Do You Remember – Chapter 6
Jane walked into her parent's home after a long day at work. She was busy securing her gun and badge when her little girl, Zoey, with her long curly raven locks ran up to her and hugged her, "Mama, your home!"
"Yes, Z, I missed you so much." Jane said as she tightened her hug on her little girl. Zoey looked like her mini me. Her mother often told her that Zoey is a mini version of her. Angela often wanted to call Zoey, MJ, for mini-Jane, or JJ for Jane junior. Jane had put her foot down and said she could call her Zoey or Z and that is it. Angela reluctantly agreed as long as she could be called nonna instead of grandma.
"Mama, you're squishing me." The three-year old stated as she tried to get her mother to loosen her grip.
"Sorry, I just miss you so much when I am at work." Jane stated as she kissed her daughter on the cheek.
"Then, don't work." Jane just smiled at her daughter.
"I wish it was that simple little one. Did you have fun with your nonna today?" Jane asked as she also thought that it would be nice if she didn't have to work, but she needed to work so she would have a place to live and be able to put food on the table for her and her rambunctious youngster.
"I did, she is letting me help her cook." Zoey quickly replied.
Jane looked over at her mother and Angela just lifted her shoulders up and moved her head to one side. Jane picked Zoey up and walked over and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for watching my little munchkin this afternoon Ma."
"You are welcome baby. She is such a delightful little girl." Angela reached over and kissed Zoey on the cheek as she said that.
"Yes, she is." Jane thought about what it would be like to have Tony with them. She often regretted giving him up for adoption, but she knew deep down that at that point in her life she wouldn't have been able to provide for him. It didn't stop her from wanting him though.
Having Zoey was a gift, a second chance. She was older when she had Zoey. She had a home and a job. She could provide for Zoey. She wished Zoey's father could be around to watch her grow up. She thought about him and wondered if he really would have given up the Army for his family. He didn't want a baby when Tony was born. He thought he was too young but after a few years, Jane thought, maybe he would've wanted to have a family with her.
Eight Years Ago
"Casey, what are you doing here?" Jane asked as she answered the door of her new apartment. "How, did you know where I lived?" It had been years since she had seen him and frankly, she didn't think she would ever see him again after the way he left.
"I stopped by your parents' house and your mother told me how to find you." Casey said as he handed Jane a bouquet of flowers. Jane smiled at the gesture. He could be so charming when he wanted to be. "Can I come in?" He asked as he smiled at her while standing at the front door which was only opened a slight bit, just enough for Jane to see who was there. She thought to herself, 'I really need to drill out a peep hole in this door. I can't believe it doesn't have one.'
"Oh sure, sorry. I am just surprised to see you. I am surprised my Ma remembered that she had a daughter."
"Yes, she told me that you two don't talk that much anymore."
"Ya, I am sure in time, things will return to normal," she thought and wondered if things would ever be normal between her mother and her.
"I sure hope so." Casey stated as Jane escorted him to the sofa. Casey knew how important family was to Jane and for her sake he really hoped they mended their ways.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Jane asked after a minute of silence. She didn't know what to say to him. She was a bit uncomfortable.
He quickly responded, "No, I am fine."
Jane motioned for him to have a seat on the couch. They both moved in that direction and as she sat down she told him, "I hate to say this, but I miss her. I know I complained all the time about her hoovering over me and being all up in my business all the time, but I do love her."
"Yes, she was all up in your business. I remember when she caught us making out on your bed. I think that was the last time I was allowed to go upstairs in your parent's house." They both giggled and in doing so released some of the tension that had been building.
"Yes, she was a little upset by that." It wasn't the first time they had made out on her bed, it was just the first time they had been caught.
"I'm so sorry I haven't written. I wanted to come and tell you how sorry I am for how I left things between us. You mean so much to me Jane and I wanted you to know that. I still love you and I want to have some sort of relationship with you, even if it is just as friends."
Jane was surprised, she thought Casey was out of her life and yet here he was a few years later apologizing for the hell he put her through. "I don't know how I feel Casey. I thought I would never see you again. Don't you remember, you left after I told you I was pregnant. You told me you didn't want a baby and you just joined the Army and left right after graduation. I had to deal with everything on my own. My parents kicked me out of the house. I had to get a job and fend for myself."
Casey looked around her apartment. There wasn't any sign of a toddler. "What did you do about the baby? Did you have an abortion like we talked about?"
"No, you talked about an abortion. Don't you remember I told you I wanted to have the baby so I did, I gave birth to him." Jane was getting a little upset as the memory of giving birth to Tony and then having to sign the papers to give him up for adoption floated through her brain.
