CHAPTER TWO

Later that day at the station Gorden was making calls to any of Harper’s relatives he could find. Her sister lived out of town and couldn't keep Anthony.  Her younger brother was in jail, he wasnt getting out for at least 4 years. And her parents refused to keep poor baby Anthony.

“He doesn't have any training,” Khat’s father, John explained, “he still wears diaper’s. I wouldnt be surprised if he still drank from a bottle.”

Officer Gorden couldn't find Anthony’s father and nobody else would take him.They had no choice but to send him to foster care.

Anthony’s first day in foster care was not a day he would forget. He was welcomed with cruel eyes and harsh words. When dinner was ready everyone rushed to the table for pizza, grabbing everything they could get. When anthony got to the table there was nothing but a small slice of pizza and one half eaten bread stick. Anthony ate as quickly as he could, but to no avail. A large, dark skinned boy stomped over to Anthony with a stern look on his face. His lips were straight, his eyebrows towering and his arms were cross. Nothing about him was kind.

“Hey brat,” they tall boy said leaning over Anthony’s small frame. Anthony’s sweet, soft face glanced up at this big, angry boy. A quiet whimper escaped Anthony’s tight throat as his food was taken from him.
With nothing more to do he wandered alone to his new, permanent room, wondering if he’d ever see his mommy again.

CHAPTER THREE

On January 14th Officer Gorden tracked down alec Vedras. After learning that Alec truly didnt know anything about Anthony, Gorden called in for DNA samples from both Alec and Anthony. After three weeks Anthony still wasn't getting along in the foster home and Gorden wasnt sure if he was safe there.

“I’m sorry Mr. Vedras but we have no where to place anthony at this time. He can no longer stay at the foster home and you are his only other chance,” Gorden explained to Alec.

Alec agreed to care for Anthony until other options opened up.

CHAPTER FOUR

Alec and his girlfriend, Jessi, were sleeping in their warm, peach colored room when she heard the crying.

“It’s 2a.m,” Jessi exclaimed as she sat up, rubbing her green, blue eyes.
Alec did not stir.
Jessi opened the tall, wood door and stalked through the hallway. The crying got louder as she approached the room next to hers. she saw a boy was throwing himself around the bed, screaming into the air.

“hey,hey,” she coaxed, “ shhh” He screamed a little louder.
“sweetheart,” she pleaded, “your dad is sleeping, shhh”

His screams halted for a moment and he continued to whimper.
“you have to tell me what’s wrong, Anthony,” she whispered to him, “how will I help you if i do not know what has happened?”
Anthony laid his head on Jessi’s lap.
“baba,” he cried.
did he just ask for a bottle? she thought to herself, did this woman seriously still have him on a bottle?

The next morning Jessi was changing Anthony’s diaper and thinking to herself how ridiculous it was for a two year old boy to not have any potty training. As she wiped the young boys wet butt she wondered what his life was like with his mom.
“Alright Anthony, stand up.” She Instructed him.
Looking into the bright fridge she had to squint her tired, burning eyes. She had never been more exhausted in her life and her stomach felt as if it were to explode. Anthony had woken up every two hours for a bottle the night before, and he would not go back to sleep unless Jessi was laying with him. Jessi laid her hand on her swollen stomach as she lifted herself off the ground.
“Are you hungry Anthony?” She asked with a wide yawn.
Anthony nodded with a bright smile playing across his face. Jessi began to make sausage and eggs for the both of them, while singing “really don’t care” by Demi Lovato to herself. When she was finished making the sausage, she scooped all of it into a bowl and noticed that Anthony had been humming along to her singing. With a soft smile on her face, she placed the bowl on the table.
“Dont touch that yet, its hot,” she turning back to the eggs. when she was finished scrambling the hot yellow eggs she dumped it all on one large, white plate.
“Alright. lets get ready to eat,” she laughed.

