Jackpot! Read online

  “Oh my God! That’s great!”

  Angela gave me a huge hug. “Thank you, Mr. J., you’re the reason I have the guts to go against my family and do this.”

  I was overwhelmed with pride, both in Angela and in myself.

  “I’m so impressed, Angela. I know you’re doing the right thing. If there’s anything I can do to help you…”

  “You’ve already done so much.”

  “What about the baby?” I asked.

  Angela put her head down and said sadly, “I’m pretty sure I’m giving it up for adoption.”

  “Are you okay with that?”

  She nodded. “It’s the best thing.”

  “I’m proud of you, Angela.”

  “Mr. Salty!” shouted Vito from inside the shop.

  Angela giggled, “I’ll see you Monday.” Then she kissed my cheek and I felt like I could fly. She started walking down the block.

  “Wait!” I shouted.

  She turned around. “What?”

  “Don’t you want a sample?”

  “No thanks,” she said with a smile, “I don’t really like chocolate.”

  “Me neither!” I said.

  All of a sudden, Vito stormed out of the shop. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  I didn’t answer my boss. Instead, I put the box of samples down on the sidewalk and began taking off my pretzel costume. All I had on underneath was a brown turtle neck and brown tights.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Sorry, Vito, you’re going to have to find yourself another pretzel boy.”

  I handed the costume to Vito and walked off. And as I strutted proudly down Michigan Avenue, leaving Vito speechless for probably the first time in his life, I was filled with pride and self confidence. I had made a difference in Angela’s life, and I realized that every day I went to work as a teacher, I was making a difference in a lot of lives. I suddenly felt satisfaction like never before.

  I didn’t care anymore that I didn’t have a lot of money, and I wasn’t even sure I was going to try to keep acting. For the first time in my life, I realized that teaching was enough for me. It was what I was meant to do. Right then, I thought of my dad. He had probably felt the same way. And tragically, he died as a young man. As for me, I had my whole life ahead of me to keep making a difference. And I felt lucky beyond belief. A couple of people giggled at my appearance, but I didn’t care. I kept walking, feeling happier than I could ever remember.

  One Friday night at dinner, pretty close to Jamie’s due date, I thought it was time to bring up the night Ma presented us with her crazy contract. Everyone at the table was laughing hysterically and cracking jokes about the whole thing. Even Courtney found it hilarious now.

  “If it wasn’t for the contract,” Ma boasted, “I guarantee there would still be two single people sitting at this table, instead of two couples!”

  Rose pointed to Jamie’s stomach. “And don’t forget about this little person!”

  “I always told my children that I wanted them to realize the important things in life,” said Ma.

  “Yeah, we know,” I interrupted, “marriage, family, children…”

  “So you were listening,” she said.

  “Yeah, Ma, we listened,” I smiled.

  “Look at us, Ma,” said Jamie, while rubbing her kicking tummy, “Trust me, we listened.”

  As we finished the meal and sipped coffee, I gave everyone the details about my court appearance regarding the charges against me for soliciting a prostitute. The judge ended up dismissing all charges since Officer Kay Olson, a.k.a. “Susan,” was a rookie and really did set me up.

  As everyone talked and laughed about it, I looked over at my mother. Even with no hair and all the weight she’d lost, she was a beautiful woman. A kind, compassionate person, yet strong and defiant, too. After all, she’d literally tried to force her children into having kids.

  I’d always thought Ma wanted babies just for fun; to hold and to play with and hug and kiss and tickle, and to brag about. But tonight, I found myself wondering how I could have doubted Frankie’s reasons for wanting to be a grandmother. Here was a woman who worked as a cleaning lady to help her mother pay the bills, a woman who forfeited her dream wedding dress to instead buy her mother a dress, and a woman who worked her entire life to make sure her children went to college. She was a truly brave and remarkable person.

  Frankie Jacobson didn’t want babies for herself, she wanted them for Jamie and I to enjoy. She wanted us to experience love and families of our own. The woman I thought was so selfish for putting us through such torture was perhaps the most selfless woman I’d ever known.

  I looked at Jamie and Drew. His hand was on her big tummy, and he was telling everyone at the table about the time he took my sister to Soldier Field. Then I looked at Courtney, her beautiful smile lighting up the whole room. And then I looked back at Ma, sitting at the head of the table looking contented and filled with joy. She caught my eye, smiled and blew me a kiss.