"Him, we have a son?" Casey smiled at the thought that he had a son.
"No, I had a son, you wanted to have me abort him." Jane frowned as she reminded him.
"Had, what happened to him? Oh God, Jane, he didn't die, did he?" Casey was all of sudden sad thinking he had missed the opportunity to enjoy spending time with his son.
"No, I gave him up for adoption." Jane said with a sad look on her face. It was the last thing she wanted to do but under the circumstances she had no choice. She had to do what was right for her son. She felt tears welling up and didn't want to cry in front of Casey. She didn't want to be having this conversation with him, or anyone for that matter.
"What? Seriously, you gave our son up for adoption. Can you get him back?" Casey asked, pleading with Jane, he wanted a second chance to make things right with her and their son.
"Yes, seriously and no, I can't get him back, that wouldn't be fair to him. He is doing great with his adoptive mother. He is happy. He looked so happy in the last picture I saw of him."
"What about an adoptive father? He needs a male role model in his life." Casey stated as he raised his voice. He was not happy and he was not hiding that fact from her.
"He is with a single mother and they are happy together. He is doing quite well." Jane was getting pissed off, what right did her have to come in to her apartment and tell her what her son needed.
Casey took a deep breath to settle himself down and calmly asked, "Can I see him and hold him. I would like to see my son."
"Casey, for starters he was my son, not yours. Don't you remember you walked out on me and our baby. I had to do what was best for him when I gave birth to him. I was all alone and couldn't provide for him. He is better off." Jane couldn't look at him, she looked down to her hands that were clasped in her lap. If she looked at him, she might want to hit him so it was best that she not look up at him.
His anger rose as she informed her, "But I didn't give up my parental rights!"
"What rights? Don't you remember that you told me to have an abortion and you left. What parental rights do you think you had? I wouldn't have listed your name on his birth certificate even if I didn't give him up for adoption."
"I'm sorry, Jane. I should've handled things better." Casey seemed remorseful. He truly regretted treating Jane the way he had. He was just so overwhelmed by the idea of being a father at 19 years old.
Jane looked him square in the eye and told him, "Yes, you should've. You abandon me and our baby. I needed your help and support. Thank goodness for Arianna and Angelo. They were there for me and helped me. They provided the support I didn't get from you or my parents."
Casey was upset, not at Jane but at himself. He walked over and took Jane into a hug. He had missed her and he really wanted to get past this. He wanted Jane in his life. Jane relaxed in his hug and calmed down. Casey felt Jane's heartbeat slow down as she calmed down. He reached down and took her face in his hands and gently kissed her. She kissed him back.
He carefully removed his jacket without breaking their kiss. He maneuvered them to what he hoped was the bedroom. Within a few minutes they were both naked and making love. He continued to tell Jane that he loved her and that he wanted to make things right with her.
After an hour or so they got dressed and went out for dinner. They spent the next week hanging out together before he had to go back to Afghanistan. He promised to keep in touch this time and Jane promised she would write him back. She was happy, which is something she hadn't been since she had to sign the adoption papers.
Months went by and Casey had kept his word. He had written Jane almost weekly. Sometimes she received two letters in a week. She was happy, except for the fact that he was in Afghanistan and not in Boston with her.
He came home a few months later and didn't even bother visiting with his family, he went straight to Jane. He considered Jane his home and he didn't want to miss a minute with her. He only had a week so they made the best of it. She had a few school assignments due and was able to get them done and submitted. Jane was in love with Casey again and she promised herself it would be different this time. She would make it work. She wanted it to work.
Arianna and Angelo weren't too keen on Jane picking things back up with Casey again. They knew how much he had hurt Jane. Jane convinced them to go on a double date with her and Casey. They agreed and were quite surprised to see how different Casey was. He was so devoted to Jane. They thought maybe he really did love Jane.
Casey had to go back to Afghanistan again and this time he felt better knowing that he had also rekindled his friendship with Arianna and Angelo. The four of them had been such good friends in high school.
Jane had graduated from the Police Academy and was a patrol officer with BPD the next time Casey came home. He was home for 30-days. Jane wasn't able to take that much time off of work but she managed to take a week off towards the end of his 30-days. Casey planned a romantic get-away for that week. Jane loved being pampered by Casey. He had rented a little cottage near the beach.
They spent their days laying out on the sand and goofing around in the water when they weren't seeing the local sights. They ate at the nearby restaurants for dinner each evening. They made love each night having barely gotten any sleep some evenings. They were in love and they wanted to spend every single minute together before he had to go back to Afghanistan.