by Cheryl Faye
“Mrs. Mills, it would be no trouble at all. It would be my pleasure. I know he’s a handful and God bless you for everything that you do for him. If I can do anything to lighten your load, I’m more than happy to. I’m kinda fond of the little guy anyway,” Stefàn said with a sincere smile.
“You sure you wouldn’t mind?”
“Absolutely.”
She smiled in relief. “That would be such a big help to me. I don’t have nobody to help me with him and sometimes I feel so bad ’cause I can’t do all the things with him that he’d like to do. I’ll give you a little something for your trouble.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” he adamantly refuted. “I told you, it’s no trouble and I’ve got nothing but time. Maybe on the weekends I can come and get him and take him out. I have nieces and nephews his age and he’d be right at home with them.”
“I’m sure he’d like that. I don’t always feel comfortable letting him go outside by himself, you know, with all these sick people snatching kids up and all,” she said with a frown.
“I completely understand that. You wouldn’t have to worry about him with me. I’ll make sure he’s fed and exhausted by the time he comes back home,” Stefàn assured her.
“Mr. Cooper! Hi!”
Stefàn turned at the loud greeting as Mrs. Mills scolded her grandson, “Jared, stop yellin’ in this church.”
“Sorry, Grandma. Hi, Mr. Cooper.”
The youthful smile greeting Stefàn was genuine and bright and warmed his heart immediately. The curly haired, dark-skinned child who stared up at him with “hero-worship” adoration was oblivious to the fact that his white shirt was pulled halfway out of the waist of his pants or that his clip-on bow-tie was askew.
“What’s up, little man?” Stefàn asked as he held his hand out, palm up.
Jared slapped his palm with his own and answered, “Nothing much.”
As he adjusted the boy’s bow-tie, Stefàn said, “I was just talking to your grandma about picking you up for your lessons from now on.”
“For real?” he asked excitedly.
“Yeah, for real.” Stefàn was tickled by his reaction.
“Good, that way I won’t miss no more classes,” he said as a frown flickered across his face.
“Tuck in your shirt, Jared,” his grandmother chimed in.
He started to do as his grandmother directed, but when Stefàn added that he’d have to bring his school books and couldn’t take any lessons until his homework was done, Jared halted his movements and cried, “Aw, man.”
“Aw, man, nothing. That’s the deal. Are you with it or not?” Stefàn asked.
Jared shrugged in concession, “I’m with it.”
“All right, let’s shake on it,” Stefàn said, offering his hand.
Jared took the large appendage and shook it robustly.
“My man.” Giving his attention back to Jared’s grandmother, Stefàn said, “Mrs. Mills, do you need a ride home?”
“That would be nice, if you don’t mind,” she answered with a smile.
“I don’t mind at all.”
“Where’s Charisse?”
“She’s got a meeting with the Women’s Ministry and won’t be home until later. You wait here, I’ll bring the car to the door,” Stefàn offered.
“Okay. Thank you, sweetheart.”
“Can I come with you? Can I go with him, Grandma?”
“Sure, come on, man.”
“Go on,” Mrs. Mills said, shaking her head.
She smiled as Jared took Stefàn’s hand and walked away with him. “Thank you, God, for that sweet man,” she whispered.
BY THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, Jared Mills was a fixture in the Cooper household. Most Friday evenings, Stefàn picked him up when he got off of work and returned him to Mrs. Mills on Sunday after church.
Jared was now also involved in the little league baseball team that Julian’s son, L’il Jay had been playing with for a couple of years. He had taken to addressing them as Uncle Coop—as L’il Jay did—and Aunt Risi.
Stefàn loved having him around and Charisse was tickled and more than a little overjoyed that Jared so occupied Stefàn’s mind that he had no time to think about their still childless status. In actuality, they hadn’t talked about it now for several months. There were even times when Charisse wondered if he had completely given up hope that they’d ever have a child. Although it had been over a year since the diagnosis, she still prayed every night for God to bless them with a child of their own.
