Kate's story
Kate Shipman was finishing her senior year at NYU when a friend dragged her to a basketball game between the law school and the medical school. She normally spent her free time studying or volunteering at the Free Children's Clinic in Harlem. The med school was losing when a tall, lanky law school student went up for a rebound and came down with an elbow in his eye. Kate popped an ice pack and brought it over to him. After the game, the handsome young man came over and introduced himself to her as Jack, and he asked her if he could take her out for a drink. Kate declined saying that she needed to study, but Jack walked away with her phone number.
Later that night and most of the next day, a huge snow storm swept through blanketing the city with ten inches of snow and forcing the cancellation of classes. Kate's phone rang at noon. The caller was Jack inviting her out to play in the snow. He wouldn't take no for an answer. Kate thought, "He doesn't waste any time." But she bundled up and met him out front. It was hard to resist the pull of all the fresh, white snow, and she kind of liked the lanky young man with a charming grin and a devil may care look in his eyes. Just the kind of guy her dad and brother warned her about. Kate and Jack romped in the snow like ten year olds making snow angels, a snow man and joining in a rollicking snowball fight. Wet and cold, they went to the student union for hot chocolate and sandwiches. Kate told Jack that she was 20, originally from Connecticut, the only daughter of a family practice physician. Her mother died when she was twelve. She adored him and her older brother, Mike, who was finishing medical school in California.
Kate learned that Jack was from Chicago, the son of a cop. He had two younger sisters that he was crazy about. He would turn 24 on June 15th and was gunning for a job with the District Attorney of New York after graduation and the Bar Exam. He'd taken a year off between college and law school to earn some cash for tuition, working days as a paralegal and part of the night loading boxes for UPS. He now worked several nights a week tending bar. It wasn't hard work and gave him plenty of time to study between pouring drinks. Kate didn't learn until later that he chose law school in New York to escape a tense relationship with his father. Jack walked her back to her dorm and they parted with a lingering kiss that left her heart thumping. Kate was very focused on her career goals and rarely dated. Jack changed all that.
Kate and Jack both felt a strong bond and were together frequently. She learned that he had a reputation as a ladies' man and charmer, but she also learned that she was loyal and dedicated to his studies. He was a lapsed Catholic and had more liberal politics. Kate was conservative and still tried to follow the tenants of the Catholic Church.. Kate knew he wanted to sleep with her fairly soon after the first date. The turbulent 60s aside, Kate still hoped for a fairy tale ending. She wasn't a prude, but she didn't believe in casual sex. When she slept with someone, she didn't want to regret it later. Jack was nothing if not persistant. When they would make out in his apartment, he would do his best to arouse her. She could feel his need pressing her through his jeans, but he didn't force the issue. During the spring semester, Jack and Kate managed to do everything but… The but came after final exams. With a week until graduation, Jack and Kate took off to a beach house on the Connecticut shore that belong to Kate's father. They arrived in mid-afternoon and promptly went to the beach to enjoy the warm sand and cold waves, free of the rigors of final exams. At dusk, cold and hungry, they headed into the house for a hot shower. One thing led to another, and they were soon on the bed. Though Kate knew he was very aroused, he still took his time with her, both of them enjoying every taste, touch, smell. He brought her to orgasm first with his hands, then showed her how to stroke him to do the same for him. Later that night they made love again, this time with Jack penetrating her. They made love slowly until he felt her excited rise, then he brought her to orgasm and allowed himself his release too. In later years, Kate would remember the week in their beach house as the best time they ever had.
The week over, they both headed back for graduation, hers from the College of Sciences, his from Law School. She briefly met his parents and immediately noticed the tension between father and son. She could tell that John McCoy was proud of his son--he'd graduated 3rd in the class. Kate introduced Jack to her father and brother too. She caught her father sizing him up on more than one occasion while they were having dinner. Jack started work at the DA's and began studying for the Bar Exam. Kate visited her father and then began medical school the same day Jack took the Bar Exam. On a stifling day in mid-August, Jack met her after her afternoon classes. He had the slip in his hand showing that he had successfully completed the Bar Exam and was now a practicing attorney in the State of New York. Taped to it was a beautiful gold, diamond and sapphire engagement ring. Kate was sure she loved him, but wasn't sure marriage was a good idea right now. Four years of school, followed by internship and residency. Jack won his argument, saying they were better equipped to handle it as a team. Kate's father tried to talk her into waiting, saying that if Jack was the right man for her, then waiting wouldn't hurt. When he learned that their minds were made up, he gave his blessing. They were married by Kate's parish priest the next Friday on the beach in Connecticut with just a few family members and close friends in attendance. Father Joe initially refused to perform the service since they hadn't taken the required preparatory classes, but Kate bluntly told him that they were already sleeping together, so he'd best make it legal in the eyes of God before they had a child. Father Joe, who had gone through seminary in the 60s, relented and performed the service.
They bought the rundown brownstone apartment using money they'd received from graduation and wedding gifts as a down payment plus the $10,000 Kate's father gave them. Jack wanted to refuse the money from Kate's father, but the old man wouldn't hear of it. Painting, plastering and refinishing woodwork took many months, but they slowly renovated the brownstone into an inviting living space.
