Oftentimes, adults find it difficult to relate to teenagers, because we have somehow forgotten what it was once like being a teenager blossoming into young adulthood. Well, get ready . . . "This Night Belongs to You" will take you back!

"This Night Belongs to You" combines humor with realism in telling the tale of a young girl’s coming of age. It is a novel about the joy of friendship, the influence of family on adolescence, the psychology of sexual misbehavior, and last but never least . . . it is a story about the calming beauty of love.

For the past eight years, Shelagh A. Jackson has worked as an educator with inner city schools in the city of Chicago, Illinois, as well as volunteers as a community worker in low-income neighborhoods. Shelagh conducts seminars for young adults in the areas of teen pregnancy/prevention methods, drug use/prevention methods, and sex education. Shelagh A. Jackson also conducts workshops for young adults in the areas of building self-esteem, college preparation, and career opportunities.

Three months!!! Doctor Gray said that I was three months pregnant! That meant it happened Valentine's weekend, my very first time having sex!!

I couldn't believe this. Roger and I were so careful. I supplied the condoms. How could this have happened? The Pills.

"Were you taking your pills on time, everyday like you were supposed to," asked Dr. Gray.

"Well, sort of," I whispered. The look of disappointment on my mother’s face was very obvious. Dr. Gray then wrote out a prescription for prenatal pills. He said my baby needed as much nourishment as it could get. My baby? Can you believe this, Daddy? I'm having a baby!

I was none to thrilled with this idea. I wasn't ready. I didn't know what to do. How would Roger react? My mother insisted I tell him right away. I didn't want to tell him at all.

"Hi, Rene. Is Roger home?"

"Hold on." I heard Rene place the receiver down and call for Roger. I heard Roger ask her who was on the phone, and then he told her to tell me that he was busy.

"Sorry, he can't come to the phone."

"Rene," I quickly said before she could hang up. "Will you please tell him this is important?"

She placed the phone back down and within a few seconds

I heard Roger's voice.

"What is it, Stacey?" he said in the sexiest tone.

"I need to see you. It's important."

"What about?"

My voice was quivering right along with my heart. "I can't discuss it over the phone. Can I come over?"

"Not now, I'm busy."

"When?"

"What is so important, Stacey," he asked, in an irritable voice. "I told you I’m busy."

My pain was growing stronger. "Why do you talk to me this way? You act as though we had nothing special together. Can you honestly say you feel nothing for me anymore?"

"Stacey, I told you I can't go through this with you right now. We've already had this conversation. There's nothing more to say. You need to get on with your life. I have."

"Are you seeing someone else," I whispered, cautiously.

"You don't want to know that." I heard the grin in his voice.

"Yes, I do."

Slowly he said, "Yes, I am. Are you satisfied now? Did you find what you were looking for?"

I gently hung up the phone and cried myself to sleep.