| Romance Fiction posted June 29, 2017 | Chapters: |
...10 11 -12- 13... 
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...another part of Jenny and Ron's Story
A chapter in the book The Products of Love
After Eighteen Years
by Mustang Patty
Ron was going about his usual business. He made coffee, he showered, dressed and got ready to go and do some work out in his workshop. Keeping it simple, he wasn't married and only had himself to worry about. Oh, there was a goofy, furry pal named Max, but the dog only needed love, food, and water.
At the age of forty-five, he wondered sometimes if his choices had caused him to miss out. Would it be better to have someone to share life with? What about the things and property he had? Who would be there to take them when his time came? He immediately pushed that thought out of his head. He was way too young to have those kinds of worries.
Just as he was getting ready to go outside to his shop, he heard the phone ring. He was going to ignore it as usual. He used his answering machine to screen his calls. There just weren't many people he felt like talking to, and he absolutely hated telephone solicitors.
A familiar voice came through the tinny speaker of the machine. Was it…? Could it be her?
"Ron, this is Jenny. The baby I put up for adoption just called me. He wants to meet with me. He wants to know why." Ron hadn't heard that voice since 1983. Was she talking about the baby he fathered? The timing was right.
He felt like he had been stabbed in the gut. He ran to the phone to pick up before she hung up.
"Jenny? Is that really you? You told me it was a closed adoption. How does he even know who we are?"
"Hello to you, too. I guess when he turned eighteen, he could get information. I filled out a birth certificate in the hospital. They said I had to give him a name before I handed him over to the foster parents."
"Did you put down my name for 'father?'" He held his breath as he waited for her answer.
"Yes, I put down your name. My only other choice was to put 'unknown,' and I didn't want to look like some sort of a slut."
"What do you think he really wants?" Ron was already bracing himself to lose some of his wealth.
"I don’t know. He just called me and said he wanted to meet me. He asked if I would have a cup of coffee with him at Starbucks. I'm so surprised he's willing to come to me."
"How did he know where you are? Do you think he knows where I live, too?" Ron spoke with fear in his voice.
"Ron, you haven't ever left Bremerton. I moved around a lot, and he found me. Hell, I found you."
"I don't know about this, Jenny. Do you have any idea how this will mess up my life? I don't know how I will explain a 'long lost son' to anyone. I never told anyone else about the situation. Did you?"
"I've been totally honest just in case this ever happened. My husband knows...my kids know. I never wanted to be blind-sided by something from the past."
Ron's head was swimming. Why on earth hadn't she just listened to him back then. However, his curosity got the best of him. "What's his name?"
"It seems his parents kept the first name I gave him. His name is Joey."
"Wow. I wonder what he looks like. I wonder what he's like. This is kind of mind-blowing, you know?" He fidgeted with the salt and pepper shakers in his kitchen.
"Are you going to be okay? I know you never wanted this kind of thing in your life." She paused, and they were both momentarily lost in their own thoughts. "How are you, by the way? Are you happy? Did you ever get married?"
"No. I'm still single and living in the same house. I still have the same job in the shipyard...there's never been anyone I wanted to tie myself down with."
"So…you got what you wanted then? A life with little fuss and muss. But, are you happy?"
"I have some regrets. I sometimes wonder if we should've gotten married and brought up our son, and maybe a few more kids."
"Wow, that's a surprise. I really thought that after you gave me the money for the abortion, you simply didn't care."
"Yeah. That's gonna be tough to explain, huh? Do I have to tell him about that? I thought it was a moot point since you went ahead and had the baby."
"I'm going to be totally honest. I will tell him my part, and that includes why I didn't keep him. I couldn't raise him on my own, and your only answer was an abortion."
"This is gonna suck. And hurt," he said, feeling the regrets down deep in his soul.
"Well, he'll probably be calling soon, so I'll hang up. Take care and good luck."
"You take care, too. I did love you as much as I could. Remember that when you talk to him."
"I will. I think we made the best decision we could at the time. He will just have to accept us for who we are, and who we were back then."
"Bye, Jenny."
"Bye, Ron."
His thoughts turned back to his life. Was this the answer he needed? Would he now have a son in his life? Or would this thing blow up in his face?
He was holding his head in his hands as the phone began to ring.
to be continued...
The Call contest entry
Ron was going about his usual business. He made coffee, he showered, dressed and got ready to go and do some work out in his workshop. Keeping it simple, he wasn't married and only had himself to worry about. Oh, there was a goofy, furry pal named Max, but the dog only needed love, food, and water.
