by Sable Hunter
“Buford, settle down! Meet me inside. I have news!” Yes, she intended to practice her speech to T on his dog.
By the time she got inside, Glory was pooped. Her condition might be partially responsible, but she figured stress played a greater role.
Heading to the kitchen, she tended to the dog, then put the steaks on to marinate. A celebration dinner was in order. As she placed the plastic container filled with beef into the refrigerator, Glory noticed her hand was shaking. Time to take her medicine.
Taking a bottle of water from the fridge, she eased into a chair and opened her bag, spilling out the sad contents. So many pill bottles, some empty, some refills, and an unused pregnancy test. There wasn’t much makeup, just some lip gloss. And the good Lord knew she didn’t have much money in her threadbare wallet. Heck, she didn’t even have a checkbook. After seeing her mother and stepfather drown in credit card debt, Glory operated on a strictly cash basis. If she did live, how would she take care of a baby? Gathering the empty bottles, she walked to the bathroom and chunked them in the garbage. Returning to the table, she manhandled the new childproof/Glory-proof pill bottles, and pondered her options. None of them were great, but if she got the chance, she’d grab onto it with both hands. Who knows? T might even want both of them in his life for the long-term. Just the chance of a life like that made her heart hammer even harder. “Watch it, Glory Bee, you’ll excite yourself to death.”
After he’d inhaled his supper, Buford came and put his head in her lap. “Okay boy,” she murmured while she stroked his dappled fur, “you need to help me practice. How does this sound? T-Rex, I have wonderful news! We’re going to have a baby!” Buford whined. “Too direct? Okay, let’s try this. T, I have a surprise for you. A little bundle of joy.” Buford barked. “Too sappy? Okay. How about this. T, guess what? You knocked me up!” This time Buford howled and Glory laughed. “You’re right. There isn’t really a good way to do this. I’m going to have to give it some thought.”
Glancing at the clock, she knew she needed to get up and make a salad. Mashed potatoes would be good. She started to rise and it seemed like her limbs weighed a ton. Glory gave herself a few more seconds. Removing the sling, she folded it and put it aside. “I don’t need that thing.” She had much bigger things to worry about. “Come on, Glory, you’ve got to snap out of this. Maybe you need some vitamins. A specific diet.” After all, she had a baby to think of now. Seeing her cell phone lying among her things, she picked it up and placed a call to the one person who might be able to give her some advice. She certainly had no desire to see Dr. Osborne again.
“Baton Rouge Free Clinic.”
“May I speak to Dr. Lexington, please?”
“I’m sorry, he’s just about to leave for the day. If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1.”
“Could you tell him that Glory Bee Hudson needs to speak to him? I think he’ll take my call.”
The receptionist was silent for a second, giving her request some consideration. “Hold one moment, please.”
“Thank goodness,” Glory whispered. She glanced at the clock and sure enough, it was getting late. T would be home soon.
“Glory?”
The old doctor’s familiar gruff voice made Glory want to cry. This man was no relation to her, but he knew more about her than anyone else did. He was familiar with her past, her circumstances, and her health. She’d had no secrets from Dr. Lexington before, and she wouldn’t now. “Yes, doctor, it’s me. How are you? How’s Letha’s arthritis?”
Her concern for his wife’s health made the old physician chuckle. “Her arthritis is fine; her temperament lacks something to be desired. I swear, that woman gets meaner every year.”
“Maybe because she has to put up with the likes of you.”
“You’re probably right. Now, how’s Glory? Are you feeling well? Or did you just call to ask about two old people’s health?”
As the prospect of revealing her predicament came to the front, Glory felt tongue-tied. She sorta knew how a teenager might feel telling her strict father she’d lost her virginity in the backseat of a car. Only this was worse, this man knew full well the risk she was taking. “Uh, Dr. Lexington…I’m pregnant.”
Silence.
“Are you still there?”
“How did this happen, Glory?”
Glory let out a nervous giggle. Before she could put together an answer, he asked again.
“I guess a better question is, how could you let this happen, Glory? You knew the risk.” Glory could hear the concern and the disappointment in the doctor’s voice. “You and I have had this conversation many times since your prognosis. Pregnancy is out of the question for a woman with your condition.”
Even though Glory was thrilled…and terrified, Dr. Lexington made her feel properly chastised. “I know, Doctor. I never meant for it to happen. Believe me. The man I’ve been spending time with told me he had a vasectomy years ago. I thought we were safe.”
“Vasectomies aren’t foolproof, Glory. Not only did you tell me you knew the dangers involved in becoming pregnant, but you sat in my office and promised me you would always use protection and be safe.”
“I know. I don’t know what to do, Doctor Lexington.”
