The World's Greatest Gift Options

[redsrock]

The World's Greatest Gift

The world's greatest gift is sometimes deceiving
A bundle of joy, with problems that need heeding
"Think before you play", oh so says the Almighty Mother
"Or face the consequences you so which will endure"


CHAPTER ONE: The History of the 'Gift'

He rolled across the brown and dirty wool carpet floor, laughing up a storm and looking straight at me. His green eyes were staring straight into my own set, just begging me to crawl down to the floor and join him in what he would call 'fun'. He is my son, and his name is Jacob. It's funny, really, that Jacob is named after a man I once adored and now despise; a man that started my own life and then took the same thing away from the only woman I ever loved.

"Daddy, pay wif me!" Jacob yelled joyously, oblivious to anything in the world besides what he saw around him.

Little Jacob was a tad bit over two years of age, and unfortunately for me, was already talking up a storm as well. I didn't mind it too much right now because the past several years have certainly been lonely to say the least. However, when wanting to fall asleep late at night I was finding it quite difficult. The little runt always napped from around five o'clock in the afternoon until about eight at night, meaning he just a raging ball of energy at night, and especially when I wanted to get some shuteye of my own. I would wake him up if I could, but that is, I cannot. I just don't have the heart to do it, nor do I have the heart to scold him when he does wake me up, which has been quite often lately.

The reason I speak of this time of lonesome is because two years ago Jacob's mother, and my wife, was killed by a drunken mad man who I once called my father. Now I only call him a monster, but thankfully I don't have to do it to his face, for he is locked in the city prison hopefully forever. I myself would rather see the monster killed for the terrible crimes he has committed, but alas when you are a noble things tend to fall into your lap no matter how bad of a person you are deep down inside.

And I will not bore you with the details of my father, or of how the gruesome way my wife Jennifer was killed, at least not yet anyways. I didn't even want to think about it right now, but of course that is impossible. No matter how hard I try I cannot escape the eternal nightmare that I know will haunt me for the rest of my life.

"Daddy, will you peez pay wif me?"

The only thing that truly matters now is raising my son, even if I am only twenty-three years old. Think what you want about that, because I really don't care. I'll admit, Jacob was an accident, but one that I have no regrets about whatsoever. The deed is done and there is nothing to do but be thankful that I have been blessed with such a wonderful and beautiful boy.

Besides, it's not as if I am an immature kid or anything like that. Jennifer and I were more than able to provide Jacob with whatever he needed, and then some. But that is the problem; Jennifer is no longer here, and I am by myself now to take care of my son. And let me tell you one thing, it sure ain't easy.

"Alright, Jake. But not for too long, I need some rest, buddy." It was one in the morning after all. It amazed me how active Jacob was this late at night.

He threw up his small skinny hands and screamed with joy and happiness. It lifted my heart so high to see the kid happy because that is all I want right now. I love him just as much as I did his mother and I don't really care what happens to my own self, as long as Jacob is taken care of and is happy. Sure, paying for everything is a huge task I am still getting used to doing by myself, but it's going well enough to where none of our possessions are in jeopardy. Though if I keep missing weekly payments on the house something is bound to happen. I mean, I haven't paid one septim since Jen was killed. Oh well, I'll figure out something. Jennifer and I had borrowed a large sum money from her brother to pay for our two story house as soon as Jacob was born.

So I got on all fours and crawled over to Jacob, who was now hiding under our couch. Such a tactic was intelligent for a kid of his age, but bless his little heart his two tiny feet were sticking out from the couch. And as I crawled on the floor I realized how much my body was taking a beating. It hurt both of my knees so much to crawl around, and it also hurt my right shoulder as well. I work for the local ebony-mining company in Caldera, so needless to say I endured hard labor every single day.

"Where's Jakie at? I don't see him!" I asked out loud, acting as if I had not a clue where Jacob was hiding. He then giggled softly, slightly muffled under the couch. His feet started to wiggle from the laughter and that is when I grabbed them and pulled Jacob out from under the couch, lifting him high in the air by his feet. He began laughing wildly as any other toddler would, and I noticed his thin strands of dark blond hair were dangling towards the ground.

For a baby so young he sure had a thick set of hair, almost identical to how Jennifer's was styled and colored. He reminded so much of her that at that exact moment that I was holding him I sat him down on the ground and started to cry softly.

"Wut wong, daddy?" He asked me, totally sincere and caring even at his young age. The boy was more than I could ever ask for, and there were two reasons I was crying. One because I feared that soon I would not be able to provide for him anymore. I know I said I'd figure something out, but obviously that was easier said than done. For the other reason, I knew Jacob would never see his mother again. Not that he would be able to remember much anyway, if anything at all, but it was still a pain that was constantly tugging at my heart.

"Nothing, buddy, just a little something in my eyes. Are you ready to go to bed now? Daddy has to get up early in the morning tomorrow because there are many things that he needs to do."

"Ok, but will you wead me a stowy fust?"

So I took him up to his rickety wooden crib, one that I had attempted to build myself, and read him a short story from the book, Tales of Tamriel. After he at last fell asleep I blew out the candle that lit his room. Then I walked into my own room, crawled into bed, and cried like a baby for several hours.