At the age of forty-five, he wondered sometimes if his choices had caused him to miss out. Would it be better to have someone to share life with? What about the things and property he had? Who would be there to take them when his time came? He immediately pushed that thought out of his head. He was way too young to have those kinds of worries.
Just as he was getting ready to go outside to his shop, he heard the phone ring. He was going to ignore it as usual. He used his answering machine to screen his calls. There just weren't many people he felt like talking to, and he absolutely hated telephone solicitors.
A familiar voice came through the tinny speaker of the machine. Was it…? Could it be her?
"Ron, this is Jenny. The baby I put up for adoption just called me. He wants to meet with me. He wants to know why." Ron hadn't heard that voice since 1983. Was she talking about the baby he fathered? The timing was right.
He felt like he had been stabbed in the gut. He ran to the phone to pick up before she hung up.
"Jenny? Is that really you? You told me it was a closed adoption. How does he even know who we are?"
"Hello to you, too. I guess when he turned eighteen, he could get information. I filled out a birth certificate in the hospital. They said I had to give him a name before I handed him over to the foster parents."
"Did you put down my name for 'father?'" He held his breath as he waited for her answer.
"Yes, I put down your name. My only other choice was to put 'unknown,' and I didn't want to look like some sort of a slut."
"What do you think he really wants?" Ron was already bracing himself to lose some of his wealth.
"I don’t know. He just called me and said he wanted to meet me. He asked if I would have a cup of coffee with him at Starbucks. I'm so surprised he's willing to come to me."
"How did he know where you are? Do you think he knows where I live, too?" Ron spoke with fear in his voice.
"Ron, you haven't ever left Bremerton. I moved around a lot, and he found me. Hell, I found you."
"I don't know about this, Jenny. Do you have any idea how this will mess up my life? I don't know how I will explain a 'long lost son' to anyone. I never told anyone else about the situation. Did you?"
"I've been totally honest just in case this ever happened. My husband knows...my kids know. I never wanted to be blind-sided by something from the past."
Ron's head was swimming. Why on earth hadn't she just listened to him back then. However, his curosity got the best of him. "What's his name?"
"It seems his parents kept the first name I gave him. His name is Joey."
"Wow. I wonder what he looks like. I wonder what he's like. This is kind of mind-blowing, you know?" He fidgeted with the salt and pepper shakers in his kitchen.
"Are you going to be okay? I know you never wanted this kind of thing in your life." She paused, and they were both momentarily lost in their own thoughts. "How are you, by the way? Are you happy? Did you ever get married?"
"No. I'm still single and living in the same house. I still have the same job in the shipyard...there's never been anyone I wanted to tie myself down with."
"So…you got what you wanted then? A life with little fuss and muss. But, are you happy?"
"I have some regrets. I sometimes wonder if we should've gotten married and brought up our son, and maybe a few more kids."
"Wow, that's a surprise. I really thought that after you gave me the money for the abortion, you simply didn't care."
"Yeah. That's gonna be tough to explain, huh? Do I have to tell him about that? I thought it was a moot point since you went ahead and had the baby."
"I'm going to be totally honest. I will tell him my part, and that includes why I didn't keep him. I couldn't raise him on my own, and your only answer was an abortion."
"This is gonna suck. And hurt," he said, feeling the regrets down deep in his soul.
"Well, he'll probably be calling soon, so I'll hang up. Take care and good luck."
"You take care, too. I did love you as much as I could. Remember that when you talk to him."
"I will. I think we made the best decision we could at the time. He will just have to accept us for who we are, and who we were back then."
"Bye, Jenny."
"Bye, Ron."
His thoughts turned back to his life. Was this the answer he needed? Would he now have a son in his life? Or would this thing blow up in his face?
He was holding his head in his hands as the phone began to ring.
to be continued...
 Recognized |
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thank you to PhotoBucket for the image of people talking on the phone.
I wrote this story based on a friend's recollections. I've known her for over thirty years and I was there at the beginning. Through the magic of the internet and free long distance, I've been able to hear the whole story.
With her permission, I've developed a story line based on what happened between her and her lover. The names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. I wrote this story based on a friend's recollections. I've known her for over thirty years and I was there at the beginning. Through the magic of the internet and free long distance, I've been able to hear the whole story.
With her permission, I've developed a story line based on what happened between her and her lover. The names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty.
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