“Mom, are you gaining weight?”-Chrissy was looking at her mother in a weird way after Penny had just gotten back from one bathroom after becoming nauseous and Chrissy had just vomited in the other one.
“I guess I’m just getting the middle-age spread, Honey.-Women do that at my age, you know.-I’m forty-one now, and it’s to be expected.-It’s been almost three months, now, since I’ve had a period.-I’m hoping that whole monthly thing is over this time.-I’ve been a little irregular for almost a year.-I missed three periods in a row last year about this time.-At first I was scared to death I was pregnant, but it was just menopause.”
“Have you thought about that you could be pregnant this time, Mom?-You know it’s not impossible at all.”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Chrissy, I’m going to be a Grandma in August, right?”
“Right.-But you still could be pregnant, too.-Stranger things have happened.-You know what?-I’ve still got one home pregnancy test left that I didn’t use.-Would you want to try it?-Then we’d know for sure.”
“I don’t mind trying it if it will make you feel better, Chrissy.-Where is it?-I’ve got to go back to the bathroom, anyway.-I’m getting sick at my stomach again.”
“It’s in the front of the medicine cabinet over the lavatory.”
A few minutes later, Penny came into the living room and her face was several shades whiter than when she had left.
“Oh, that must have been a bad sick spell.-You look really pale.”
“I didn’t vomit after all.-I’m looking sick, now, because of the pregnancy test.”
“Mom, what did it say?”
“It said I was pregnant.-I….I can’t believe this.-It’s gotta be wrong.-I can’t be expecting a baby.-I just can’t be.-It absolutely has to be wrong.-What on earth would I do if I am pregnant?-This is unbelievable.-I could have a baby the same age as my grandbaby.-It’s just gotta be wrong!”
“If I were you, I’d go see the obstetrician anyway.-If you don’t want anyone to know it, yet, until you’re absolutely positive, you could call and make an appointment and you could go with me next Thursday when I go back for my checkup.”
“Maybe I should.-What’s the number; I’ll call right now.-I’m going to feel plumb silly when he tells me I’m just going through the change.”-She dialed the number Chrissy gave her and then hung up quickly when the receptionist answered.
“Mom, what did you just do?-Are you going to chicken out on me?”
“No, I guess I’ll do it.-It’s just so scary, at my age.-Okay here goes for sure this time.”-She hit re-dial on the phone.-“Hello.-I’d like to make an appointment to see Dr. Jennings and if I could I’d like the appointment for Thursday, March twenty-third and as near two o’clock as possible.-…………You have an opening at one thirty?-Okay, I guess that will be alright.-Ah….Penny Wroe.-Yes.-Okay.-Thank you.”
“Sounds like you got it fixed up.-I could almost hope you are pregnant and, actually, those tests are usually pretty accurate.-It’ll be hard to wait a week to find out for sure.-I gather you don’t intend to tell Dad until you’ve seen the doctor.”
“I don’t think so.-I also don’t know how he’ll feel about it, either.-The twins were a surprise coming along after you were almost grown.-I was sure they’d be my last babies.-Whew!-This is something else.-Your Dad and I will be in our mid-fifties when they’re grown and now another one?-Oh, my goodness!-I just can’t believe this.”
“Can’t believe what?” That was Johnny just coming in on the tail end of the conversation, again.-At just that moment, the telephone rang and since Johnny was right there by it, he picked up the receiver.-“Hello.-Yes, speaking.-Oh, yes, Mr. Tavalerio.-Alright, Bernie.-Sure, now and that would be fine.”-Johnny still lapsed into his Irish brogue when he wasn’t concentrating on his speech.-“Okay, I’ll tell you how to get here.”-It was the detective that the sheriff had told him about so he gave him directions to the house.
“That was Mr. Tavalerio, the detective who will try to find out who killed Ramon.-He’ll be here in about an hour.-I came in after a jug of water, and then I’d better get back out there and let Pop know he’s coming.”-The ladies were glad he had forgotten to ask again what they had been talking about when he came in so unexpectedly.
“Would you like to walk up to Grandmother’s, Mom, and see her and Janet?”
“I’m a little tired and shaky right now, Honey.-I think I’ll go back over to the house and maybe lie down for a little while.-Tell them, ‘Hi’ for me, though.-Okay?”
“Sure, Mom.-That’s fine.-Take care and don’t overdo until we know for sure everything is okay.”-After Penny left, Chrissy had a thought.-I wonder if she’s thought about that she could have twins again.-She was teasing me about the possibility and now it could happen to her.