I am a single mom with four great kids! I had two babies and was four months pregnant when my husband was taken away from us. He was a loving father and a good husband. I was only nineteen years old and our financial stability was very limited. We lived with my mother in law in a crowded two bedroom apartment! I was depressed and felt very much alone. My husband worked twelve hours a day seven days a week and we hardly had any free time to ourselves! My husband soon learned that being home alone with two crying children and a pregnant wife was not easy! He soon learned to pitch in and help me out as much as possible.
One weekend we went to my mother’s house to stay for a party we were to attend on a Saturday. It was the first weekend he had off in three months. Instead they called him in on a Friday afternoon. (Needless to say it was Friday the thirteenth!) That day my brother in law and I were sick to our stomachs. My husband Jay had to cash his check and run to his mom’s house to attend to his brother. I waited just about all day to at least spend some time with him and our kids. Finally about 2 p.m. he came home and gave me a kiss. He turned around and said he had to go into work after all. I was furious because we had planned a whole weekend together as a family! All he could say to me was that it was overtime and we needed the money since the holidays were around the corner! I deeply felt bad because I thought I was only thinking of me and not the things that we needed so badly! So I graciously agreed that he was right. I watched him getting ready for work. Standing there looking at the man I love so much! As I walked away I knew deep down inside I was hurting! I wanted a companion I wanted my best friend back. But as soon as I turned around to walk away he said to me “We still have Saturday and I will dance with you and hold you close to me.” He was right and I knew we would still have time together!
He gave me a hug and sat down to watch a movie with me until it was time for him to go. The kids were taking a nap and I really enjoyed our time together! As soon as I was getting comfortable laying my head on his lap, it was time for him to go! He gave me a kiss and kissed our children on their foreheads. He told him daddy will see you soon! He grabbed his gun from the top of the shelf and walked out the door. I kissed one more time before he left and said to him, “Please come back safely to us!” His reply was “always baby!” As soon as I closed that door he came running in and said, “baby I cant forget my lucky ring!” (His lucky ring was his graduation ring that he paid for when he was in high school!)
This time I stood at the door watching him drive away! I remember praying to God at that time. I remember asking him to please bring my husband back safely to us! I don’t know why it was but I was feeling worse than I felt earlier that day. I went back to the living room to watch the rest of the movie. By the end of the movie the police officer was shot and died. I cried because I soon realized and thought the worst! I thought who would tell me if something were to happen to my husband I wasn’t at home. Soon after that my son woke up screaming for his daddy! I picked him and soothed and told him I was there for him. Not a moment too soon I had an ambulance pass by and thought may God protect whomever is hurt right now.