When she was finished making Anthony a small plate of his own, she placed it in front of him and gave him a small fork. Once he saw the food he pushed it over.
“Baba,” he said shaking his head.
“Anthony, you cannot have a bottle. You’re a big boy now, and big boys drink from cups and eat real food. Its good I promise,” she swore.
When Jessi pushed the plate back to anthony he pouted and started to tear up.
“I miss mommy,when I go back?” he complained.
“I’m not sure, Anthony. ‘All the Worlds a stage, All the men and women merely players, they all have their exits and entrances.’” she quoted shakespeare hoping it would satisfy the sad boy.
“Like when my mommy said I might have a baby brother?” he asked innocently.
Jessi wasn’t sure how to reply, she was dumbfounded. It bothered her the way he said that ‘my mommy said I might have a baby brother’ what does that mean?

“ yeah, sort of,” she answered with a confused smile.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Come on Anthony, get your shoes on we need to go!” she called after the young boy.
Jessi looked at the clock and saw that it was already 2:30. She had a doctors appointment at 2:45 and she hoped she would make it in time. She couldn't afford to miss another one of these, she was starting to get worried. Her stomach had been hurting all morning and she couldn't have taken enough pain medication.
“ I’m ready Jessi,” Anthony said loudly with a wide smile covering his chocolate covered face.
As jessi cleaned off Anthony’s face she prayed he would behave at the doctor’s office, and she thanked god for his speech improvement. Anthony sneezed in Jessi's face, giving her a sick feeling. As she rushed to the bathroom she thought to herself, that is why I never wanted kids.

On their way to the doctor’s jessi had to pull to the side of the road to throw up in the grass. It felt never ending, even after there was no more food to throw up, water just kept coming. When she was finished she sent a silent prayer that she wouldn't throw up when the doctor was seeing her.

When they finally got there at 2:50 Jessi rushed to the front desk to apologize for being late and quickly signed in. A Doctor Perry called her back and began to examine her, touching her stomach, back and chest.

  “What seems to be the main problem?” Dr. Perry asked politely.
“well, I’ve been getting extreme headaches and I’ve been sleeping way more than usual,” Jessi began to explain, staring down at Dr. Perry’s white reebok shoes.
“Is that all?” Dr. Perry pushed a little more for details.
“um, this morning I threw up on my way here. Thats actually happened a few times,” Jessi said shyly.

After a while of the doctor examining Jessi as much as anyone could examine another person, she left the room. To take her mind off all of the possibilities that could be wrong with her, she turned her attention to Anthony.

“Are you having fun Anthony?” she asked with pretend excitement.
Anthony nodded his head to space with genuine happiness and excitement. He jumped from his seat and started looking around the room. Pulling at the gloves and poking the posters, he opened the cupboards with pure entrancement.
When the doctor knocked on the door Jessi ushered Anthony back to his seat and welcomed her in. The look on her face was almost nervous, which of course made Jessi anxious. When Dr. Perry sat into her seat, Jessi started biting her unusually long nails. Her heart beating like a rapid roller coaster, and her mind racing all of the things that might happen, it was all halted by the doctors voice.

“Ms. Pinette, I have run a few tests and the results were as I expected. You are vomiting, your nails are growing and you have never ending headaches. Your sleeping habits have changed drastically and your stomach is undoubtedly swollen. See, Jessi… It seems to me you will be going into labor at least within the next three to four weeks,”

And with that Jessi’s heart dropped to her feet, never had this scenario pass her thoughts.
“YAY! A little brother!” Anthony exclaimed with utter excitement.

CHAPTER SIX
Anthony and his new little brother, Matthew get along perfectly. Mathew loves to watch Anthony play with his toys and Anthony loves to watch Mathew play with his tiny, fat feet. Every day Anthony and Matthew lay on the living room floor playing with light up and musical toys. Sometimes when Matthew wont stop crying Anthony sings to him. Anthony sings lots of things like The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and The Alphabet. But Anthony’s favorite song to sing to Matthew was Really Don't Care by Demi lovato.

