Jing Mei walked in the back door just off the kitchen. The smell that met her nose was most delightful. John had prepared a wonderful meal. The main course was in the warming drawer just waiting for her to come home.
"mmm that smells so good." Her voice, rather wispy, her tone, rather resigned.
"Rough day?" John asked.
Rough wasn't the word, she thought. Gut wrenching, that might cover it. She bit her lip.
"That bad, huh?" He kissed her and stroked her back. "I've got dinner ready. Hungry?"
"Where are the girls?"
"Mei Li is next door babysitting and Gracie went over to Julie's to study. They've both eaten."
"So it's just you and me?" she asked weakly.
"Deb, what happened?"
"Michael."
"Michael" Carter slowed the pronunciation as pumped his hands in a circular motion prompting her for more detail.
Taking a shaky breath, she stared at him.
It took Carter a minute, but he did realize she was referring to the baby she'd given up for adoption many years ago.
"So how did it go?" Carter asked with understanding and concern.
"Not well. He told me to go away."
"What?" Carter was confused.
"He's in college now. Some fraternity thing. He fell out of a window. Crushed his tibia, compound fracture, dislocated shoulder…I went up to see him after he came out of surgery. Big mistake."
Carter pulled her a little closer. "Well, he just got out of surgery Deb. Probably in a lot of pain. Embarrased by the stupidity of what got him there. You know, tomorrow things could be a lot different. Why don't you go see him tomorrow?"
"I don't know what I'm more afraid of, him not wanting to talk to me, or wanting to talk, asking me why I gave him up."
Carter put his hand on hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Just be honest Deb. Tell him the truth."
He was right and she knew it. Somehow, talking it over with him, it didn't seem as much of mountain as she made it out to be in her mind. She gave him a small smile. "That pot roast smells really good".
"Hungry?" he asked enticingly.
Yeah she was hungry; just a bit.