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The words wouldn't come, and all Charlie could do was shake her head.
She and Adam had decided not to have any children because of what that child might
inherit. Trembling, Charlie went to the kitchen table and sat down. When her child
would need her most growing up, she could very well be sick with AD. It would be
hard enough on Adam, but the thought of a child going through such heartache, made
tears come to Charlie's eyes.
"No, God," she whispered pleadingly. "Cause this to be a mistake!"
"Adam!" Vera called him from the kitchen. "You'd better come!"
The concerned old woman checked Charlie's forehead and asked once more what the doctor
had said.
As Charlie was finding her voice, Adam hurried into the room. "What's going
on?" he asked. Then he saw Charlie and quickly went to her side. "What's
wrong, Charlie?"
"She just had a call from her doctor," Vera informed him, going to get
a glass of water, for Charlie looked as though she could faint.
"Charlie," Adam rubbed her hand between his own, "what did he say?"
Charlie blinked at Adam and swallowed hard. "He said I'm pregnant."
The words nearly knocked Adam over, and he suddenly needed to sit down himself. Stunned,
he sat there numbly, trying to make sense of his own thoughts. "That's impossible!"
he finally breathed in disbelief. "There must be a mistake!"
Puzzled by the way Adam and Charlie were accepting this happy news, Vera continued
to make sure her granddaughter didn't pass out. "Charlie, drink some water,"
she urged, holding the cup to Charlie's lips.
"Is he sure?" asked Adam.
Charlie nodded that her doctor was sure, and took a sip from the glass that Vera
was offering.
Adam was now fighting back panic and the thoughts that came tumbling into his mind.
For any other man this would be welcome news, but for him... Hating the direction
that his thoughts were taking, Adam struggled to push it all aside and think more
calmly. "Okay," he breathed, "okay." Then he saw the fear and
guilt in Charlie's face, and Adam closed his eyes in dread. This was all coming too
quickly!
"Charlie, you need to lie down," instructed Vera, helping her granddaughter
up from the table. She gave Adam a cross look, as if to scold him for not thinking
of this himself.
"I'm not tired," resisted Charlie, fighting the tears that were coming
to her eyes.
Vera would hear none of it. Charlie was pale, and Adam was looking shaken. Concerned,
Vera took Charlie to the master bedroom and insisted that she get some rest. Then
Vera hurried back to the kitchen to confront Adam.
"What is wrong with you?" she cried. "Charlie is crying, and
here you sit in the kitchen!"
"Vera," Adam took a deep breath, "you don't understand."
"What don't I understand?" asked Vera, trying very hard not to be angry
with Adam.
Numbly, Adam grabbed the glass of water Vera had poured for Charlie and frantically
took a drink. "I can't have children," he blurted, setting the trembling
cup back on the table. |
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