“You know what you need to do, Glory. Your poor little body can’t sustain a pregnancy, you won’t survive.”
Glory stiffened, her natural stubborn streak rising to take control. When Osborne had made the recommendation, she’d felt like he was ripping her heart out. “We don’t know that for sure. I may be the exception. I’m awfully bull-headed, Dr. Lexington.”
The old man laughed. “I can personally vouch that’s true. So, why don’t you come in and let me check you out? Let’s talk about this. How far along are you?”
“Dr. Osbourne says six weeks. It’s a long trip to see you, Dr. Lexington, and I don’t have reliable transportation. Could you just write me a prescription for some prenatal vitamins?”
“I’d really like to see you, Glory. This man who made you pregnant needs to get you here. He should take responsibility for you and your healthcare. I’ll book you in for this coming Friday.”
“I haven’t told him yet,” Glory confessed, softly. She’d never been able to lie to Lexington.
She could hear him breathing on the other end of the line. Thinking. “I’m going to assume you have your reasons, Glory, and I’m also going to assume this pregnancy is already taking a toll on your body. Where are you these days? Who is this Dr. Osbourne?”
“I’m running my uncle’s bait shop near Loreauville. Dr. Osbourne is a physician at the free clinic in New Iberia.”
There was a pause, she could hear the scratch of his pen on paper. “Okay. So, here’s what I’m going to do. I don’t know this Osbourne fella, but I’m going to call him today, feel him out. If I think he’s capable enough, I’m going to ask if he will take over your care.”
Glory thought for a moment. She and Osbourne had clashed, but she trusted Dr. Lexington with her life. And really, what alternative did she have?
“I’m not going to have an abortion, Dr. Lexington. I just can’t, for many reasons. Convince him to help me, please.”
“Oh, little girl, what are we going to do with you?”
His calm demeanor and fatherly tone always put Glory at ease. “I don’t know. Thank you, Doctor.”
“My pleasure. Give me a little while and I’ll call you back about Osbourne. Meanwhile, you’d better think of some way to tell that guy of yours. He might have something to say about all of this.”
*
Yes, Glory was afraid T would have plenty to say about her unexpected news. But one thing after another happened, and here it was a week later and she still hadn’t confessed her big secret.
To Glory’s surprise, T had been called out of town on business. The project he’d been working on had reached a critical point. An agreement had been reached to move the people off the sinking island to a segment of property that the state had alloc
ated for their use. Even though they’d all agreed to do it, the actual process of leaving their homes behind had been hard. T and Revel had been assigned as a liaison between the islanders and the officials who were more concerned with the paperwork and the outcome than they were the real folks who were leaving behind all that was familiar to them.
While T was gone, he’d called Glory and they’d talked for hours at night, whispering in the dark. Since he’d confessed his past to her, it seemed the floodgates had opened and he felt free to tell Glory everything. She now knew how he and his family had suffered and what T-Rex feared the most in the world, becoming like his father. During those tender moments, she’d come so close to blurting out the truth about the baby. But telling him over the phone, instead of face to face, seemed like a cowardly thing to do.
Now, he was back – and she still hadn’t told him.
Well, today was the day. Glory had an appointment and she hoped to talk T into taking her.
Standing at the kitchen window, she scrubbed on a ceramic dish; baked on BBQ sauce was a bitch to clean off. As she worked, she followed T’s movements. Whatever was messing around the house had been back last night. He was being a bit mysterious about it all. When Glory asked about what he thought the culprit might be – man or beast – he’d just shrugged, pulled his gun from the closet and told her he was going to look around. She teased him about their nighttime visitor being the Rougaroux and for some reason, he hadn’t found her conjecture to be humorous.
Turning on the water, she rinsed the dish, placing it in the drying rack. Taking a deep breath, she laid her head on the counter. She shouldn’t be so tired. Yea, T had been a bit demanding in bed last night, but she’d enjoyed it. Glory wouldn’t have traded one second of their time together for all the money in the world. Stifling a yawn, Glory considered that maybe a nap was in order. The excitement of the last week had zapped her. She’d made another trip into town, hitching a ride with Harper this time. With Revel and T out of town, at least she’d been able to take care of the baby business without arousing any suspicions on T’s part.
Raising her head, she wrung out the rag, letting the water out of the sink, then wiped it clean. As she went about the mundane task, her mind wandered. Dr. Lexington had been pleased with Osbourne’s credentials and arranged for Glory to make a follow-up appointment right away. She’d been in to see him two days ago and made Osbourne swear on a stack of Bibles not to reveal her condition to T-Rex, if the two men ever came into contact. Since he hadn’t been able to talk her into an abortion, the doctor insisted she have an ultrasound, so they’d know exactly what they were dealing with. The appointment for the ultrasound was Monday. Now all she needed to do was grow a backbone and tell T about her pregnancy.
