April, 2020

It has been a little over a month since Covid-19 hit the United States and everyone was on lock down. It was a scary time for the world. People were losing jobs, kids were learning from home as well as those who have been lucky enough to have a job where they can work from home.

Jessica and Sam were already in a bit of worry due to their financial struggles. A year ago Sam was running his own private fishing business. Maine was the perfect place to have a fishing career. Sadly, six months ago he had an accident that almost cost him his life. Meaning, he could do longer do the demanding job. He was forced to sell his boat and gear.

After a three month recovery sam was able to place a desk job at a local bank where he had prior experience.

For sixth months, Sam and Jessica went without an income. Jessica was a stay at home mom. They had three children. Brooks, Ryker, Elliot, and a baby due in three months.

Their home life was very busy, they had three boys ranging from the age of four to seven. They were a handful and their house was always chaotic. Ever since Brooks was born seven years ago, Jessica stopped working and became a full time mom. A year ago, Jessica and Sam were more than comfortable. They lived in their dream home in Maine. But ever since the accident their lives have flipped upside down.

The pandemic was the cherry on top. Sam and Jessica were facing eviction and losing everything. Now with the pandemic Sam was laid off of his new job. He didn't even have a chance to work a full month and get a decent pay check. There was little to no chance of him going back anytime soon with how serious Covid-19 was getting. Now, all they had was savings, the money Sam made off of his fishing gear, and loose change. With how things were looking and no places hiring, Sam and Jessica were worried that they wouldn't have enough money to pay the bank.

As much as their world was falling apart, Sam and Jessica did their best to make life beautiful for their boys.

Brooks and Ryker are doing school from home. Brooks is in first grade, Ryker is in kindergarten, while Elliot had just recently turned four and was still in preschool.

Jessica has her hands full, with Sam being home it was sometimes easier for her but other days were difficult. Sam had a lot of anger and guilt. He felt like he failed his family. Now they could loose everything.

//-//

It was a chilly day. Sam had the air turned off and a fire going in the living room.

The boys were in the living room playing and reading books. Jessica was in the kitchen making dinner while Sam looked through all of their "warnings" and "notices". Each red fonted sentence shook him to the core.

It was written all over his face. He was scared and so was Jessica. She did the best she could to stay positive and save as much money as possible.

"I'm making your favorite tonight." Jessica whispers

"Mhm, lasagna?" Sam smiles

Jessica turns around and rubs her belly. "I was talking to the baby. Their favorite dinner is crispy chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans." Jessica giggles

"Ahhh, I forgot, the baby gets to vote on dinner too." He smirks

Jessica walks over to him and tries to give him a happy distraction.

She takes his hand and puts it's on the side of her stomach. "Do you feel that?" She smiles "it's the baby. It's kicking a lot today." She looks at him with a small grin and holds his hand tightly.

"Wow... he's moving around in there." Sam chuckles

"Stop calling the baby a boy! We don't know yet and we are waiting until the baby is born." Jessica stresses

"I know, honey... but I can't help but fantasize. I mean, you've already had three boys. Who knows!"

"It's fifty-fifty and we are keeping it that way." She winks

//-//

By five the family was all together gathered around the table. Sam cleared it off and helped set up for dinner.

After finishing working on ways to save them from financial disparities, he was sitting at the dinner table tense and worried. Jessica could see it all over her face but she promised herself she'd hide it from the boys.

Sam was obviously discouraged. The kids sensed everything when it came to their parents and their moods.

"Dad, why aren't you talking or telling a funny story?" Ryker asks innocently

Sam sighs and gives the boys a fake smile

"Gosh, sorry. I'm just thinking about the movie we are going to watch tonight..." he says

The boys get all excited and jump in their seats.

"Movie night!" Brooks exclaims

Sam chuckles "all of your school work is done, right?" He asks

They nod their heads proudly

"Mama, no bad reports from teachers?" Sam looks at Jessica

She smiles "Nope. All good things." She giggles

"Then yes, movie night!" Sam says

"Yes!" Little Elliot says with a smile

//-//

Since it wasn't a school night, Sam and Jessica let the boys stay up late to watch the movie. Jessica made popcorn, the boys built a fort, and they all spent the night together enjoying their time as a family.

By midnight Sam and Jessica were getting ready to go to bed. They had just finished with their showers after tucking all the boys in to sleep.

While Jessica changed into her pj's, Sam was in bed looking at emails on his phone.

"Any word from Tony?" Jessica asks

Tony was an old friend of Sam's from his first bank job in Minnesota. He was trying to help Sam and Jessica with their finances. They were waiting on a plan from him for days.

Sam sighs and turns the phone to her.

"What?" She asks crawling onto the bed and taking the phone

She reads the email in disbelief.

"Sam... what are we going to do?" Jessica cries

He shakes his head and takes the phone. Tony sent Sam and Jessica a long written email explaining their situation and what they could do further. Mainly, they wanted to know how big the chances were of losing our house.

From loan payments for Sam's on fishing company and bills, it seemed that there chances of keeping everything they have was slim.

"They can't kick us out. Okay? This is our home and I earned it."

"That doesn't matter to the people we owe money too, Sam!" She snaps

"We are in a pandemic. What are they going to do, kick us out during lock down? They can't, Jess. I won't let them." He says sternly

"Then what do you suggest we do? We can't take out any loans, there is no work for us." Jessica panics

"I don't know..." he says

Jessica sighs then looks around the room. Her eyes stop at a picture hung up of the boys on her wall. It was from a little over a year ago when Sam and Jessica took the kids to Arizona. She stopped and thought about her boys. How they may have to be taken away from the place they grew up.

Jessica looks at Sam with tears in her eyes. "I've been talking to my parents..." Jessica says

Sam shakes his head and huffs "Jess, you promised you'd keep this between us."

"I couldn't any longer. I know I promised but Sam, think about the boys. We can't raise these children with no home and we surely can't live in an apartment together. There will be six of us soon. I had to call them. I'm scared." She cries

"I said I would handle it."

"My parents offered for us to come live with them." She says nervously

"No, Jessica. This is my family and I have to take care of you all." He says

"Sam, stop with that! You take such good care of us, but sometimes we just need to ask for help. It doesn't make you any less of a father or husband if we move back to Minnesota for a while." Jessica stresses

"I really think I can get my old boat running again and start fishing again. Call up the guys and start back small." Sam says happily "we can put this place up for rent, get a small condo, and soon enough we can move back." He continues

Jessica shakes her head and covers her face with her hands. "You told me you sold both boats!" She hisses

Sam didn't realize that he had let that slip. He reaches for Jessica to explain but she pulls away.

"Jess, I couldn't let go... I still think there is a chance."

"Stop!"

"Honey..."

"How could you lie to me? We could have used that money a long time ago! You can't go back to it! You can't. I almost lost you last year during that accident! I'm not doing to loose you again! Do you hear me?" She shouts

Sam stays quite

Jessica gets off the bed and walks around the room. She was angry, sad, frustrated, and most of all scared. She couldn't believe that Sam lied and didn't sell both boats. She thought he was being selfish for ever setting foot on a boat again after what happened to him last summer. When she thinks back to that time she gets goose bumps. She knew Sam couldn't save them from this mess.

"We have to sell this house and go back to where we started. Moving to Minnesota will only be temporary. You can work for my dad for a while. When this whole corona virus fiasco is over, you can get a new job, do something you really like. We can move back here later down the line. When the baby is born I'll go back to work if I can. My parents will be extra help with the kids and the baby. The boys only have a few months left of school here. They can finish school here online in Minnesota."

//-//

Part 1.