Ms. Baker, the social worker, had been informed of Gloria taking a cab since her mother was a no-show. After many conversations with her client, she had a pretty good idea where to find her; and since Gloria was in frail condition, the worker asked for a nonemergency transport van with an EMT, just in case. Sure enough, she found Gloria curled into a fetal position, surrounded by the hospital orders. Ms. Baker went over to Gloria, sat on the ground, so she wouldn’t be too alarmed, and tried to awaken her. She signaled to the EMT and orderly to get a stretcher and, after checking for a pulse, tried to wake her once more.

Gloria finally stirred and Ms. Baker soothed, “Hi Gloria, it’s just me. Relax, I’m gonna help you get well.”

When Gloria recognized her she started sobbing and clutched the woman as if she were the mother Gloria might have had.

When the frail woman started trying to stand, the orderly and EMT came over to help her get on the stretcher. Ms. Baker grabbed all the paperwork off of the ground, and then reached out to hold her hand.  They went to the van where Gloria was given an IV of fluid, some orange juice and a cracker. Good thing she had an IV; as her belly brought up the OJ and cracker in less than a minute.

Gloria fell asleep on the ride and, some hours later, woke up in a lovely private room. She felt extremely lucky. Chuckling as she remembering the first nurse telling her how lucky she was, “I get it,” she uttered out loud.

***

Joseph decided he better come clean to Jessica as well, not about his insane sexual addiction, but about who he really was. He arrived at her apartment with a bunch of pink & blue carnations, knocked on her door gave her the flowers which she reluctantly took.

“Thank you,” she muttered and was about to close the door in his face. Expecting this behavior, Joe managed to work his foot into the door.

“Jessica, we need to talk. You need to know who I really am.” This statement peaked her curiosity.

She let him in. “Want tea, coffee, wine, beer?”

“No thanks Jess, let’s just sit at the table eye to eye.” He takes a deep breath and begins, “My name is Joseph Jackson Parker the third. I was in law school, paying for the little things like a car and food, stuff like that.  My father making it implicitly clear the money was all coming from my trust fund. He wanted me to follow in his steps, and work in his business – not to become a trial lawyer. He told me I was watching too much TV, and I had to either quit school; or I would be dis-inherited.  I choose law school, and ever since then, I was cut off.  He told me never to speak with him again. I needed to make a lot of money, fast; so,” he hesitated, “I became a drug dealer.”

Jessica didn’t know what to say.

“Not hard stuff – just weed; of course being on a college campus, I got clients pretty quickly. I thought I had found the golden goose; and this went on for almost two years. But I guess I wasn’t as good as I thought, cause I got caught selling to an undercover cop. The swift trip to Jail and then the 5 year sentence, cut me off from the world, except my grandfather; who wrote weekly, encouraging me to keep learning. I got paroled early, because they said that I was a model prisoner, but while I was in prison I also finished my law degree.”

“So, what does that mean?”

“So – here I am today, helping out my gramps and being a bicycle delivery man; while I finish parole, and study for the Bar exam.

Jessica shakes her head and says, “This is all bullshit, right?”

“No, listen,” pleads Joe, “The truth is this, if I’m lucky I might get an internship, with a big enough firm so I won’t have to tell my story to everyone I work with; well that would finish up my parole and my internship!”

Getting down on one knee, Joseph continues, “I am grateful I met you and I love you so very much. You are carrying our child, and Jess, I want our child to have no shame, nor you; so this is a perfect time to marry: if you will have me.”

Jessica shook her head, “You are right, we do have to talk; it’s the right thing to do. You know nothing of me either.”

“In the meantime, please wear this,” he pulled out a 2 carat square-cut diamond ring.

Jessica started to cry. Of course it fit her perfectly. Joe had borrowed a ring out of her jewelry box and drew a circle for the size: putting it back before she had come out of the bathroom.

“I’ll never take it off,” she wimpered.

Their conversation went on for hours. Jessica told him how she had come from a working class neighborhood; raised by her hardworking mother, who is also a nurse. Her father left when she was three.  He said he had a new woman, and they were in love; as the story goes.

Her Grandma rented out her house upstate and moved in to help out.  Jessica loved her family very much.  When Jess got her job, she moved into this apartment which is still owned by her other Grandmother (on her father’s side).  Her mom and Grandma both moved back upstate and were living in Grandma’s house now. It was quieter there, beautiful as well, and only two hours by bus; great for the holidays.

“Maybe we could take my Grandfather with us when you introduced me to

your family?”

“Whoa, slow down Mr. Joseph Jackson Parker the Third; I haven’t said yes yet!” looking down at her ring and smiling.