“The Itsy Bitsy Spider went up the water spout, down came the-,” Anthony was interrupted by Jessi.

“Anthony, your dad is about to leave, go give him a kiss good bye,” Jessi told him as she picked up her new baby Matthew.
Right before Alec walked out of the door Anthony ran and hugged his leg, squeezing as tight as he could. He didnt want to let go but he knew his dad had to leave.

“I love you daddy,” Anthony exclaimed.
“I Love you too my little, big boy,” Alec replied, picking up the now three year old Anthony, “ And I love my little Matthew too,”
After giving everyone kisses Alec went off to court to battle for the custody of Anthony. As he drove he thought of all the advances Anthony has made since they got him. He can speak now, and people can understand him. He no longer wears a diaper like a baby, and he sleeps through the night. Anthony drinks out of cups instead of bottles and he eats real food. He would have never made that success at his mothers house. And the court cannot deny that. Alec intended to go to court, present his case and win the custody of his biological son.

When he got to the courthouse there was hardly any waiting. Both Alec and Khat were brought into to courtroom and were prepped for what was going to happen. When the judge came to the room, order was demanded. Alec was sweating from nerves and he couldn't calm himself. But when the Judge called on him he presented his case.
Alec explained how when living with khat, Anthony was not raised at the appropriate speed. He wore diapers and had not started potty training. He didn't sleep through the night because Khat did not give him his own room and he didn't know how to sleep on his own. He had not started to eat people food, which stunted his growth.  And he still cried for a bottle through the night. And all off that changed when Anthony came to live with Alec and Jessi.
Alec was quiet and polite while Khat was speaking, but he knew all she said was lies. He knew he was going to win and he felt that the process should be moved along since everyone in the room knew what the results would be.

“It is my pleasure to announce that this custody battle has come to an end, I have made a decision. Khat Harper you are not fit to care for this child, nor any child. Alec Vedras it seems Anthony has made great progress with you and he fits in well at your home. Khat will be granted supervised visitation on sundays and major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and his birthday. Have a nice life to the both of you. I hope to never see you again.”

When Alec got home and shared the news with Jessi, she decided to celebrate. She made cookies and hot chocolate and they all had a nice family dinner. After dinner, The family was sitting in the living room watching Criminal Minds on the television and laughing at all the impractical evidence. Right before Jessi told Anthony it was time for bed the house phone rang.

When Alec hung up the phone he asked Anthony to go get ready for bed so he could talk to Jessi. While Anthony was walking out of the room Alec let out a loud sigh and sat next to Jessi on the couch. Not sure what was going on she turned down the volume on the black plasma TV. Turning to Alec she rubbed his arm and gave him a loving look, telling him he could tell her anything.
“Khat just committed suicide. She sliced her wrists vertically and bled out. Her boyfriend called the ambulance but they were too late. There was nothing they could do for her,” Alec explained to Jessi in a solemn voice.
Jessi looked down at her lap and felt a tug on her heart. She cared little for the life of Khat Harper but for Anthony and the troubles he has already been through.
“ we will have to tell Anthony,” she said softly, tears rolling down her cheeks, “in the morning we can,”

And at that moment Little Anthony Vedras walked back into the living room and curled up in his dads lap. Holding Alec’s hand he let out a high pitched giggle.
“Daddy,” he started, “ can I go to Mom's house tomorrow?”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“And that kids, is the tragic story of little Anthony vedras and his new family,” the soft voice said, “Now go to sleep,”
As he walked out of the room he shut the lights off and cracked his two beautiful twin’s door. Walking down the hallway to the living room, A grown Anthony Vedras wiped a tear from his cheek and remembered the kind and caring household he was raised in.
“Anthony,” he heard her say, “come sit and have some cookies,”

With a soft chuckle he replied, “Okay mom,”

And for the rest of the night Anthony Vedras and Jessi Pinnet ate cookies and laughed at their fondest memories.