*Ranee's Story*

  Ranee' is her middle name, not her real name. I am trying to also protect her privacy. Ranee's dad was an accountant and we lived together, I worked at a mini mart. He wanted to have a child and I wanted to get married.  I wanted to be married first, but he asked me to have a child.  After a few months of asking, I said yes, because we were both in a position to raise a child.  

  We were out one night with his friends at a bar and we got into a disagreement.  I left to walk home and didn't tell him.  Some people offered me to come hang out with them.  I did and ended up pretty hammered. There was a very cute man and I went home with him.  The next day I woke up and went home.  My boyfriend was pretty upset and I told him I was packing my things and leaving and about what I had done. I found out I was pregnant a few weeks later and somehow thought he would stick with me, because he wanted this child. I never really thought that he would think she wasn't his.

  I met Tony (nickname), when I was about 5 months pregnant on an Internet dating site.  He came to my local area and we had pizza at Pizza Hut.  I told him my story with the dad of my child, my other children, and basically my whole life story. He was a successful businessman, older 36 or 37 at the time, and I thought wow, he can take care of my baby and I and he is older, so he will be more mature.  At first he seemed perfect.  Caring, loving, etc....  He was also Canadian and Jamaican, which drew me to him.  I have always been drawn to people of different cultures, because they have such rich stories and history. I love foreigners:)

  On March 31, 2009, I went into labor with Ranee', my mom was there with me, but she was getting tired.  I called Ranee's dad, who was 2 hours away and he said he couldn't come, because he was working. My mom suggested I call Tony and he came all the way from Canada, 4 hours away to the birth of a child that wasn't his. I thought, wow, what a stand up man. I was only 22 at the time and wanted a tubal ligation. He told me no and convinced me that I "owed" him a child, because he was helping me through the pregnancy and was helping me raise Ranee'.

  Ranee's dad and I took a paternity test and he was her dad, like I assumed. His parents helped him with her and have been a great support system for her.  I, to this day, get along with his parents, and he has since married and joined the Navy.  It took a while for us to get a semi normal parenting relationship, but we made it. I don't keep her from him and he doesn't keep her from me.

  A few months later, I find out I am pregnant with Tony's child. To read more, read my next blog, "Vanessa's Story."