Because of them

Month One.

Once upon a time two kids fell in love during a car ride to Taco Bell.

Not the most romantic of starts, but for Tom and Michelle it was all they needed.

Years went by and their love only grew, even after Tom graduated.

Life was easy, life was simple, life was perfect.

Until month two.

She’s pregnant.

To an 18 year old, the idea of carrying a baby is not your first choice, especially in high school.

It doesn’t hit hard until month three.

People are starting to talk and learn and spread rumors like a fire spreads throughout a forest

Burning down all that is beautiful and clean and living until it feels dead.

Until Michelle feels dead.

Month four and five bring hatred

As those who once called her a friend

Now look at her like a bug needing to be squish.

All they can say is

“What happened to her”

“I thought she was better than that”

“I feel bad for the kid”

Tom is with here, but not during school.

When she is there, she is alone and scared and depressed and waiting for a moment to wake and say

“it was all a bad dream”.

Month six Tom comes up to Michelle and says “we may as well get married”

And with no money and no experience they begin to plan their life together

Month seven.

Michelle graduates.

After three years of blissful memories ending with the huge crash of hatred, Michelle graduates.

And she does not graduate with a diploma in her hand but instead a middle finger out her window.

She is gone and she is done.

Month eight.

Wedding bells ring and Tom and Michelle become Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Michelle.

The ceremony is small, but the hope is large.

They’re finally together and moving on

Month nine.

It was a Wednesday.

Supposedly it was sunny

Supposedly the Cubs won

I guess if it was my very first day on Earth that’s the way I would want it to be

Sunny and cheerful.

5 lbs, 6 oz. That’s how much their little girl weighed.

But, life didn’t get easier after that.

Then came an endless cycle for Tom and Michelle.

Wake up, go to work, go to your other job, go to school, come home and take care of Kaitlyn.

Wake up, go to work, go to your other job, go to school, come home and take care of Kaitlyn.

Wake up, go to work, go to your other job, go to school, come home and take care of Kaitlyn.

Two years, two years they put up with that.

And all for what?

So that Kaitlyn could grow up

With her blonde hair and her blue eyes

And her curious mind and her sarcastic tone

And her love for sports and music

And never, ever, need to understand the struggle of Tom and Michelle.

But she does.

She wakes up in the morning and reminds herself “if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be me”

She goes to bed at night and reminds herself “if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be me”.

She wouldn’t be the kid who everyone says has everything going for her

The one who does not know how hard life really is.

The one who does not understand struggle.

The one who has it too easy.

And yet, 18 years ago someone said “I feel bad for their kid”.

She has no reason for pity,

Yet has no reason for praise.

She is the result of nine months of ridicule and years of strenuous labor.

She is who she is she is because of them.

Because once upon a time Tom and Michelle fell in love at a Taco Bell.

And that is why I cannot live without them.