It was impossible to tell from the looks on their faces if the news was bad or not. Charity stood, grabbed her coat, and then walked over to them. “Are you ready to head back to the house?”
David helped Maria put her coat on and she tried apologizing for the long wait. “Yes. I’m sorry we have ruined Christmas for you.”
Charity was quick to reassure them. “You didn’t do anything of the sort.”
They all headed out to the parking area. Charity was dying to ask what the doctor had said, but she waited, hoping one of them would tell her.
It wasn’t until everyone was seated in Charity’s compact car that David finally spoke. “They ran a few tests and discovered Maria’s blood pressure is too high.” He leaned forward with his head situated between the two front seats. He had a worried expression but was also smiling. “They also said we are going to be parents.”
Charity snapped around in her seat with a huge smile. “That’s wonderful!”
Maria leaned forward so her head was side by side with David’s. She was smiling ear to ear and showed none of the concern he was. “This is the best Christmas ever! After so many years of trying, we’re going to have a baby. I guess I gave up, and just put the thought out of my mind that we ever would. Let’s get back and celebrate.”
Charity leaned forward and in quick succession, kissed both of them. All three of them sat there and grinned for several minutes before Charity finally turned around and started the car. When she was backing the car out of the parking space she saw David’s concerned expression in the rear view mirror. He met Charity’s eyes, shared in that moment a look of deep worry, and his need for his friend to understand his grave look. She wondered what his concern was all about, but refrained from asking anything. One look at Maria and it was impossible to feel anything but happiness. She was glowing with joy from the knowledge she and David were going to have their first baby.
While they had been at the hospital, Judy had prepared a huge Christmas meal. After their large breakfast, Charity hadn’t thought she would be able to eat another bite, but the feast Judy had on the table for them was too tempting to resist. Everyone dug in with gusto.
After the dishes had been cleared away, Maria headed off into the guest bedroom for a short nap while Judy and Jim went next door to have coffee with their neighbors, Judge Ash and his wife. Since everyone was off in different directions, Charity decided to walk to the center of town to see the Christmas lights and the huge tree the city placed in the center of the square every year.
While she was getting her coat out of the hall closet, David stopped her. “Do you mind if I walk with you. I need to walk off some of that big meal Judy made for us.”
Charity pulled one of her dad’s coats from the closet and handed it to him. “Sure, come on. It’s cold out there. I’m not sure your California blood can handle it.”
David took the offered coat. “Let me show you what my California blood can take. I bet I can beat you to the square.”
Charity opened the front door, and then turned to face David. “Please, no challenges. I have eaten way too much to run. For once, let’s not compete with each other.”
David linked his arm through Charity’s and laughed. “Okay, just this once.”
They walked in companionable silence most of the distance and simply enjoyed all of the beautifully decorated homes. There were bright lights around house tops and trees outside of homes, and the ones visible through many front windows. Charity relished being home. This was where she belonged. She loved this small part of the world. The people in this town were some of the best in the world. They felt like an extended family to her.
It was obvious David had more on his mind than just walking off a good meal. There was nothing to do but to let him take his time about telling her. They walked around the square and peered in the shops and then finally made their way over to a bench in front of the court house and just inside the center of the square. Charity sat down but David remained standing with his back to her and his hands dug deep into her dad’s borrowed jacket. She sat crossed legged on the bench and waited in silence for him to decide if he wanted to tell her what was going on or not.
He finally came over and sat next to her. When he did speak it was in a forced calm tone. “The doctor we saw is concerned about her blood pressure already being high this early in her pregnancy. He believes she’s putting her life at risk if she decides to carry the baby to full term. We’re flying back to California tomorrow. I want her to see her own personal doctor. I have already called Charles, and told him that I would be a few days late getting back to Dallas.”
Charity placed a hand on his arm. “Is there anything I can do?”
When he finally met her eyes he had tears in them. “I’m scared. I can’t think about losing her. She’s everything to me. I never had parents who loved me. She’s the first person who ever saw me as someone who was worthy of love. She keeps me sane when it feels like the rest of the world has gone crazy.”
Charity couldn’t stop the tears from springing to her own eyes. She had to caution herself not to cry in front of him. He needed her support and not her tears. “You need to wait and hear what her doctor says. After all, this was just an emergency room doctor. I’m not saying he’s not good, but I’m sure you will be able to better judge Maria’s state of health when she talks to someone who knows her health better than someone you just met today.”
David covered Charity’s hand with one of his own. “I know you’re right, but I also know Maria. She has wanted a baby ever since we were first married. She’s not going to think about her own health.”
Charity gripped his hand to give him comfort. “David. Look at me.” When he finally did, his beautiful blue eyes were clouded with doubt and fear. “Wait until you have all the facts before you drive yourself crazy. Take just one day at a time. That’s all you really have anyway. You have a very strong marriage, and I’m sure you and Maria will both make the right decision when you have a decision to make. Right now all you have is what ifs. I saw the look on Maria’s face. She’s not concerned about what may happen. She sees only that she has a chance for the baby she has always wanted. Why don’t you just feel her joy and share it.”
