Honor Thy Father And Mother

By James Butler

College sweethearts Janet Tucker and John Banks want nothing but the best for their son Travis Banks, and will do anything to ensure that he has a bright future. Janet lost her mother at the age of five years old, and has always yearned for a traditional family structure. She desperately longs for marriage as she feels that would make her life complete. John on the other hand was raised by both of his parents, but seemingly is in no rush for marital bliss. He loves being a family man, but his fear of commitment and constant cheating begins to drive a wedge between himself and Janet. Janet feels that their relationship is not conducive to raising a child, and opts to sever ties with John to raise her child as a single parent. John continues to father Travis, but becomes more distant as Travis comes of age. As Travis matures he begins to realize how his father's absence in his life has affected him, and seeks to get closer to him. Janet continues to date to fulfill her individual needs, but in the process of dating she begins to become more estranged from her son as she seeks a mate. Despite moving on with her life she is still very bitter at John for not marrying her. As a teen Travis begins to rebel against his mother due to her lack of attention, and seeks understanding and guidance from John but Janet becomes envious of their relationship and gives Travis an ultimatum. Travis loves his mother, but struggles with what parent he should be loyal to which puts him in a world of grief.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Butler
• Release date: Dec 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310369421

James Butler

James Butler born December 9, 1983 in Chicago, Illinois. Graduated from Florida A&M University in 2006 majoring in Business Administration/Management, and obtained a Masters of Business Administration degree from Governors State University in 2010.

Book preview

Honor Thy Father and Mother

Published By James Butler at Smashwords

Edited By Ashleigh Johnson

Copyright 2014 James Butler

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of

the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial

purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own

copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Introduction

Contrary to popular belief many people in our society are under the impression that a child with two successful parents shouldn’t have too many hurdles to overcome in becoming a success in their own right. However, Trevor didn’t have it easy because of the many obstacles that were placed in his path by society itself and shockingly his own parents. Many believers of Christianity believe in the Ten Commandments, and for Trevor the fifth commandment has been the most difficult to abide by and it reads: Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

For many people as children the parents are considered to be the pillars of the family structure, and in many cases they are idolized. At some point in a child’s life, and even an adult’s life that same admiration could at some point turn to fear and/or disenchantment. The fear could make the child or adult do anything to maintain the parents’ favor, and the disenchantment could make that same person rebel against their parents due to a feeling of deceit and betrayal. In most cases, the parents’ always believe that they’re acting in the child’s best interests. Actions speak louder than words and Trevor’s journey will take the reader through the trials, tribulations, and triumphs that he endured during his life. He knew that his parents loved him, but the way that they went about it didn’t seem that way to him before he could understand their individual expeditions through life.

In no way is the piece of literary piece of work meant to deter a person from rising through the depths of their own personal hell from succeeding in life. His story is meant to uplift and encourage those that need motivation the most, and to inform others that no matter how hard it may seem that whatever gifts were bestowed upon thee from the most high that each individual needs to persevere from the bottom and climb to the top. Trevor’s struggle isn’t the worst of what many people endure on a day to day basis in this game of survival called life. This is his story…

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Travis Deion Banks was born to a loving mother and father in Chicago, Illinois on a cold snowy wintry night in February of 1984, and he weighed 8 pounds and 9 ounces. He was the only child of Janet Tucker and John Banks. Janet and John met in college a few years prior to Travis’s birth and began dating. Their courtship began out of a mutual infatuation of one another; they both were very studious and they were both involved in student politics. The couple was madly in love and they were ready to start a family. Both families were ecstatic that the baby was born healthy to parents with such a bright future ahead of them.

Janet Tucker was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1960. Her mother died when she was 5 years old. She was the youngest of two siblings raised by a strict father who didn’t allow her to date until she was 17. She was a very petite young lady yet very beautiful. She was a light-skinned woman with jet-black hair and dark brown eyes. She stood 5’3" and weighed 125 pounds. She always would wear elegant skirts and blouses, and her hair was always immaculate usually without a single strand out of place. Janet had the type of skin and beauty that didn’t require make-up, so she rarely would wear any. Her personality and giggle were very addictive, as well as her smile which would light up any room that she entered. Many of the young men in the neighborhood lusted after her because of her angelic aura and her innocence, but Peter Tucker would intimidate them by his cold stare and aggressive tone that would call her into the house. No young man in the neighborhood would dare speak to her because of this, and also out of respect for her brother who was known in the neighborhood as an elite basketball player that wouldn’t hesitate to defend his sister’s honor.

John Banks was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1959 on the city’s far South Side in a section named Englewood also known as The Wood. He was raised by both of his parents, and he was their only child. John was an outstanding athlete in high school with an amazing chiseled physique that had all of the young ladies in the neighborhood adoring him. He was light-skinned with dark brown eyes, and an afro. He quit playing sports in his senior year of high school to assist his parents in generating more income because of his father being laid off from the depleting steel industry.