While Kate attended her medical school classes, Jack was paying his dues in the DA's office. After her graduation and a year of internship, Kate had to work for two years in an inner city hospital as payback for her scholarship. She was assigned to the Harlem City Hospital and Free Clinic in a dilapidated and crime ridden neighborhood. After her commitment ended, Kate began a dual residency in pediatrics and emergency medicine that took six years to complete. Elizabeth was born during her residency. Kate interrupted her training long enough to spend three months home with the baby and then volunteered for most weekend and night shifts to allow more time home. Jack helped as much as his hours permitted. When Kate's training was completed after almost ten years, she was hired by St. Vincent's Hospital as an attending physician in the emergency room working three nights per week. For the first time in years, Kate had free time to enjoy. Unfortunately, Jack didn't seem inclined to slow down and enjoy time with his family.
Kate had a habit of leaving a list of errands and chores that needed to be done. Jack would always do what she requested, but it began to irritate her that she needed to ask. She wanted him to help with Elizabeth or around the house without having to be asked. Jack, however, was not a self starter around the home front. Kate was also frustrated that he didn't spend enough time with Elizabeth. She'd asked him numerous times to try to get home at a reasonable hour on the nights she worked so Elizabeth would have a parent to tuck her in. Jack would comply for a few nights, then fall back into his old habits. Even their sex life was out of sync, and they never seemed to have enough time together. Kate always had Sundays off, and it was the one day she truly cherished. She'd work from 7 pm to 7:30 am, then stop at early Mass on her way home. While she slept, Jack would take Elizabeth out with him. Later in the day, they'd spend precious hours together as a family. Once Elizabeth was tucked in, the two of them spent time together.
Kate started wondering if it was all worth it. She'd met her career goals and had slowed down to enjoy her family. She wanted another baby, but not unless Jack slowed down a bit…and he showed no signs of that. The beach house had always been their salvation, so she planned a two week getaway for them. Jack's vacation request was approved, then the trial he was working on dragged on longer than expected. His vacation was cancelled. Kate was furious with him. She took Elizabeth and spent two weeks at the beach anyway. Kate often though that if Jack had just bothered to come for a weekend, things might have been different, but he hadn't. The trial came first. Kate made her decision during that vacation and interviewed for another job. She was hired by the Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford. She wasn't quite ready to give up on him, but she wanted to see if he would try to balance his career and family.
Ultimately, Jack made the decision easy. When the trial ended, he immediately jumped into preps for the next one. Kate, worn out, told him they were leaving. She packed up some things for herself and Elizabeth and left quietly. All he has to do is say "don't go" and I won't Kate kept thinking, but he never did. So Kate and Elizabeth started a new life without him.
Elizabeth started school and was soon thriving in suburbia. As she got older, she became involved with friends, sports and after school activities. Initially she was excited whenever her dad visited, she soon started preferring time spent with her friends. Elizabeth grew into her teenage years, an excellent student, good athlete and had a sunny disposition. Her teenage rebellions seemed minor compared to other youngsters. Kate dated occasionally, but had no long term relationships. Their life was pleasantly routine until Jack stopped by that fateful day of May 22nd, 1996.
Kate was surprised to find Jack on her porch that morning. He looked terrible, an emergency physician, Kate immediately knew he was hypothermic and started warming him up. She had no idea why he was there, just that he seemed to be in shock…and he smelled like alcohol. When Kate unintentionally aroused him, her pent up sexual energy surged, and she responded to him with an intensity of her own. Afterwards, she watched him sleep and wondered what brought him to her door after so long an absence. She awoke to him dressing and realized that he had no intention of staying. She fought back tears and let him go. She later learned what had happened to Claire from mutual friends and guessed correctly that she was more than just Jack's assistant.
Kate felt moody and out of sorts for weeks after Jack's visit. She was tired all the time and her appetite was poor. When Elizabeth commented on it, she decided to get a check up. Her periods had been spotty and irregular, and she thought she might be heading for menopause. When Dr. Wilson made the diagnosis, Kate refused to believe her. Dr. Wilson had to do an ultrasound before Kate registered the truth. Pregnant at 45. With a teenage daughter and an estranged husband. Unable to tell Elizabeth for several weeks, Kate finally told her the truth when Elizabeth voiced her concerns over her mother's health. Elizabeth took the news better than she expected, but disagreed with Kate's decision not to tell Jack. Seeing her mother's distress made her relent and she promised to keep the pregnancy from her father.
The baby was born two weeks early on January 28th, a bitter cold night with howling winds. Kate's close friend and medical school classmate Eileen coached her through the birth. It seemed much harder at 45 than at 28. Finally at 4:40 am, she was able to push the baby out. It was a 6 lb. 10oz. boy with a shock of black hair who protested his arrival loudly. Elizabeth held him just moments after his birth and helped choose his name. Matthew meaning gift of God and John for his absent father. Kate cried when she nursed Matthew John for the first time.
The baby grew and thrived with attention from his mother and big sister. He was an active, alert baby and didn't sleep as much as Kate wanted. He cried mainly when he was hungry and nursed vigorously. Kate thought wryly that Matthew was a boob man just like his father. Despite living with two women, he was all boy, active and rugged. No quiet activities for him, he preferred to race his toy cars and trucks or play outdoors with the other boys in the neighborhood. At four, Kate signed him up for pee wee soccer and T ball to help channel his endless energy. Elizabeth headed for college when he was two, but he adored his "Beff." Yale was only an hour away, and Elizabeth would come home to visit and do laundry every few weeks. She kept her promise and did not tell Jack about her little brother.