David smiled at her. His face illuminated in the Christmas lights. “You know. I really love you. You have become the best friend to me and Maria. I hope you know we both want only the best for you. Here I am laying all my problems on you, and you are still recovering from your own. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Charity tilted her head and smiled. “I love the two of you, too. Don’t ever be sorry about talking to me about anything bothering you. I hope you know you can come to me whenever you feel like you need to talk. You and Maria mean so much to me. I dread when we are finished filming. We won’t be able to see each other every day like we do now. The whole cast has started to feel like a family to me. I may even miss Christopher, the cranky old coot.”
David’s face brightened with an idea. “After we finish filming why don’t you come and stay with us for a month or two? I know Maria would love having you.”
Charity tried to put a damper on his enthusiasm. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. Maria will be getting ready for a new baby, and I know she can’t wait to get back to her painting. She told me the other day how much she missed her studio.”
David stood up, and Charity followed suit. “The more I think about the idea the better I like it. I have several contacts I can hook you up with, and find some more projects for you to do. After this movie is released next year, you won’t have any problems finding work. I know everyone is going to want you to work for them when they have seen how good you are, but things may be slow until then. Let me help you find some work. If you stay with me and Maria, you can look for your next acting job while you’re there.”
He linked arms with her again, and they headed home. He jabbed a finger in her side. “Come on. What do you say? Let’s go back and talk to Mari
a. I know she’ll be just as excited as I am about the idea. It would be great for her having another woman in the house while she prepares for the baby. What do you say? Do it. What do you have to lose?”
Charity jabbed him back. “Okay. You ask Maria. I’m not going to put her on the spot by being there while you ask. She may want to be home alone with you after you go home. After all, you have been away from home for several months. Just because you think it’s a good idea, doesn’t mean she will be just as thrilled. If she thinks it’s a good idea then I will be happy to stay a little while. It might be a good idea to not come back to Tennessee after the movie is completed. A short time away from here may be just what the doctor ordered.”
They walked the rest of the way back to Charity’s house talking about who David wanted her to meet if she came back to California with him and Maria. The more they talked, the more Charity started to share his excitement. When they arrived back home they found Maria had finished her nap. Charity went up to her room to get ready for bed. She was putting on her pjs when her phone started ringing.
“Hello.”
Silence on the open line.
“Charity.”
Her heart almost stammered to a stop and she was suddenly short of breath. “Why are you calling?”
“I heard that you were at your parents for the holidays. I almost didn’t call. I tried to talk myself out of calling you all day long, but here I am. I’m sorry. I just had to hear your voice.”
Charity tightened her grip on the phone. “You shouldn’t have called. There’s nothing left to talk about.”
As Johnny sighed heavily into the phone, Charity sensed his distress but tried not to think about it.
“I know. I just wanted you to know the divorce will be final next month. I appreciated you signing the papers so quickly, and you didn’t try to cause me any embarrassment by charging me with adultery. My parents are already ashamed of the way I have handled things. They are not dealing with the situation very well. They won’t even speak to Cindy. I hope they are able to accept the breakup of our marriage by the time the baby arrives.”
Charity sighed. Try as she might she couldn’t hate Johnny. She had cared too much about him for too long. She wanted to kick herself because she was starting to feel a little sorry for him. Her tone softened when she spoke again. “I’m sorry that your parents are giving you a hard time. They love you too much to stay angry at you forever. Just give them time and they’ll come around sooner or later.”
“I know you’re right. I’m sorry if I upset your Christmas. I know how much your parents love celebrating Christmas day. Your mom always did go all out preparing mountains of food and giving tons of presents.”
Charity heard the longing in his voice and decided it was time to end the conversation. “Look Johnny. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t call me again. You’ve moved on with your life. Now let me move on with mine. I don’t hate you, but I really don’t want to see or talk to you again.”
There was silence on the phone, and then he said quietly, “I know. I just wanted to hear your voice one last time. Merry Christmas, Charity.”
Charity listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before she put the receiver back into its cradle. She sat on the edge of her bed, stared at her reflection in her dresser mirror, and thought to herself that some time away from Tennessee would be an excellent idea.
Chapter Seven
David and Maria left from Nashville’s airport by chartering a private jet to take them home to California the day after Christmas. Charity didn’t catch a flight back to Dallas until a couple of days after the two of them had left for home. Saying her goodbyes at the airport turned out to be the saddest part of the entire trip, because right before she boarded, Judy sobbed and hugged her as if she wasn’t ever coming home. Her father’s expression was even sadder than all of her mother’s tears. Even though he never actually broke down and cried, he had looked as if he might at any moment. It didn’t really hit her until after finally boarding the plane, just how alone she was.
