Chapter 6

Money Isn't everything

When the letter came from the Law School, it changed

our lives. I came third in the final examinations and

suddenly everyone wanted to offer me jobs. It was a

wonderful time. Think of it: an all-American boy with a

famous name, third in his examinations and a Harvard

hockey player too. Crowds of people were fighting to get my

name and number on their company writing paper.

At last I accepted a job with Jonas and Marsh in New

York. I was the highest-paid graduate of my year too.

After three years of spaghetti and looking twice at every

dollar, it felt wonderful.

We moved to a beautiful flat in New York. Jonas and

Marsh's office was an easy ten-minute walk away. And there

were lots of fashionable shops nearby too. I told my wife to

get in there and start spending immediately.

'Why, Edward?' Bella asked.

'Woman, you supported me for three years. Now it's my

turn!' I gloated.

I joined the Harvard Club of New York. Ray Stratton was

working in New York too and we played tennis together

three times a week. My old Harvard friends discovered me

once more, and invitations arrived.

'Say no, Edward. I don't want to spend my free time with

a lot of empty-headed fratboys.'

'OK, Bella, but what shall I tell them?' I asked.

'Tell them I'm expecting a baby.' Bella answered.

'Are you? I asked her.

Bella smiled. 'No, but if we stay at home tonight, perhaps I will.'

We already had a name for our child.

'You know,' I said one evening. 'I really like the name Bozo.'

'You honestly want to call our child Bozo?' Bella asked.

'Yes. It's the name of a big sports star. He'll be

wonderfully big and strong,' I continued. 'Bozo Cullen,'

Harvard's biggest football star.' I bragged.

We had a name for our child and we wanted him very much.

But it's not always easy to make a baby, although we tried

very hard.

Finally I became worried and we went together to see a doctor.

Doctor Sheppard checked everything carefully. He took

some of our blood and sent it away for examination. 'We'll

know soon,' he said.

A few days later he telephoned me at my office and asked

me to visit him on my way home that evening.

'Well, Doctor,' I said, 'which of us has the problem?'

'It's Bella,' he said. 'She will never have children.'

I was ready for this news, but it still shook me.

'Well,' I said, 'children aren't everything.'

'Edward,' said Doctor Sheppard, 'the problem is more

serious than that. Bella is very ill. She has a blood disease.

It is destroying her blood, and we can't stop it. She is dying,

Edward. I am very sorry.'

'That's impossible, Doctor,' I said. I waited for the doctor

to tell me that it was not true.

Kindly and patiently he explained again, and at last I

understood the terrible words.

'Have you spoken to Bella, Doctor? What did you tell her?'

'I told her that you were both all right. For the moment

it's better that way.'

I wanted to shout and scream at the unfairness of it all.

Bella was twenty-four, and she was dying.

'What can I do to help, Doctor?' I asked at last.

'Just be natural,' he said. Natural!

I began to think about God. At first I hated Him.

Then next morning I woke up and Bella was still there beside me.

Still there. I was ashamed. Thank you, God, I thought.

Thank you for letting me wake up and see Bella again.

'Be natural,' the doctor had said. I did my best, and all the

time I was living with my terrible secret.

One day Mr Jonas called me into his office. 'Edward, I have

an important job for you. How soon can you go to Chicago?

You can take one of the younger men with you.' he added.

One of the younger men? I was the youngest man in the office.

I understood the message: Edward, although you are still only

twenty-four, you are one of our top men.

'Thank you, sir,' I said, 'but I can't leave New York just now.'

I had decided not to tell anyone about my troubles.

I wanted to keep my secret as long as possible.

I could see that old man Jonas was unhappy about my refusal.

On the way home that day I saw a notice in a travel shop

window: 'Fly to Paris!' Suddenly I remembered Bella's

words: What about my scholarship? What about Paris?

I went into the shop and bought two tickets to Paris.

Bella was looking grey and tired when I got home.

When I showed her the tickets, she shook her head.

'Edward,' she said gently, 'I don't want Paris. I just want you."

I forced a smile on my face and said, "You already got that, baby!"

. . . and I want time, which you can't give me.' Bella finished.

Now I looked in her eyes and saw the sadness in them.

We sat there silently, holding each other. Then Bella explained.

'I was feeling absolutely crappy. So I went back to the doctor and

demanded he tell me everything. So he did." Bella said.

Now I didn't have to be 'natural' any more. We had no

more secrets from each other. Now we could discuss things.

Things that young husbands and wives don't usually discuss.

'You must be strong, Edward,' Bella said. 'For Charlie.

It's going to be hard for him. He needs your help. OK?'

'OK. I'll be strong,' I promised. I hoped Bella could not

see how frightened I was.

A month later, just after dinner, Bella was playing Chopin

on the piano. Suddenly she stopped. I immediately went to her.

'Are you rich enough to pay for a taxi?' Bella asked.

'Of course. Where do you want to go?' I asked her.

'To the hospital.' Bella admitted.

In the next few busy, worried moments, while I hurriedly

packed a bag, I realized. This is it, I thought. Bella is going

to walk out of this flat and never come back. I wondered

what Bella was thinking. She sat there, looking straight in

front of her.

'Hey,' I said, 'is there anything special that you want to

take with you?'

'No,' Bella said. Then she thought again. 'Yes. You.'

The taxi-driver thought Bella was expecting a baby.

'Is this your first?' he asked.

I was holding Bella in my arms, and I felt ready to explode.

'Please, Edward,' Bella said to me softly. 'He's trying to be

nice to us.'

'Yes,' I told the driver. 'It's our first. And my wife isn't

feeling very well. So can you hurry, please?'

He got us to the hospital in ten minutes. 'Good luck!' he

called as he drove away. Bella kindly thanked him.

Bella was having trouble walking. I wanted to carry her.

But she said clearly, 'Not this time, Fratboy.' So we walked.

'Have you got health insurance?' they asked us in the hospital.

'No.' We had never thought about buying insurance.

We were too busy buying furniture and kitchen things.

Of course, the doctors knew about Bella and they were

expecting us.

'Listen,' I told them. 'Do your best for Bella. I don't care

what it costs. I want Bella to have the best of everything, please.

I've got the money.' I promised them.