Mad? Can I say that I am actually mad at Robert, Chad, James, and Carlos? I don’t think that I am, to be honest, I am just very relieved. I don’t like being left in the dark, so I am glad that they have let me understand a bit of the tragedy that almost had me go insane.A small voice keeps talking in the back of my mind. It keeps asking me what if Chad and the others would have died in the explosion? What if I did not get to see them again? I would have literally gone mental. “Jen, I think he’s hungry,” Robert’s voice startles me from my thoughts. We are still on the airplane and it is night. All the lights are dimmed and a blue light illuminates the cabin. It must be really late because almost everyone is sleeping, there are only a few people on their devices that are awake.Robert is right, Jake is awake and he is crying. Not loudly, but in a low tone. I instantly sway him softly from side to side as I reach for a packet of baby food that is made from fruits. I unscrew the small t

The house tour is quite refreshing and I soon find out from Robert that he bought the house and hired some guards which summed up to half a million. That is half of the money we have left! My favorite room in this huge house is Jake’s room. It is so perfect and I am in love with it.“Wow, this was all your idea?” I ask Robert as we stand in Jake’s room. There is a baby bed that sits in the right corner of the room, which is where Jake is sleeping right now. “Well, I can not take all the credit. I had help from the guys,” Robert replies to me, clearly referring to Chad, James, and Carlos.“Well, it’s beautiful,” I lean in for a kiss and I plant one on Robert’s cheek.The rest of the day goes by in a blur. The boys are downstairs watching a football match and drinking beer while I am in the master bedroom. I have a baby monitor connected to Jake’s room so I can watch him.Since I arrived, I have been feeling a bit weary. I can not exactly explain the feeling, but I just know that it is

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects less than one percent of the U.S. population. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking, and lack of motivation.However, with treatment, most symptoms of schizophrenia will significantly improve and the likelihood of a recurrence can be diminished.The complexity of schizophrenia may help explain why there are misconceptions about the disease. Schizophrenia does not mean split personality or multiple-personality. Most people with schizophrenia are not any more dangerous or violent than people in general. While limited mental health resources in the community may lead to homelessness and frequent hospitalizations, it is a misconception that people with schizophrenia end up homeless or living in hospitals. Most people with schizophrenia live with their families, in group homes, or independently.I can remember the speech clearly as if it was yesterday, a

I walk out of the room and I can hear the footsteps of Chad coming after me. The air smells like bacon and that gives me the hint that James and Carlos are back from the supermarket. James’ favorite food is bacon, the man is in love with it. He eats it any time of the day, no time of the day stops him from eating it.I don’t know what triggered his obsession with it, but since he came back from the hospital after the explosion, he just fell in love with it.“Jen, we are talking, stop walking away from me,” I hear Chad’s voice and I stop in my tracks. I turn around and I face him. He has a firm frown on his face and he does not seem pleased by my response to him going to West Africa.The thing is, it is not about the location. West Africa, Liberia is an aesthetic place, but it is about the reason he is going there.“I have made my decision, Jen, and I am not changing my mind. I have always supported you and been there for you, even when you decided to sidetrack our plan a year ago to a

“Why do you guys act like you don’t know me?” Rob gives his friends a wink and he then walks away from us, towards the very front of the line.“What does he mean?” I ask Zeke and Jeff, but they both shrug, letting me know that they have no idea what Rob is doing either.We all watch Rob as he finesses his way to the front of the line. There is a guard standing there and also a round-shaped lady. She is the one looking at everyone's tickets and allowing them to enter the cinema. It seems funny to me because so many people are out here and the movies have already started. Before half of these people get in, the movie might be ending already, so what’s the use?When Rob has finally reached the lady who is looking at other people's tickets, he calls for her attention, but from the looks of things, she is clearly ignoring him. He then takes out his ID and shows it to the guard next to the lady.The buff man takes it from his hand tentatively and his facial expression softens. He then taps