circle in Sparta. In Boston, she had been one of the socialites. Here, she was ‘the’ socialite and the opportunity to dominate was too tempting for her too resist. She could be quite charming when she wanted something. Some of the local wannabes fawned over her and seemed to enjoy her company. So it was not a total surprise when they moved to Sparta permanently. Her dad bought into a small law firm in Houston and took on a few clients. I was not thrilled.
Our next big event came just before our first anniversary. I came home one evening to find Amy lying across the bed sobbing hysterically.
I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into my arms. “Honey, what’s wrong. Please don’t cry. Tell me.”
She looked up with a terrible fear in her eyes. “Oh Danny, I’m so stupid. I was careless about taking my birth control pills and now I’m pregnant”
My heart leapt. “Amy, are you sure? Have you been to the doctor?”
She nodded. “This afternoon. I went to Dr. Andrews. The baby will be born in about seven months.” She pulled away from me and threw herself back onto the bed. “I want to die,” she sobbed.
I rubbed her back. “Why?” I was so excited and wanted her to be excited and happy about it too. “Honey, this is wonderful news. You’ve made me so happy.” I gathered her back into my arms and covered her tear-drenched face with soft kisses.
“Happy? Do you realize what I’ll have to go through? My mother told me all about when I was born. She said she wanted to die it was so painful.”
I held her in my arms and talked softly to her, like talking to a child. “Things are different now. Besides look at my mother, she had three of us and she would have had more if she hadn’t had that cancer on her ovary. Children are a wonderful addition to a marriage. Maybe this is just what we need.” I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “Amy, I’m so happy!”
She had stopped her sobbing and lay quietly in my arms. “How will we manage? This apartment is so small and I know nothing about having babies and even less about talking care of one.”
I smiled down at her. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll get us a big house and I’ll get you a maid and a nurse and anything else you want.” I was babbling with enthusiasm. “A baby! Imagine, me a father. I’ve got to call my folks.” I stood and pulled her up with me. “Better still, let’s go see them. Wipe those tears away and let’s go. You’ll see. Everything will be fine.”
My excitement must have been contagious, because Amy smiled as she slipped away to freshen her face.
As I predicted, my folks were elated. Mom and Pat took Amy aside and told her that any questions she had, they would be glad to try to answer and that they would be available to help in any way. Phil and Pat couldn’t have been more excited to welcome us to the world of parenthood. Tom slapped me on the back and gave Amy a warm hug of congratulations. I began to predict that it was going to be a boy, a son for me to teach how to be a cowboy. Dad, Phil, Tom and I made bets on whether boy or girl.
Mom laughed while telling Amy, “Don’t pay any attention to their silliness. It will be what it will be and all their betting won't make any difference. Besides, a baby girl would be my preference. I would love having a granddaughter. A girl would be a first for the Lawrence clan and it would be so much more fun to make little dresses instead of shirts and jeans."
We left the folks in a great mood as we headed home. I asked Amy if she had told her parents yet.
“No. I want to put it off as long as possible. They won’t feel about it like your family does. I can see it all now. Father will shrug his shoulders and say, ‘That’s nice dear.’ And my mother will be furious that I was so careless.”
I started to refute her words, but
Our next big event came just before our first anniversary. I came home one evening to find Amy lying across the bed sobbing hysterically.
I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into my arms. “Honey, what’s wrong. Please don’t cry. Tell me.”
She looked up with a terrible fear in her eyes. “Oh Danny, I’m so stupid. I was careless about taking my birth control pills and now I’m pregnant”
My heart leapt. “Amy, are you sure? Have you been to the doctor?”
She nodded. “This afternoon. I went to Dr. Andrews. The baby will be born in about seven months.” She pulled away from me and threw herself back onto the bed. “I want to die,” she sobbed.
I rubbed her back. “Why?” I was so excited and wanted her to be excited and happy about it too. “Honey, this is wonderful news. You’ve made me so happy.” I gathered her back into my arms and covered her tear-drenched face with soft kisses.
“Happy? Do you realize what I’ll have to go through? My mother told me all about when I was born. She said she wanted to die it was so painful.”
I held her in my arms and talked softly to her, like talking to a child. “Things are different now. Besides look at my mother, she had three of us and she would have had more if she hadn’t had that cancer on her ovary. Children are a wonderful addition to a marriage. Maybe this is just what we need.” I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “Amy, I’m so happy!”
She had stopped her sobbing and lay quietly in my arms. “How will we manage? This apartment is so small and I know nothing about having babies and even less about talking care of one.”
I smiled down at her. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll get us a big house and I’ll get you a maid and a nurse and anything else you want.” I was babbling with enthusiasm. “A baby! Imagine, me a father. I’ve got to call my folks.” I stood and pulled her up with me. “Better still, let’s go see them. Wipe those tears away and let’s go. You’ll see. Everything will be fine.”
My excitement must have been contagious, because Amy smiled as she slipped away to freshen her face.
As I predicted, my folks were elated. Mom and Pat took Amy aside and told her that any questions she had, they would be glad to try to answer and that they would be available to help in any way. Phil and Pat couldn’t have been more excited to welcome us to the world of parenthood. Tom slapped me on the back and gave Amy a warm hug of congratulations. I began to predict that it was going to be a boy, a son for me to teach how to be a cowboy. Dad, Phil, Tom and I made bets on whether boy or girl.
Mom laughed while telling Amy, “Don’t pay any attention to their silliness. It will be what it will be and all their betting won't make any difference. Besides, a baby girl would be my preference. I would love having a granddaughter. A girl would be a first for the Lawrence clan and it would be so much more fun to make little dresses instead of shirts and jeans."
We left the folks in a great mood as we headed home. I asked Amy if she had told her parents yet.
“No. I want to put it off as long as possible. They won’t feel about it like your family does. I can see it all now. Father will shrug his shoulders and say, ‘That’s nice dear.’ And my mother will be furious that I was so careless.”
I started to refute her words, but
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