Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Age 10

Although Mary was diagnosed with leukemia, she still worked to help sustain the family. She quit her morning job and worked on something that didn’t require her to be in the office everyday. She started chemotherapy and when she remained in the hospital for treatment, she’d take her Macbook with her and do her work.

“Hi, Mom, look what we brought you!” Jadon and Christian said in unison.

“Oh, hi kiddos!” Her face lit up at the sight of her two little munchkins. She could never leave these two in the world alone. She’d fight for her life to stay alive for them.

“Mom? When are you gonna come home again?” Asked Jadon. He wished Mary would come home, since it was never the same when she kept leaving for chemotherapy treatments in the hospital.

“It’s all right Jade, I’ll be home soon, make sure dad helps you with your homework,k?” She was always the one to help them out, but it was hard to do that when visits were barely allowed in the hospital, especially for kids.

We went and visited her everyday when she’d go for treatment, and when she was at home, we tried to be extra helpful so that she’d get better faster. Oh how naive we were as kids, thinking she’d get better sooner.

Chris was now old enough to help make some kind of sustaining food since he was 10 years old now. He got out the box of Mac’ n Cheese and read the directions. After he finished cooking it up, he put bowls on the table for everyone and told them to come and eat.

“Yumm!” Mary said, “Mac’ n Cheese never tasted better, thanks Chris.”

“It’s all right mom, I just want you to get better,” Chris smiled, praising himself for his good work.

“Chris, can you gimme some more?” Jadon said, waving his bowl around hoping for more.

“All righty, man, but after this we gotta agree to let Mom rest more, K?” Chris tried to keep Jadon’s loud voice and personality toned down for his mother’s comfort.

Jadon didn’t really know Samuel’s harsh side. Whenever Jadon did anything Chris always took the blame, he wanted Jadon to see Samuel as a loving and caring father, so most of the time, Chris got in trouble. This caused Jadon to become a bit more spoilt and loud. He got what he wanted and never got punished for his mess ups. Chris willingly took the beatings, because he knew that Jadon would be ruined forever if he ever got beaten.

Jadon never saw dad beat me, never knew he did. I loved Jadon too much and to see him get hit, that would just hurt me. It would just kill me. I was older. I knew the beatings and could handle them.
Those days Dad was out of the house alot. He would take us to visit Mom in the hospital, but more than that he’d be out, except on weekends, which were usually spent at the hospital. I’d get the beatings for the messes in the car, or something getting spilled on the floor,when I got home.

Jadon was now 7 years old and was a very good friend to Chris. They hardly fought over stuff and they spent alot of time playing games, or shooting hoops in the front yard. They’d go to the park together with the neighbor and she’d always watch them until they were done, then she’d take them home.