Chapter 1

Even though this story mainly begins when I was 16 years of age my issues began long before that. When I was little I loved running and playing. My parents couldn’t keep me in one place for long. That all changed when I scored the winning goal in my girl’s soccer team in elementary school game. Of course we didn’t actually keep track of the score, at least not officially. Some of the players and our parents did it just for fun. Anyways back to my point. I had just scored the winning goal. I looked to my loving parents and then I felt a strange sensation come over my body. Before I knew it I fell to the ground and couldn’t move. Soon many people were surrounding me and I passed out. When I woke I had tubes in my nose and all over the place. I tried to call out for help but all I managed was a soft whisper. I was unable to get anyone before I fell asleep again. And when I woke once more I heard my mother and father talking. Or should I say fighting.

“I just don’t know how this could happen.” said my dad.

“Don’t give me that Kevin. If you want to give excuses just go back to them!” my mother practically shouted.

My head was spinning and I couldn’t hear my father’s reply. But I could see shock and then hurt on his face. That was the last time I saw my dad and mom together with my own two eyes. After that I would always see either my uncle or one of my Dad’s friends pick me up and bring me to my dad or the other way around with my mom. That is when I wasn’t spending time in the hospital. And I did a lot of that. It took them a long time to tell me that I most likely wouldn’t live to see the age of 18. They said it would be possible but it was very unlikely. They didn’t say it like that though. They tried to tell me in as delicate of a way as they could. It’s hard for a person to hear that, but imagine hearing it at the age of 9 and a half.

When my mom finally told me I asked her, “Is the fact that I’m dying, the...” I took a few deep breaths, “reason that dad left? Did he no longer love me?”

My mother embraced me in as gentle of a hug as she could. Despite that it still hurt. Not surprising, because whenever my illness is really bad even a hug from a kitten would hurt.

My mother pulled away, “As much as I hate what your father did I never want you to think he left because of you. He loves you very much. It’s just that he didn’t, love ... me enough.”

My mother went silent and looked off into the distance.

She may have said more but I burst out with, “What is that supposed to mean? Does it have something to do with when you told him to go back to them?”

“What? When did...” something clicked in her mind. “You were awake at the hospital when all this began. I’m sorry you heard that. But to answer your question, yes it does. Your father ... he ... about a year after you were born I found out your father had just become a father.”

I was confused, “How can he just become a father a year after I was born?”

With a sympathetic look and voice my mother said, “A few days after your birthday a woman came to our door. With a baby.”

“So what does that mean?” I said. But before she answered I realized what she meant, “He cheated on you.”

“He did. No he didn’t! Not exactly. There was a time we were separated and were going to divorce. But then we worked things out. Or so we thought. I was angry when I found out what Kevin had done, but I was determined to make things work out. We kept his other daughter Lucy a secret from my family.”

I didn’t know what to feel. On one hand I was mad that my dad had a daughter that he never told me about. But I was excited that I was no longer an only child. But when I heard her name the first thing out of my mouth was, “Lucy? What kind of name is that? That’s a ridiculous name.”

She chuckled a little then her face turned slightly sour as she said, “Actually Lucy is a nice name. And she was a nice young lady.”

“How would you know that? Did Dad tell you that?” I asked. “Actually I’ve met her a few times. For the most part it was during times you both spent in the hospital. And once in a while when her mom needed help while you were off visiting your father.” my mom told me, without even looking me in the eyes.

“Wait did you say times we both spent in the hospital?” I asked.

“Well look at the time. We’re at your school. I need to go now. But remember your dad is supposed to pick you up today after school. And I’m going to be busy so if he cancels again see if you can stop by one of your friends houses for a while. Okay?” my mother informed me.

I turned my head away from my mom, rolled my eyes and said, “Okay mom. I’ll do that.”

I knew exactly what she’d be “busy” with while I was gone. One day when I was about twelve I had come home early. It was a time when my dad had to cancel picking me up due to work or something. And when I got home, unknown to her I caught her having sex with our neighbor and his eighteen year old son. I would have watched the guy’s hot bodies for a while if not for two things. One even though my mom is in good shape and has a beautiful body, I really don’t want to see her getting busy with some guys again. Yes I’ve seen and heard her with other guys since that time. Thankfully it’s been that I mostly just heard them. She only knows about a couple of the guys I’ve seen her with. And two, my body was telling me I urgently needed to take some of my meds or else I could die there in the hallway watching my mom have her fun. Which wouldn’t be fun at all for me. There were even a couple of times when my mom brought a couple of her female friends back home and I’d hear some of the strange noises she’d make with the guys. Back then I thought that they were just using dildo’s or vibrators or even watching porno. Thinking back to those times and knowing what my mother had been doing with her guy friends got me depressed. Not for the first time I wished I’d be able to live long enough to have sex. As it was I probably wouldn’t be able to live through sex now if I were to give it a try. Despite having just turned 16 two months prior. I just hoped that one day if I were by some miracle cured and able to have sex that I wouldn’t turn into a nymphomaniac like my mother.

During the Lunch break I had to have my best friend Jessica Carter take me to the nurse’s office for my routine check up and other such stuff. I had to spend every one of my lunch breaks here. And sometimes the hour after that. Depending on my health. Today I was feeling well enough that I didn’t think I’d need to stay that extra hour.

Nurse Tammy lifted the thermometer off my forehead and smiled, “Looks like you’re feeling better. You’ll probably be able to go to your next class in 15 minutes. Isn’t that exciting?”

“It sure ... sure is. I’ll just text Jess that she can pick me up.” I said.

I picked up my phone and saw that I had a message from my dad. The smile I had before opening the message faded once I read what it said.

I just put my phone in my pocket and said, “On second thought I may need to stay for the rest of the day.”

“Your dad canceled again. I’m so sorry Ms. Whitman.” said Nurse Tammy.

Nurse Tammy Jones was kind enough to let me stay in her office the rest of the day and to give Jessica’s teacher after lunch a note for just her next class, so she could spend some time with me. Jessica and I had just stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the school when a familiar car pulled up next to us. It was my dad’s best friend Jake Willis.