Mindbend

Jennifer didn’t respond. Instead she uncovered a pot and stirred the contents. Adam could see from the spoon when she placed it on the counter that it was wild rice. Adam wondered how much that cost. Then he spotted the roast duck cooling on the carving board.

“Jennifer!” called Adam a bit more forcibly.

Jennifer turned around and thrust a wine bottle and corkscrew into Adam’s arms. He was forced to grab both lest they fall to the floor. “I’m making dinner,” she said simply.

“If you want to make yourself useful, open the wine.”

Stunned, Adam carried the bottle into the living room and pulled out the cork. He poured a little wine into a glass, and held it up to the candlelight. It was a deep, rich ruby color. Before he could taste it, Jennifer called him into the kitchen.

“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 dinner.”

“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. Jennifer looked extraordinarily beautiful in the candlelight. She’d removed the eyelet apron and was now clothed only in the provocatively sheer lavender teddy. Her image blurred in Adam’s mind, and for a brief moment he fell asleep sitting at the card table.

“Are you all right?” asked Jennifer, who was just beginning to describe the home pregnancy test.

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

“So,” continued Jennifer, “I followed the directions. And guess what?”

“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 Jennifer, meeting his eyes. She could feel her heart beating out a rapid rhythm.

Involuntarily she’d clenched her hands into fists.

“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.” Jennifer’s voice shook. She’d hoped that Adam would be happy, at least at first. Later they could deal with the host of problems the pregnancy would bring. Jennifer got up, walked around to Adam, and put her hands on his shoulders.

“Honey, I love you very much.”

“I love you, too, Jennifer,” said Adam. “But that is not the issue.” He stood up, shrugging off her hands.

“I think it is the issue,” said Jennifer, watching him move away. More than anything she wanted to be held and reassured that everything was going to be all right.

“What about your IUD?” asked Adam.

“It didn’t work. I guess we should think of this baby as some sort of miracle.” Jennifer forced herself to smile.

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.

Jennifer watched Adam silently. From the moment she’d left Dr. Vandermer’s office she had feared Adam’s reaction. That was why she had dreamed up the idea of the celebration dinner. But now that the meal was over she was left with the reality that she was pregnant and her husband was not very pleased.

“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?”

“Soon,” admitted Jennifer.

“Well, there you have it! What are we going to do for money? It’s not as if I can get a newspaper route after school. Oh God, what a mess. I don’t believe it.”

“There’s always my family,” said Jennifer, fighting back tears.

Adam looked up. His lips had narrowed.

Jennifer saw his expression and quickly added, “I know how you have felt about accepting support from my family, but if we have a child it will be different. I know they would adore helping us.”

“Oh, sure!” said Adam sarcastically.