The couple rented a two-bedroom apartment on the city’s South Side two years after the birth of Travis in a relatively blue-collar neighborhood for hardworking families. Everything seemed to be running smoothly, but the couple was still relatively young. Janet was ready for commitment, but John being the charismatic ladies’ man that he was couldn’t seem to resist the temptation of dating other women. Janet would often find other women’s phone numbers in the pockets of his slacks, and on one occasion when she was out enjoying a movie with her friends she spotted him leaving the theater with another woman. When confronted about the situation, John vehemently denied that it was him and quickly diverted her attention to another topic.

Janet would constantly confront John on his infidelity, but he would constantly reassure her that she was the only woman for him and that his family took the highest precedence. John was a great father and a great provider despite his shortcomings in the area of monogamy. Whenever he had the opportunity he would try to take Travis wherever he went, and provide him with all of the love that he could give. John would affectionately call Travis Little T.

When Travis was four years old his father began to read to him, and he bought Travis children’s books to read also. Travis developed a deep love for reading that would stick with him for his entire life. He began pre-school that same year and he was a favorite among all of his teachers.

He was very obedient due to his mother’s low tolerance for bad matters, and his father’s strict disciplinarian tactics. Janet didn’t have any problems disciplining Travis with her hand, or a belt. She sometimes would make Travis get a switch off of a tree nearby, and take all of the leaves off of it and spank him with it if he was unruly. John was more diplomatic in his approach to disciplining young Travis. John rarely used his hands or a belt on him; instead John used his deep baritone voice to instill fear in the young man to behave accordingly.

John I have something that I would like to discuss with you, Janet said.

What would you like to discuss?, John asked hesitantly.

Do you love me?, she asked.

He replied, Of course I do.

Do you love Travis?, she asked

You know I do baby. What’s the matter?

We’ve been together for six years, we live together, and we have a child. Don’t you think that it’s time that we got married?, Janet said.

When the time is right Janet! We’ve been discussing this for some time now, and we’re saving for a house right now!

It’s always your way John, we didn’t have the first child because you felt we weren’t ready to be parents and then we had Travis because you felt that we were ready to be parents. I’m sick and tired of compromising with you for the sake of our relationship and our family because things always have to benefit you and no else!, Janet replied.

In the midst of all of the arguing young Travis was awakened from his nightly slumber. He began to cry aloud because this was the first time that he heard his parents having a disagreement.

See what you did John? You woke the baby, Janet said.

What I’ve done? He wouldn’t even be awake if you didn’t cause all of this commotion, John said.

Stop it, you’re scaring him, Janet whispered.

I’m going to take a walk, I’ll be back later, John said, slamming the door on his way out.

Come here baby, you know mommy and daddy love you, Janet said to Travis.

John took a walk to the local lounge in the neighborhood to get a drink to calm his nerves. He bumped into a female acquaintance from high school that he had a crush on, but never had the guts to express his feelings. The woman was very gorgeous. She was brown skinned with hazel eyes and she wore a tight black dress with high heels to accentuate her long, shiny, and toned legs covered in baby oil. Her fragrance was very subtle yet stimulating which smelled of mahogany and a splash of cinnamon. She had a voluptuous figure with shoulder length jet-black hair, but she also had the demeanor of a person that didn’t want to be bothered.

John was mesmerized at the sight of this woman and decided that this would be his best opportunity if any to reintroduce himself. The woman was sat at the bar alone. John nervously took the empty seat beside her.

Excuse me ma’am, is this seat taken?, John asked. The woman turned her head slowly assuming that it was another male that she was not interested in trying to approach her. Before she could tell him to get lost, she saw this handsome muscular built man neatly groomed with a thick mustache and a short haircut hair smiling at her.

John Banks is that you?, the woman said, standing to embrace him. My how you’ve grown Michelle, John said mischievously.

You’re pretty easy on the eye yourself Mr. Banks, Michelle said.

I haven’t seen you since high school. How has life been treating you?, he asked.

I’m doing the best that I can given the circumstances. After prom I got pregnant by my high school sweetheart, and I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Unfortunately, that prevented me from going away to college so I had to get a job at this department store in the plaza to make ends meet. I plan on taking my prerequisites to start pursuing a nursing degree soon. How has life been treating you?, Michelle asked.

I don’t have too many complaints right now. I got my degree in elementary education, and I just started teaching last year. I also have a four-year old son, so life is good for me, John replied.

The two began ordering drinks and continued to reminisce on past times as well as keeping each other abreast of current events in their lives. John was trying to clear his head from the earlier altercation with Janet; he just wanted a peace of mind before he returned home. Michelle had an intense