My name is Jessica Mastriani.
Well, sort of. See, it used to be. Now, it's Jessica Mastriani Wilkins.
About three years ago, I married my high school sweetheat, Rob. If you want to call him that. My high school sweeheart, I mean.
Rob and I had a rough time together, but since I have already told you all about you that, I don't need to again.
When I graduated from high school, my dad gave me a 1968 Harley – Blue Beauty – and as you know, I still have her, but Rob and I bought a sensible four-door sedan. Weird, huh?
When Rob's mom went to Florida, Rob bought the house that they lived in together. That's where we live now and Rob's mom? Well, she lives in a house that Rob and I built for her and her husband, Just-Call-Me-Gary, after Gary decided that he should sell his business so that she could be closer to her son and his new wife. The house happens to be on our property. I couldn't ask for better in-laws.
I dropped out of Julliard (I didn't even go back to New York) and I started attending Indiana University with Tasha Thompkins. Tasha graduated at the same time that I did with my teaching certificate and a year after Rob and I got married. Tasha and I work at Pine Heights Alternative High School, where my brother, Douglas is the principal.
Douglas and Tasha became engaged after the school opened up as an alternative high school. They are having a long engagement, because as Douglas says, "We don't have time, what with the comic book store and helping dad on the weekends at the restuarants." I think he's just stalling.
You heard right though. Douglas bought out Underground Comix and it is a very thriving investment. Even weirder though. Douglas and Tasha live in the condominium community owned by none of other than, Randy Whitehead Senior. They happen to live there for free, what with Mr. Whitehead being worried that I would tell Mrs. Whitehead about Eric, Mr. Whitehead's secret lover.
Mike ended up transferring (again) for a girl, but this time, it was worth it. He transferred to Columbia to be with Ruth and when they graduated, Mike proposed. They've been married for six months and they are expecting a baby girl. Even though the idea of my brother and my best friend grossed me out at first, I quickly got used to the idea because I saw how happy they made (and still make) each other. They moved back to Indiana and they moved into the apartment over Mastriani's after Douglas and Tasha moved out.
My parents opened up another restaurant and named it, yep, you guessed it, Jess's. I was flattered really. Actually, I own 90 of it. My dad owns 10 on account of me not wanting to screw things up. The bike shop is still doing wonderfully also.
My mom definitely came around in the idea of Rob. He's the only son that she has that actually wants to go to my parents' house for dinners and stuff. Even I don't want to do that that much. She loves him as though he's her own and that's all I ever wanted. As a matter of fact, our wedding was right in my parents' back yard. It was a huge shin dig, even Hannah, Rob's sister came with her mom. It was nice and even though I told Ruth that I didn't want bridesmaids, she reminded me that I'll be her only friend to get married and so I decided to let her, Tasha, Hannah be my bridesmaids. Rob had Chick, Douglas and Mike as groomsmen. A little too frilly for my taste, but everyone enjoyed themselves and all that mattered was that I was marrying Rob.
Hannah grew up to be a nice young lady and after the day she turned Randy Whitehead Junior in for what he had done to her and those other girls, she never gave anyone else another lick of trouble.
Skip was at the wedding, but do you remember Jersey Shore girl? Yea, it didn't work out and he still can't get a girl to kiss him.
Karen Sue Hankey. Let me see. I never did have brunch with her. It's like she dropped of the face of the Earth and honestly, I kind of like it that way.
Well, my wonderful son, Nathaniel. I wrote all of these letters to you because I wanted you to know where and who your parents came from. I wanted you to know that you have two of the best sets of grandparents a man (well, as I'm writing this you are still only two years old) could ask for and your aunts and uncles love you with everything that is inside of them. I want you to know that you were named after your Aunt Tasha's brother, Nate. He was brave and he was lost too young, but he will always hold a place in our hearts.
You are our pride and joy and we are so proud to call you ours. Your dad and I want to give you these letters and a scrapbook. This scrapbook has articles and pictures taken of me when I was a teenager. I was sixteen years old when your dad and I fell in love and even though we couldn't be together, he made this scrapbook to remind him of me. His Lightening Girl. I have loved your dad since the day he gave me a ride home on his Indian and I will never let him forget how much I love him, just like he never lets me forget how much he loves me – as I'm sure you know by now. I hope you can take this scrapbook and these letters and cherish them with everything that's in you. Share this with your future children.
So, I'm sure you have graduated and are going to college and even if you didn't, it doesn't matter. Just be happy and stay out of trouble. Remember that some of us wait our whole young years wanting to be eighteen. To your dad and I, eighteen means so much and it should to you too. Happy birthday, my son. We love you, Nate.
To: Nate – Our Dear Son
Love, Mom and Dad
Because Eighteen Means So Much