  From the Chicago Tribune, Celebrations section, July 10, 2012:

  Engagements

  Courtney Lynn Bernstein and Daniel Jeffrey Jacobson

  Courtney Lynn Bernstein and Daniel Jeffrey Jacobson are proud to announce their engagement. Their wedding is planned for November 4, 2012 in Chicago. Courtney is the daughter of Sandy and David Bernstein of Los Angeles, CA. Daniel is the son of Frankie Jacobson and the late Seth Jacobson of Chicago. Courtney is a local business owner on Chicago’s north side, and Daniel is a teacher at Martin Luther King High School in Chicago.

  From the Chicago Tribune, Celebrations section, July, 22 2012:

  Birth Announcements

  Seth Charlie Conrad

  Announcing the birth of Seth Charlie Conrad, born July 15th in Chicago, weighing seven pounds, four ounces, to Jamie Jacobson and Drew Conrad. Proud grandparents include Frankie Jacobson of Chicago, the late Seth Jacobson, and Michael and Monica Conrad of Arizona.

  Epilogue

  Frankie Jacobson couldn’t have felt more important today. She stood proudly next to Rabbi Cohen as he held baby Seth Charlie Conrad and chanted a loud prayer. Next to the Rabbi stood the baby’s proud parents, Jamie and Drew.

  After the circumcision was performed everyone shouted “Mazol-tov” and like all other brisses, the competition got underway. Only now, Frankie could finally be a part of it. She took her wailing grandson and happily paraded him around the room.

  “Oh Frankie, he’s gorgeous!” Marilyn Grazer said excitedly.

  “Those eyes…” added Ester Cohen.

  Frankie posed for a few pictures and then handed the baby to Danny while she dealt with the caterer for a few minutes.

  “Hello, Danny,” said Marcy Rothberg, “Congratulations on your engagement.”

  “Thank you Mrs. Rothberg. How’s Lisa doing?” he felt obligated to ask.

  “She’s fine. Married with two kids,” she answered as if she wanted him to know her daughter survived being dumped by him.

  Up walked Sandy Greenberg. “Well hello there, Danny,” she said with sarcasm, “Is that your fiancé?” She motioned to Courtney, who was standing a couple feet away.

  Danny introduced Courtney to Marcy and Sandy, and they all stood there in an awkward silence until Danny suggested the women help themselves to the cake and coffee that had just come out.

  “Nice to see you, Danny,” said Marcy as she walked away.

  “Nice to meet you, Courtney,” Sandy said, following Marcy across the room.

  They weren’t more than three feet away when Danny said to Courtney, “I dated both their daughters.”

  When Jamie came over to take the baby out of Danny’s arms, they noticed the fierce competition taking place in the corner. Marcy Rothberg had pulled out pictures of her grandchildren and was showing them to a group of about six women, including Frankie.

  “You all know Lilly and Jeffrey,” she said, holding up the picture for everyone to see, “Well, th
is is their new little sister, Sara.” There were lots of oohhs and ahhhs as Marcy held up the baby picture.

  “Guess who’s expecting number four?” shouted Sheila Katz, who desperately wanted in on the contest, “Joshie!”

  Now Danny was pissed. What was this woman doing stealing his mother’s thunder? He had to put Frankie back into the race, so he grabbed Courtney’s hand and quickly headed over to the group. He cleared his throat and announced loudly, “Guess who’s expecting number one?”

  Everyone looked up and lots of jaws hit the ground.

  “Is that true?” asked Jamie.

  Danny nodded proudly and Courtney pulled out a photo from her purse. There were tears in her eyes when she handed it to Frankie.

  “This is our baby girl,” she said happily, “She’s seven months old.”

  “We’re adopting her,” said Danny, “It was a really hard process, but we just found out a few days ago that it’s going through.” He gleamed, “She should be ours in the next few weeks.”

  Frankie went nuts, screaming with joy and excitement, and as much as her drama usually irked Jamie, this time, she loved it.

  “What’s the baby’s name?” asked Rose.

  Danny looked right at his mother and said, “We’re naming her Stephanie. After Dad.”

  This is where Frankie lost it. She started bawling on the spot.

  “Don’t cry, Ma,” Danny said, “I want you to be happy.”

  “I am,” she managed through tears, “I am.”

  It was bittersweet. Seth had been gone for more than thirty years and Frankie still missed him as much as she ever had. But the beauty was, now her children were honoring his memory. Babies Seth and Stephanie were proof that God and love and the notion that life goes on fully existed. Yes, Frankie Jacobson finally got her babies. And as she watched her happy family embrace, her eyes were shining bright, as bright as she knew her future was. And she felt like the luckiest person on earth.