The Thursday before Fathers’ Day, however, sparked a series of events that Charisse would never have predicted.
As usual, Stefàn left his office and headed straight to Mrs. Mills house to pick up Jared for their martial arts class.
Greeting her with a kiss on the cheek, Stefàn asked, “How’re you doing today, Mrs. Mills?”
“I’m pretty good, Stefàn. How you doin’?”
“I’m great. Where’s my man? I’m surprised he’s not waiting for me at the door like he usually does.”
With a frown, she answered, “He’s up in his room. He’s upset about something that happened at school today. He’s been in there all afternoon.”
“What happened?” Stefàn asked with genuine concern.
“I’ll let him tell you. You go on up.”
When Stefàn opened the door to Jared’s room after lightly tapping and getting no answer, he found the boy stretched out on his bed with his face turned away from the door.
“Jared? Hey, buddy, what’s going on?”
Jared didn’t reply, but Stefàn noticed his body quake as though he were crying.
Moving to the bed and sitting next to his prone form, Stefàn reached for the youngster and lightly brushed his hand across his head. “What’s the matter, J? Come on, turn over and talk to me.”
Jared turned and looked up at Stefàn with tear-filled eyes.
“Hey, what happened?” Stefàn pressed as his heart ached at the sadness he witnessed in his little friend’s eyes.
Sniffling and suddenly dragging his sleeve across his face to wipe his runny nose, Jared began. “Grandma won’t let me stay home from school tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you want to go to school?”
“’Cause tomorrow is ‘bring your fathers to school day’ and everybody’s got a daddy ’cept me,” the child groaned.
Stefàn’s heart lurched in his chest. He reached for Jared and lifted him onto his lap and enclosed him in a tight hug. “Hey, that’s all right. Don’t cry, Jared. I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
“But you’re not my daddy.”
“Yeah, but I could be your godfather. Do you know what that is?”
Jared shook his head.
“A godfather is someone who takes over the job of a father when the real father is not around. So you’d be my godson.”
Jared looked up into Stefàn’s eyes with a hint of confusion. “But it won’t be… You won’t be my real father, though.”
“That’s all right. Ask your grandmother. A godfather is very important. He’s supposed to take care of you like your father would.”
“I wish you could be my real father,” Jared moaned.
Stefàn had to close his eyes and bite his tongue because his impulse was to respond, “I wish I was your real father, too.” Instead, he squeezed Jared a little tighter. “So what d’ya think of my idea?”
Jared peered hopefully into Stefàn’s eyes. “You would really come with me?”
“Of course, I would. You’re my man, right?” He put out his open palm and Jared slapped it hard.
“Right.”
“All right. See, that was an easy problem to solve. Get your stuff together. We’re already late and everybody’s gonna be asking, ‘where’s Mr. Cooper?’” Stefàn said in a comical tone.
Jared laughed and jumped down off of Stefàn’s lap.
As he proceeded to retrieve what he needed to take with him, Stefàn asked, “Did you do your homework?”
/> “We didn’t have any,” Jared eagerly answered.
“Okay. I’ll be downstairs.”
“Okay!”
When Stefàn got home that night after returning Jared to Mrs. Mills, he was a little disheartened. He recounted to Charisse the conversation he’d had with Jared and how heart-broken he was about his situation.
“That boy needs a full-time dad, Risi.”
“I know, baby, but you’re doing a wonderful thing by going to school with him tomorrow and by spending time with him on such a regular basis,” she assured him.
“Yeah, but that’s no real fix for him. I mean, the weekends when I have to work, he’s just stuck. Mrs. Mills can’t keep up with him. And truthfully, at her age, she shouldn’t have to. She should be enjoying her golden years without having to run behind an energetic seven year old like Jared. You think I don’t notice how relieved she looks every time I pick him up?”
“I’m sure she is. But what more can you do for him than what you’re doing?”