Upon arriving in Dallas it was a pleasant surprise to find the filming schedule wasn’t quite as hectic as before and the atmosphere around the set was so much more relaxed with everyone having more free time on their hands. There was a lot less tension and bickering among the cast and crew members since everyone was getting more rest and time away from the studio.
During the few days Charity spent in Dallas without David, she discovered how much she missed his constant chatter and Maria’s patient ability to listen without judgment. Over the past months, the two of them had found a place in her heart and had become the best of friends. She was worried about Maria’s health and prayed she and the baby came through the pregnancy without any life threatening complications.
For some reason, after the Christmas break, Christopher was less critical of her acting skills and filming went smoother. A couple of times he actually teased and joked as if there had never been any tension between the two of them. With so much time on her hands, Charity actually had time to go shopping with some of the other ladies. To keep from dwelling on the divorce and her concern over Maria’s health, she tried to fill each and every hour with anything and everything in an attempt to stay busy enough she didn’t have time to think.
When David finally did arrive back in Dallas, he came alone. Maria’s doctor had insisted on her remaining at home where she could rest and stay as stress free as possible.
David’s first day back was timed for shooting a scene on location at the Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium that involved the entire cast and crew. While it wasn’t the first time for Charity to wear the cheerleading uniform on the set, it was the first time she had been exposed to the cold weather in it. Filming had taken all day and while the temps had been chilly enough during the morning hours, the moment the sun set, they had plummeted below freezing. Charity had left her coat at the hotel and an older gentleman who worked on the lighting crew had lent her his jacket. While it helped to keep her arms warm, it was short and left her exposed below the waist. Fairly certain her butt was frozen and probably had frostbite on it, she was sorely tempted to run over to the first aid tent to find out. She thought this through, realizing she’d actually have to bend over and let someone examine her butt and quickly shook the thought from her mind. Instead, she prayed Christopher would call it a wrap soon so she could go back to the hotel and soak in a nice hot tub of water.
Charity would have felt sorry for herself but just one quick look around the field and it was easy to see the other ladies seemed to be just as miserable as she was. At that very moment they were only a few feet away from her, drinking hot chocolate, grumbling, and listening to each other’s teeth chatter. When Christopher called for the ladies to return to the field, Charity reluctantly gave up the warm coat. The scene entailed a major routine with several back flips and four of the ladies were to be tossed into the air. Charity was grateful that at least no one was going to be tossing or throwing her anywhere. As cold as everyone was, she wasn’t certain of anyone’s reflexes.
Every take was excruciating. Charity almost wept each time Christopher yelled cut. They were forced to do the scene several times before he finally decided to let everyone go for the night. She was putting the borrowed jacket back on when David came running across the football field towards her. His cheeks were red and his puffs of breath became more and more visible the closer he got.
About half way there he slowed to a fast walk in order to catch his breath. The moment he reached her, in between deep breaths and wheezing, he blurted out, “You want to go out to dinner? I know you’re tired, but I was hoping we could catch up on things over dinner.”
All earlier thoughts about soaking in a nice hot tub of water were quickly banished with enthusiasm at this chance to find out what he and Maria had learned about their recent health scare. Charity pulled the front lapels of her jacket together against the cold wind. “That sounds great. Just as long as it’s somewhere warm. Yo
u have any idea where you want to go?”
He looked thoughtful, and then smiled. “Yeah. There’s this great Italian place not far from the hotel. We can walk there if you feel like it.”
Charity tried not thinking about her tired leg muscles, after all a little exercise never hurt anyone, right? “I could use the exercise. I may have gained a pound or two from eating all of mom’s great cooking over the holidays.”
David grinned. “Well by all means, let’s do something to tone up your chubby body. Of course, this restaurant piles the cheese on everything, so I don’t think the few blocks we have to walk tonight will do anything to help your fat thighs.”
When Charity glanced down in horror at her legs, David chuckled. “Oh please. What do you weigh ninety pounds?”
Charity met his laughing eyes, and slapped his arm. “You don’t ever tell a woman she has fat thighs. That’s the one thing we live in constant turmoil over, that and a fat butt. Come on. Let’s get our stuff and go to the car. I want Stanley to turn the heat on as high as it will go. Maybe I will unthaw by the time we reach the hotel.”
They made their way to the stadium seats where everyone had dumped their personal belongings. Charity took off the jacket and threw her back pack over her shoulder. “On the way out I have to return Chuck’s coat to him. I left mine in the room this morning. I bet I won’t ever do that again.”
David laughed and scanned her from head to toe. “I bet you don’t either but I also bet you twenty bucks, Chuck will never wash his jacket again. That man has been drooling after you ever since we began filming this past summer.”
With one quick glance across the field at the man being discussed, she discovered the lighting engineer was returning her interested stare, and the old geezer was grinning ear to ear. She waved, simultaneously praying the sweet little old man didn’t guess he was the main topic of their conversation. She leaned in closer to David and whispered though they were far enough away he couldn’t have heard them anyway. “He can’t be sweet on me. He’s old enough to be my grandfather.”
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