Mindbend

To a

“Jen!” called Adam as he opened the door.

“I’m in the kitchen. I’ll be out in a second.”

Adam raised his eyebrows. Since his hospital hours were so irregular, Je

Lifting her arms and positioning her fingers as if dancing a classical ballet, Je

Adam smiled. Eagerly he reached out to lift the front edge of the apron.

“Oh, no!” teased Je

“What’s going on?” laughed Adam.

“I’m practicing to be the Total Woman,” quipped Je

“Where in heaven’s name did you get that… thing?”

“This thing is called a teddy.” Je

“What on earth for?” asked Adam, wondering how much it cost in spite of himself. He didn’t want to deny Je

Je

“If you were any more attractive and sexy for me I’d never get through medical school. You don’t have to dress up in frilly stuff to turn me on. You’re plenty sexy the way you are.”

“You don’t like it.” Je

“I like it,” Adam stammered. “It’s just that you don’t need it.”

“Do you really like it?” asked Je

Adam knew he was on thin ice. “I love it. You look like you belong in Playboy. No, Penthouse.”

Je

Je

When he was finished showering, he discovered that the living room had been transformed. The card table had been brought from the kitchen and laid for di

Adam walked over to the kitchen and leaned against the door. Je

Adam cleared his throat. “Je

Je

“Je

Je

Stu

“I need a surgeon in here,” she said, handing him a large knife.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” he asked.

“Cut the duck in half.”

Adam tried a few tentative thrusts with little success. Finally, he put all his strength behind the blow and sliced the duck in two.

“Now how about telling me what this is all about.”

“I just want you to relax and enjoy a good di

“Is there an ulterior motive for all this?”

“Well, I do have something to tell you, but I’m not going to do so until after we have this feast.”

And feast it was. Although the snow peas were slightly overdone and the wild rice slightly underdone, the duck was sensational and so was the wine. As the meal progressed, Adam found himself growing sleepy. Jerking himself awake, he fastened his attention on his wife. Je

“Are you all right?” asked Je

“I’m fine,” said Adam, unwilling to admit he’d been asleep.

“So,” continued Je

“What?”

“It was positive.”

“What was positive?” Adam knew that he must have missed some key phrase.

“Adam, haven’t you been listening to me?”

“Of course I’ve been listening. I guess my mind wandered for a moment. I’m sorry. Maybe you’d better start again.”

“Adam, I’m trying to tell you that I am pregnant. Yesterday I did one of those home pregnancy tests and this morning I went to Dr. Vandermer.”

For a minute Adam was too shocked to speak.

“You’re kidding,” he said at last.

“I’m not kidding,” said Je

“You’re not kidding?” said Adam, uncertain whether he was about to laugh or cry. “You’re serious?”

“I’m serious. Believe me, I’m serious.” Je

“Honey, I love you very much.”

“I love you, too, Je

“I think it is the issue,” said Je

“What about your IUD?” asked Adam.

“It didn’t work. I guess we should think of this baby as some sort of miracle.” Je

Adam began to pace the small room. A baby! How could they have a baby? They were just barely keeping their heads above water as it was. They were already close to twenty thousand dollars in debt.

Je

“You always wanted to have children,” she said plaintively.

Stopping in the middle of the threadbare carpet, Adam looked at his wife. “Whether I want to have children is also not the issue. Of course I want children, but not now. I mean, how are we going to live? You’ll have to stop dancing immediately, right?”