Stefàn chose not to voice what he was really feeling. Instead, he said a silent prayer that God would give him a clear signal to proceed in what he was thinking.
The weather was warm and sunny that Fathers’ Day weekend, so Stefàn hosted an impromptu cookout after church, inviting his and Charisse’s parents and siblings, Julian’s small family and Myra and Barretto. Although, he and Charisse had invited Mrs. Mills to come home with them after church, she opted to spend the afternoon with her best friend, Eva Chambers, at the senior citizens home where she resided. As such, Jared was present at the cookout as well.
Everyone in both families had already met Jared and had fallen under his spell. He was considered by all to be another one of the kids in the Cooper/Ellison clan.
As they lounged around the backyard that afternoon, Myra, Charisse and Michele watched as Stefàn wrestled with Jared, L’il Jay and his nephews, Michael and Sean.
“Stefàn acts just as bad as those kids,” Michele said, with a chuckle and a shake of her head.
“Who you tellin’?” Charisse replied with a smirk.
“He’s really crazy about that little boy, Jared, huh?” Myra suddenly asked.
“You have no idea.”
“Where are his parents?”
“His mother passed away when he was just two years old and according to Mrs. Mills, his father’s never been around,” Charisse replied.
“How old do you think Mrs. Mills is, Risi?” Michele asked.
“She’s got to be at least in her seventies, I would think.”
“And she’s taking care of him by herself?” Myra asked incredulously.
“She’s trying.”
“He looks like a handful.”
Michele and Charisse chorused, “He is.”
The women laughed.
“I guess Stefàn’s been a real blessing to her, then,” Myra added.
Charisse nodded pensively and sighed. “Jared’s been a blessing to us, as well. Stefàn devotes so much of his time to him that I don’t think he’s really even thought about our situation.”
“I didn’t think so,” Myra said.
“Have you guys thought about alternatives at all?” Michele asked.
“Not really. I still believe God’s going to bless us with our own child one day. I’m not giving up on that hope.”
“That’s good, but what if that doesn’t happen, Risi?” Myra asked. “I know how much you’ve always wanted kids. Maybe adoption is something you should at least consider.”
“I’m still not ready to think about that. Besides, Stefàn has been happier in these last few months than he’s been in a long while, and I don’t want to mess with that.”
“I don’t want to think too negatively, and God forbid this should happen, but what would happen to Jared if Mrs. Mills passed away?” Michele asked.
“I don’t know, Shelly. I really don’t want to think about that.”
AT STEFÀN’S SUGGESTION, Mrs. Mills registered Jared in the summer day camp program L’il Jay had been going to for the past few years so he was out of her hair during the day. The martial arts lessons were on hold during July and August, but Stefàn still trained Jared when they got together.
He was becoming more and more attached to the child with each passing day.
Jared’s eighth birthday was July twelfth so Stefàn and Charisse threw him a birthday party and invited all of their nieces and nephews, as well as several of the children that went to Sunday school with him. He had a wonderful time, it being the first birthday party that he’d ever had, and he was delighted with all of the new toys and video games he received as gifts. Mrs. Mills told Stefàn at the end of the party, “You and your wife are the best thing that’s ever happened to that boy. I only wish he had full-time parents like the two of you. You’re going to be a wonderful father and mother when you have your own children.”
On a Wednesday night in August, just after Charisse’s thirty-second birthday, Stefàn surprised her as they sat on the swing in their backyard.
“Honey, how would you feel about adopting a child?”
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind, if that was what you wanted to do. I still think we’re going to have a baby of our own one day, though,” she answered truthfully.
“Yeah, we might.”
She had been leaning against him but sensing something was on his mind, she sat up to take in his countenance. “Is adoption what you really want to do?”
Stefàn studied her face for a long moment before he replied, “I want to adopt Jared.”
