Chapter Two
With little resources, Jordan and Tommy tried to come up with what they were going to do. Tommy was a month away from graduating high school. Upon further consideration, Tommy thought it was best to join the Army. Jordan was skeptical because she did not have any family and did not want to be left alone in Maryland to raise their child alone. Tommy assured Jordan that it would not be a long duration. Tommy walked across the stage, Jordan told him her final goodbyes as she informed Tommy that they are having a boy, she wanted him to promise to come back to her and their child. Tommy promised and jetted to the bus to take the newest Army recruits to base for training.
Jordan had a healthy, handsome baby boy a month and a half later on July 10, 1987. His name is Thomas Christopher Ashford. She was overcome with heavy emotion because Tommy was not there and she had been trying to reach him since he deployed. An unlikely visitor showed up to the hospital to check on Jordan: Curtis. Curtis and Jordan were acquainted but did not really know each other. He wanted to meet his new nephew and make sure that Jordan was alright. During the hospital visit, Curtis mentioned that he would stay in contact; Jordan appreciated it.
After being friends and Curtis having weekly babysitting nights to relieve Jordan to get some rest from her clothing boutique, a true friendship developed. One night Jordan received a call from the Army recruiter. The recruiter called to let Jordan know that Tommy died from being shot in the chest in the midst of an unexpected military battle. He suffered internal and external injuries. Jordan was speechless on the phone to where her mouth hardly moved. All she could get to say was okay I thank you for the information, hung up and started to cry hysterically. Jordan's world as she knew it has been rocked to its core; now she has to come to grips with moving on even though the thought of it is beyond her reach at the moment.
Curtis enters the room and asks what happened. Jordan was muffled while trying to come to terms on the devastating call she just received. Curtis asked once more what is going on. Jordan said that Tommy has been killed due to life threatening injuries from a gunshot in surprising combat. Curtis became completely floored and reaffirmed his commitment to stand behind Jordan and baby Thomas. Curtis decided to continue his dedication and exclaimed that he would like to adopt baby Thomas so he would always have an active and nurturing father in his life. Jordan accepted the gesture; Curtis went through court process/adoption documentation signing and baby Thomas is legally his son.