by L. M. Reed
Chapter 24
“When are you planning to tell him?” Elsee asked casually, not looking up from the lacy tablecloth she was tatting.
“Rats!” I exclaimed as I came out too many loops accidentally turning my double crochet stitch into a half-double instead. “I’m always doing that,” I complained as I took it out to redo, ignoring Elsee’s question and hoping to distract her.
“I’m not that easily side-tracked, Allie,” Elsee reproached.
“Tell him what, Elsee?”
“James may not recognize the signs my dear, but I do,” she replied glancing meaningfully at my midriff.
Sighing heavily I asked, “How long have you known?”
“Since last weekend,” she acknowledged. “You seemed to be having a hard time eating.”
“I’ve been a little nauseous.”
“So when is my first grandbaby due?”
“The first of June I think,” I replied uncertainly. “I made an appointment with my doctor for the end of November.”
“Back to my original question,” Elsee reminded me gently. “When are you planning to tell James he’s going to make me a grandma?”
“He’s in the middle of football season,” I replied evasively. “I don’t want to distract him.”
“Allison Diane Wilson,” I could hear the puzzlement in her voice, “Are you afraid to tell him?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“For heaven’s sake, why?” she asked perturbed. “Don’t you think he’ll be happy about the baby?”
“He didn’t want to start a family until after he graduated and already had a job,” I explained tearfully.
“Then why…” she stopped short, understanding spreading across her face. “This wasn’t planned, then.”
“No,” I admitted miserably. “And it was my fault.”
“I may be an old fogey,” Elsee said humorously, “but I vaguely seem to recall that it takes two to make a baby.”
“You’ll just have to trust me on this one,” I said woefully. “This one is entirely my fault,” I confessed as I vividly recalled the night it happened.
I had been so lonely the Saturday night of the first out-of-town football game, not realizing how empty the bed would feel after having James in it for so many months. I had spent the whole day with Elsee making that part easier, but when night fell and it was time for me to go to sleep, I tossed and turned forever before finally drifting off in the wee hours of the morning.
I awoke to feel a warm arm slung across my waist. Thrilled to find James home, I had immediately thrown myself on him, passionately kissing him all over.
His response was as full of fervor as always and I didn’t notice any difference until I was lying in his arms afterwards. I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he was sound asleep. I remembered wondering if he had been awake for any of it.
The next morning I got my answer; he thought he had dreamt the whole episode. We hadn’t used any protection and I didn’t have the heart to tell him it wasn’t a dream.
“It was only once,” I wailed.
“That’s all it takes,” Elsee smiled then asked soberly, “Don’t you want this baby?”
“Of course I do,” temporarily allowing myself to experience the joy I felt after taking the pregnancy test and discovering I was pregnant. “I’m thrilled,” I assured her. “I just don’t want James to be angry with me.”
“Allie,” Elsee began gently, “No matter whether it was an accident or planned, I know my son well enough to know that he will be as thrilled as you are.”
“You think so?” I asked savoring the thought of truly being able to enjoy my pregnancy.
“Yes I do,” she replied firmly. “You need to tell him as soon as possible.”
“I will,” I promised. “I hope you’re right.”