Miracle Baby

Chapter 1

Christian Williams was born in the Walter Simons public housing, in Memphis, TN, to be exact. He was literally born in the projects, in his mom’s living room. Her husband Joseph was nowhere to be found. So she had the baby by herself with the help of the 911 operator. Afterwards; she called her neighbor and was hospitalized at the Med. Little Christian was born with asthma and autism. That didn’t stop her from loving her son. She made sure he had all the nutrients and love to be a happy and healthy baby. Joseph said the boy didn’t look like him and questioned Jean’s loyalty. Jean was upset that he would even think of such thing. Anyway, like she always would do shake it off and keep her focus on little Christian. Jean made sure she got all of the government support she could get. Jean and Joseph had a plan before their child was born, to put money up every month to support his savings account, well his college fund account.

Both parents were working minimum wage, so they had money to put up every month. They would put up at least 250 dollars a month for lil Christian’s college fund. When Christian was 2, mother Jean made sure he didn’t pick up bad habits from the outsiders. Christian stayed inside most of the time and his grandmother baby-sited him during Jeans work hours. Jean’s mother was a great guardian. She didn’t play that mess either. She made sure he was properly discipline. When he was five years old, Jean and Joseph decided to move out the projects because it was getting too dangerous. Besides, she knew Christian would begin to pick up bad habits. They moved in a house, but it was still the ghetto, so they were bound to see some crazy shit. Sometimes they didn’t have the money and would borrow electricity from their neighbor. They

would run long extension cords from their neighbors house to their house and plug the surge protector to the extension cord. They pay the neighbor a little some for their trouble.

Jean was still determined to survive and provide for her son. She made sure he watched Sesame Street to learn. She didn’t want a dumb child. His birthday was December, so he was enrolled in That’s when she found out he was slow. It took him longer to learn something that only took the other students a short time. Christian would continue to fail subjects, so like a caring mother, she convinced the teachers to give him extra credit assignments so he could pass with flying colors. Going to school allowed Christian to make friends and friends had habits. Jean was afraid of bad habits, so she told Christian he could bring over one friend only. Christian obeyed his mom wishes. She made sure his friends weren’t a bad apple. His dad Joseph loved basketball. He would make Christian watch old final tapes of Magic Johnson, Larry bird, Micheal Jordan and Curry hoping some of the greatness could be inserted inside Christian. He would play one on one with Christian hoping someday he’ll be just as good as Jordan or Kobe.. But all that would change once Joseph start having an affair with another lady. It wasn’t a one-time thing it was a habit, in fact the habit Christian’s mom didn’t want him to pick up. The bad habit was right there in his house whole. She would get a hint when he would go to the store 5 times a day and sometimes come back with nothing. He would spend 2 to 3 hours at a grocery store. I guess while he was driving he would think of his lie. It went on for a year. When Christian was 11 years old he heard his mom and pops fight for the first time. First it started with yelling and cursing, then it escalated to shit getting thrown. Jean was throwing glass cups at Joseph. Christian didn’t know what was going on. Joseph walked out the house and drove off. Jean slammed the door. Christian said, “What’s wrong Ma?” She said, “Son, your daddy is a piece of shit. Don’t be like him when you grow up. He is no good, he’s no role model for you. Be like Bill Cosby baby. Then again, try Jesus.” Christian still didn’t understand, but he shook his head and said, “Ok, but, mom, why is he a piece of shit?”(That’s the only time she allowed him to curse.)She said, he doesn’t care about your mother. He don’t have enough respect for your mother to throw the rubber away. Christian said, “Ma, what’s a rubber?” She said, “I’ll tell you when you get older. She rubbed his head and went to her room. They only had two bedrooms, one for his parents and one for Christian. The next week when Christian thought everything was starting to get better. They were arguing again. Jean and Joseph had fist fight, in bedroom. When Joseph walked out the room yelling, Jean walked behind him and punched him in the back of the head. He fell to the ground and turned around when he saw Jean pounding him with her fist. Joseph thought that was enough and starts fighting back so he could get off the floor. That’s when Christian saw he was trying to hurt his mom. He picked up a broom and smacked his dad on the head. His dad ran towards Christian and grabbed the broom from him. He threw the broom and smacked Christian to the ground. He said, “Boy! This ain’t yo business! Now sit yo ass down!” (Christian was scared and confused because he had never seen his dad act like this.) Jean grabbed the tv remote and threw the remote at Joseph. He turned around and said, “You crazy lady, you and that boy is crazy! I’m out of here! I don’t have time for this bullshit! Jean said, “If you walk out that door you’re a bicth!” He said, “Woman! You gon’ make me bust yo head wide open!”(As he pointed his finger in her face) She said, “You don’t mean anything you say! You just make up these dreams to sell me. I can’t believe you doubted my loyalty. Ahhhh!!!It makes me sick to think you would flip the script. Make me look bad! Make me look like the one who can’t be trusted you dirty dog! I don’t need you!” He said, “I don’t “I don’t need you!” He closed the door and left. His mom had tears rolling down her pretty face. She just sat on the floor weeping quietly. Christian knew his mom and she kissed his forehead. She said, “It’s going to be okay son, we’re going to make it.” He said, “Why did daddy leave? What did daddy do?” She said, He’ll be back son. They stayed there for almost an hour.

