An event that changed my life happened in 2011. It was the end of my senior year. All I could think about was after graduation in May I was free. Free from school and hopefully get away from my parents. At the end of February I found out I was pregnant! I was scared to death and so was my now husband Joe. We had been seeing each other against my parents back for about a year. We dated 6 months before that. My parents hated him no matter what he did they still hated him. So we were trying to figure out what to do, who to tell, and how to tell them.
We decided to keep the baby no matter what. So we told his family first because they loved me and supported our sneaking to see each other. They were excited. I mean they knew we were young. I was 17 and he was 19. They also knew we loved each other. I mean who would fight to see each other through all odds. Next we told some of our friends and my boss. I had a co-op job working at Mountaineer Farm Center in Union. Jim had been letting me skip work and covering for me to let me see Joe ( my now husband). He liked Joe and didn’t understand why my parents hated him so much.
Jim was definitely surprised. Of course the first thing he asked was if i told my parents yet. I told him no. So he asked when I was going to tell them. I just said I don’t know yet and he said ok I won’t say a word. Two more months went by it was the end of April and I hadn’t seen a doctor yet. Joe was becoming very concerned. He finally told me that I could tell them that night or he was going to. So I paced and paced. I waited for my dad to go to work, so I could tell mom alone first. I started washing dishes. She said she had a migraine and was going to lay down.
I waited til she was almost completely asleep and went in there and told her. It turned in to an automatic fight. She said “is it to the piece of crap from the west end”. I said yes, but he isn’t a piece of crap. I love him it’s something you will never understand. She didn’t say another word but I knew she was very angry with me. She surprisingly called me on my way to work the next day and said to make an appointment at Greenbrier Physicians, so I did. I met Joe there and we went in together. Because I was already so far along they did an ultrasound too.
Joe’s face lit up when he saw the screen. It was the sweetest thing I ever saw. We left and went and ate together before I drove home. When I got home mom was waiting. She asked if I went to the doctor and I said yes. Her next words were very cruel. She said you got rid of that problem didn’t you. I was shocked and said no i’m not giving up my baby. She was furious said that was the only reason she let me go to the appointment. The next few weeks before graduation were awful. Dad still didn’t know because I was to afraid to tell him. Mom didn’t talk to me unless she had to.
Then things got scary mom was trying to make me do things that could harm the baby. Joe was furious he said no more i’m coming to get you I said no you can’t do that. Graduation finally came at the beginning of June. I went and walked across the stage. Dad still had no idea. I had planned to go to project grad long enough that my parents didn’t know I was staying at Joe’s house. We went back to his house watched movies and talked about our plans for the future. We had already planned to get married even before the baby came in the picture. The baby just sped things up by a few years.
Joe said we have to get you out of that house before you or the baby gets hurt. I just said I know but how are we going to do that I don’t turn 18 til the end of August. He said let me talk to my mom and we will figure out something. Sure enough the following Wednesday he said meet us at the magistrates office in Union. I did and we explained everything to the magistrate. She was shocked and ordered a protective order against my mom and dad. We waited on a cop before we went back to my house. I gathered most of my stuff that I could bag quickly. We loaded Joe’s truck and we left.
Joe’s mom was my legal guardian until court. My lawyer ended up getting a continuous until I turned 18 then it was dropped. On October 11, 2011 Joe and I were married at a very small wedding. One month later we had our son Jason on November 11, 2011. My family and I still talk and try to keep in touch except my mom and dad. I tried to apologize for the way things happened, but they want nothing to do with me or my two boys. So we have not spoken since. This changed my life forever. I always thought parents were supposed to love there kids no matter what. I guess I was wrong. To bad they’re the ones missing out.
