after Joe died. In a way, I still wanted him to be around; to hold my children and say he was their uncle with such pride. But I also wanted to thank my brother . . . he gave me hope. People come and go daily, but they forever remain in your heart because they teach you a lesson; a lesson I learned the hard way—hope for the best and you just might get something good out of it. It happened to me.

`hope; (epilogue

• Report rights infringement
• published: 10 May 2010
• views: 2111

FIVE YEARS LATER "Dad, did you see that?!" Jacob screeched, clapping his hands excitedly as he leaned his head against the car seat. His caramel-colored eyes gleamed with wonder as his lips curled upward into a large, goofy grin. Indents in his chubby cheeks formed small dimples near his lips. "So Bobby passed me the ball, right . . . and I just . . . I shot it right into the goal and the goalie didn't even move! Did you see that, Mom?!" Selena let out a laugh as she held Lilly close to her chest. "Jacob, I saw you. Did you see us?" she teased, poking my arm as I turned the ignition on. "You should've seen your father; he was rooting for you like he was your biggest fan—screaming and yelling and jumping . . . it was quite a show on the sidelines." The three of us laughed as we made our way back to our home, the home Selena and I had formed into a family. The noon sun was rising to its highest point, beads of sweat forming on the side of my neck as we entered our scorching hot house. I turned the air conditioner on briefly until the house was cool enough and then grabbed our luggage. "Where're we going?" Jacob asked curiously, sipping his iced tea as he slipped a polo on after his shower. "Don't tell me you forgot!" I gawked, bending down to my son's height. I couldn't believe how much he resembled me when I was a kid; he was sensitive and shy around new people, but at home he was bouncing off the walls. At five, he had an incredibly precise vocabulary and even helped Selena with his little sister Lilly. His eyes were dark just like his mother's, but they resembled me in the sense of their history—a rough start, Jacob was born premature but pulled through. We didn't give up hope and look at him now. Jacob put a hand to his forehead and let out a small giggle, the dimples forming once more. "Oh yeah . . . we're going to New York!" : : : : : : The car ride seemed endless; it was nothing like my road trip with Selena five years ago. Lilly slept through the entire ride and so did Selena, who sometimes woke me up to instruct the directions. However, Jacob and I shared tales and jokes and let out tons of guffaws that made Selena snap and tell us to hush up. The city seemed to have changed, actually. In five years, people looked more like they would if they were in the future. Maybe it was because we lived in a different city, or maybe it was because New York was always advanced and always more modern than any other. We reserved a hotel room and let ourselves get comfortable for our four-day weekend in the city Selena and I grew up in. Lilly was strapped in her stroller, Jacob was holding onto my hand, and Selena and I walked side-by-side down the bustling streets. Again, it was different—people in Baltimore took their time when walking; people in New York ran like madmen. We took a simple stroll down Central Park and several people giggled at the sight of Jacob and Lilly. Our walk led further into the city until we came about a cemetery. Selena stopped, realizing it was time to give Lilly her bottle. However, my heart told me to keep walking until I saw his name. JOSEPH ADAM JONAS "Hey, that's my middle name—Joseph Adam . . . and that's my last name!" Jacob gawked, his eyes wide as he grazed his fingers against the plate. "Did you know this guy, Dad?" I didn't let my eyes leave the grave. My lips went dry as the wind breezed through our curly hair. I simply nodded, glancing at my son. "He was my older brother. He died a few months before your mom and I moved to Baltimore." "You know, Jacob . . . you may not be old enough to understand yet, but I'm going to tell you this now—I thought my life was over when Joe died. I thought if he left, I should've gone with him. But life doesn't work that way. Sometimes, the people you love leave you stranded and you have nowhere else to go . . . but there's always that someone who keeps pushing you forward. And that person is your mother. She changed me; she made me a better guy. No, you don't forget the people who leave you. They'll forever be branded to your hearts. They give you hope—to believe in love, to always fight for what your little heart desires. You're no different than any other person; don't let people tell you otherwise." Jacob simply looked at me, glancing at Selena in the far distance and then back at me. "You know, I'm just gonna pretend I understood every word you said." Laughing, I rose to my feet and took his tiny hand in mine. I couldn't believe my mind had become the way it was after Joe died. In a way, I still wanted him to be around; to hold my children and say he was their uncle with such pride. But I also wanted to thank my brother . . . he gave me hope. People come and go daily, but they forever remain in your heart because they teach you a lesson; a lesson I learned the hard way—hope for the best and you just might get something good out of it. It happened to me.