A week later there was no dad around. Christian came home from the bus stop. He asked his mom, “Did daddy come back today?” She said, “He might be gone for a little while son. Don’t worry about that. How did you do at school today?” He said, “We had a lot of work.” She said, “Did you get any grades today?” He said, “Yeah, I got a D in Language Arts, and a F in Reading.” She said, “Why are you making these bad grades? I told you to study reading and language arts.” He said, “I tried to study yesterday, but I was thinking about daddy. I said, I wonder if daddy is buying me something for leaving me with Mom?” Jean looked in his eyes and hugged him. She said, “Baby, I don’t know when your daddy will be back, but until then I need for you to be the man of the house. Christian didn’t exactly know how to be a man, but he knew his dad. A month later, there was no sign of dad. Christian is getting frustrated, he hasn’t even heard from his dad in a month. One night after watching cartoons he walked in his mom room and asked, Have you heard from dad?” Jean said, “Look here boy, that man ain’t coming back. You don’t need him. Now I need for you to be strong for mama and stick your chest up. Be my little man. Christian yelled, “You lying, daddy is coming back!” [He had gloss in his eyes like he was going to cry.] He is coming back! Daddy is coming back! Jean was shocked, and said, Boy! Don’t you ever tell me I’m lying! I’ll smack you into yester years! Christian started jumping up and down. He’s coming back! Daddy’s coming back! She said, I told you yo daddy ain’t coming back boy! Now suck it up!” He said, No!” She smacked him in the mouth. He kicked her in the leg. She started working him. She nearly beat him up. She had to catch herself and went in the closet to grab a belt. Christian ran out the room. She chased him around the living room with the belt. She said, “Sit still boy!” [She caught him and busted him across the back with the belt.] He screamed, “Daaaaady!” She hit him 3 more times and realized he was suffering enough not having his daddy. He sat on the floor crying out, “I want my daaaddy!” Tears rolled down little Christian’s face. Jean went to the restroom to get some tissue. She tore a piece of tissue from the roll and gave it to Christian. She said, Hear, wipe your face. I need for you to be strong baby. [She tried to comfort the young frustrated boy.] I love you son, but you still have to respect your mother no matter if you have a daddy or not. Your daddy is not a man and a bad example for leaving us for some hoochie who is probably going to leave him for someone else younger. I know you probably don’t really know your daddy because your daddy hides a lot of shit from you and me. To be honest your dad was not a really good husband. He wasn’t really good to your mom. Your dad use to go out late, to who knows where. When I ask him where he is going, he would say I’m getting some fresh air and come back at 2 o’clock in the morning. I use to worry a lot. I kind of figured he was cheating, but I was in denial. When he took you to church, I forgot all about everything he did wrong. That kind of kept me from asking and investigating. (Christian stop crying and just listened to his mom. He wiped his tears from his face) Son, it’s so much a woman can take. I think I done everything. If your daddy does come back I’m afraid...