ANOTHER JOAN?
Chapter 5 Expecting
(Author's Note: I deliberately left the speakers' names off the soliloquies, because I thought it would be fun to work out who is thinking what. The actual list is at the bottom of this chapter)
Lily's announcement of her pregnancy at the Girardis that night created a sensation. Will and Helen disappeared into the kitchen and brought out a special bottle of wine that they had been saving for years for a special occasion, persuading Lily that there was no harm in indulging in it this early in her condition. Even Luke, who usually avoided alcohol because of Grace's aversion to it, shared a glass and seemed uncharacteristically giddy with joy.
But after the initial excitement settled down, each member of the family began pondering the news, in his or her own way.
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"To think that, back when I was feuding with my step-relatives, I had rebelled against the very notion of 'family'. Now here I am, not only a father but prepared to be a grandfather withini the year. . I feel like I ought to feel thankful to --- something. Luck? To the efforts of everybody to make our family life work through all vicissitudes? To whatever brought me this happiness, thank you."
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"So I'm going to be a grandmother. That makes me feel old. But I felt the same way when the kids married, when Joan and Luke managed a European trip all on their own, and everything turned out well. Once the baby's born, I'll probably forgot my own concerns and enjoy taking care of it. Lily may need my help; I doubt they teach you much about child care in a nunnery--"
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"Of course I knew it ahead of time, but it still takes getting used to. I'm never going to be able to play soccer with the kid, or many of the other things Dads do, but I'll do my best to guide my child. If nothing else, I'll do my best to teach it not to make the mistake I did.
It's so unfair to Lily. Already she has to do most of the chores because I can't get out of my wheelchair, and now there's pregnancy and childbirth on top of that. I've got to help out the best I can."
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"There are few things as inevitable as having a baby. Up to today I wasn't even sure that I had a child in my womb, but in a few months it's going to grow big and dominate my life. The doctor can even predict within a few days when I'll go into labor. Not looking forward to that, but afterwards ----!
All that's just physical, but I think it's symbolic as well. I feel like I did when I went into the monastery, that God has a plan for me. Except this time, I'm right about what the plan is."
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"I remember when Bonnie was pregnant and staying with us. It was all a case of blundering through day by day: neither Bonnie nor I knew much about babies, and my Dad couldn't remember much about when my Mom had me (or maybe it's too painful for him to think back to those days). I'm glad the Cavallos took her and the baby in at the end.
This time I'm going to see it done right. Lily wants the baby and she's surrounded by in-laws that'll help out at every step. I'll do my best to help, too, whatever it is."
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"Birth is so different than everything else. All the rest of the world is bound by conservation laws, but life keeps multiplying. There's new life inside Lily.
Biologists think they can tame it, control it, with talk about DNA and controlled mutations. I know God wants me to focus on biology instead of physics, but I still haven't got the right mindset. Birth still seems too miraculous.
Gotta E-mail Grace about this. I hope she doesn't think I'm dropping hints about HER. But after all she's an ocean away, so she's pretty safe."
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"My God, I'm going to be an aunt. I know that I'm not ready to have a baby myself, and thank God I wasn't rushed into it like Glynis and Friedmann were. But I'll watch over it, and learn, for when my turn comes. I wonder if He's planned it out this way?
But it's not just a matter of waiting for the baby to come out of Lily. What you do unto the least of these, you do unto me. I already know of a girl in danger, and it looks like it's up to Adam and me to rescue her. Grace is away, Luke can't get his mind off his problems, and nobody else understands the danger. But I've got a plan, and we'll carry it out Saturday. I hope we're not too late---.
TBC
(Author's Note: The speakers, in order, are Will, Helen, Kevin, Lily, Adam, Luke, and Joan)