Initially surprised by his statement, Charisse quickly surmised that she shouldn’t have been. Knowing how strong the bond of love and adoration between the two was, she had to admit that over the course of the last few months, she had gotten quite used to having him around and he had become very dear to her as well.
“Did Mrs. Mills say something to you about this?”
“Not really. I told you what she said after his party, but even before that… I’ve been thinking and praying on it for a while. Risi, he needs permanence. Mrs. Mills loves him and does the best she can for him, but he needs a man in his life on a full-time basis, not just on the weekends.”
When she didn’t respond, Stefàn continued, “There’s a reason Jared and I met; why we hit it off so well, right from the start. I’ve always wanted a son and with me being… Well, with my problem, I may not ever…I may not ever be able to have one naturally. I’ve accepted that, Risi. You said it yourself, that God gives us the desires of our hearts if we follow Him. I’ve prayed and prayed that He would bless us with a child, baby, but I realize, too, that the answers to our prayers don’t always come packaged the way we’d like them to. We have a tendency to put God in a box, thinking if He doesn’t do it like this or like that, He’s not going to do it. But the more I think about it, the more I believe that’s what He was doing when He brought Jared and I together. He needs a father and I want a son. This is a lot to ask of you, but please think about it, baby. This is so important to me. I feel like this…like Jared is God’s way of fulfilling the desire of my heart.”
Recognizing the sincerity of his plea in his piercing brown eyes, Charisse smiled. She reached for his hand and simply said, “If that’s what you want, Stefàn, and if Mrs. Mills has no objection, then that’s what we’ll do.”
Stefàn stared at her for a long moment as his eyes welled with tears. “Are you sure, Risi?”
She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Yes, I’m sure. I love that little guy, too, you know.”
Charisse and Stefàn decided to wait until Sunday after church to speak to Mrs. Mills about their proposal. The remainder of that evening was spent discussing Jared and his grandmother. They considered everything, including letting Mrs. Mills move in with them so she’d still be with Jared.
“We certainly have the room, if she wants to stay here,” Charisse said.
“You wouldn’t have a problem with another woman in
your kitchen?”
“I don’t anticipate that there would be any problems,” she replied.
“I can’t imagine she’d want to stay in that big house by herself,” Stefàn pointed out.
“Do you really think she’ll let us do this, baby?”
“I don’t know, Risi. But if she honestly considers what’s in Jared’s best interest, she’ll go along with it. She knows how much we love him, and I’m sure she knows he’ll be in good hands. Besides, she’ll be able to see him whenever she wants. She’ll still be a part of his life.”
“And hopefully she’ll rest easy, knowing he’s loved and being cared for.”
“Right.”
The following Saturday afternoon, Charisse was in their backyard tending to her small flower garden when the phone rang. Stefàn had been at work since nine-thirty that morning and she wasn’t really expecting him until close to seven that night. This was one of those rare weekends when Jared was not with them, so for most of the day she had been absorbed in minor projects around the house.
Removing her gardening gloves as she rose from her knees, she moved to the patio table where she’d placed the cordless extension when she came out of the house an hour earlier. Wiping the sheen of perspiration from her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt, she picked up the receiver with her other hand.
“Hello,” she cheerily answered.
“May I speak with Stefàn Cooper?”
“He’s not in right now. Can I take a message?”
The male caller asked, “May I ask who I’m speaking to?”
“This is his wife. Who is this?”
“My name is Doctor Anthony Mazzarelli of Hackensack Medical Center. I’m calling with regard to Edna Mills. She had her nephew listed as her emergency contact.”
“What happened? Is she all right?” Charisse anxiously inquired as the pace of her heartbeat quickened in fearful anticipation of the caller’s next words.
“I’m afraid not. She’s suffered a massive coronary.”
“Oh, no. Where’s Jared?”
“You’re referring to her grandson? He’s with a representative from the Department of Children and Families. That young man may have saved her life. He called 9-1-1.”
“Are they still at the hospital?”