After all, Harper knew.
After asking their neighbor to drop her off at the clinic, she’d had to come clean. And with Harper knowing, it wouldn’t be long before Revel found out – if he didn’t already know. Glory had begged Harper to keep her secret, but the young woman had been so thrilled at the fact that they were both pregnant, Glory feared Harper would let something slip soon. She hadn’t told her friend the whole truth, Glory didn’t want her to know about the risk or about her heart.
Dr. Osbourne had laid down the law to her, though. She was supposed to take it easy, eat right, and not get too upset. Having T nearby to take care of her alleviated some of the worry in his mind. Although if he’d had his way, the doctor would’ve admitted her to a hospital or confined her to bed rest for the duration – or until she expired quietly in her sleep. This thought made Glory giggle, she didn’t think she could be quiet and still long enough to die. Huh. Maybe that was the secret to her success. Vivienne had always told her that if someone kidnapped her, they wouldn’t keep her long, that they’d bring her back. That was Glory’s hope with dying, to be so ornery not even death would take her.
When she looked out the window once more, T had completely disappeared. Maybe she had time for a quick rest. Padding on her bare feet to the couch, she covered up with a plaid blanket and was soon sound asleep…
…“You must take me for a real fool.”
Glory opened her eyes. “What?” When she blinked away the sleep and focused her eyes, Glory could see T standing over her. Staring at his face, she tried to ascertain his mood. He didn’t look happy. “A fool?” A storm of thoughts assailed her. Somehow, he’d found out about the baby. She’d hid the remaining pregnancy test in her drawer. Had he seen it? Had he talked to one of the nosy nurses at Osbourne’s office or had Revel let it slip? “What do you mean?” Glory asked T-Rex from her spot on the couch. She could almost feel the walls of her happiness crashing down around her.
T eyed her seriously. “I know your secret, Glory Bee Hudson.”
Panic washed over her in a colossal wave. Damn. Damn. Damn. “T, I’m so sorry. I know I should have told you earlier.” She sat up, preparing herself for the verbal onslaught about to come her way. “I was going to tell you today, I swear.”
“You’re right. You should have told me.” He looked at her with a smile. “It’s honey. Isn’t it?”
What? “Honey? I don’t understand.”
“The secret ingredient in the sauce you made for the ribs last night. You told me I’d never figure out what it was, but I snuck one more out of the fridge on my way out the door. I can’t keep my hands off them, they’re truly delectable.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Like you.” Seeing her blush just did it for him. “I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure it out ever since. I can taste the cumin and the chili powder, but that sweet, tangy aftertaste had me stumped. But I figured it out. It’s honey.”
Relief spread out all over Glory’s body. She actually felt a warm sensation flowing through her veins; the fight she’d been expecting hadn’t materialized. “To be totally honest…” Her words almost got stuck in her throat. “To be honest, I use maple syrup, not honey and the tanginess is because I add a dash of pickle juice straight from the jar.”
“Pickle juice? I didn’t know you even ate pickles.”
“Oh, yeah. I love em. Good thing too.”
“Why? Are you pregnant or something?” T cut loose with a hearty laugh.
Golden opportunity. “Yes.” Glory took a deep breath and made the announcement as if she were pulling off a band-aid, nice and fast.
T laughed even harder. “Yeah, right. God, I love your sense of humor.” He gave her a peck on the lips. “Let me guess. I’m the father.”
“Well, you are the only man I’ve ever been with.”
T was taking this all as a joke. Glory could see this probably wasn’t the best way to tell him. But he had brought it up and even if it had been in jest, she’d seized the opportunity.
The smile slowly melted from T’s handsome face. “Okay, now. Fun’s over.” Glory only offered an awkward smile. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you, Glory? This is a joke, right?”
“No.” She shook her head solemnly. She sat up and drew her knees protectively against her, keeping the blanket over her legs. “It’s not a joke, it’s true. I’m going to have a baby.”
To say T was shocked would be an understatement. “Who’s the father?” he roared. “You know damn well it’s not me!” Yes, he knew he’d been clear they weren’t serious, but the idea of Glory cheating on him tore a strip out of his heart.
“You are.” Glory stared at his beloved face. He was suffering, this wasn’t easy for him.
“What do you mean, I am?” His blood ran cold; his palms began to sweat.
“T, you took my virginity. We’ve been practically inseparable for weeks. When would I have had time to sleep with anyone else?” She should’ve known this would be his response. Glory felt her heart breaking.
“But…I can’t father children. How can it be mine?” Hope warred with anger and despair. Anger and despair won.
“My doctor back in Baton Rouge told me not every vasectomy works. I guess you’ve got some strong swimmers.
” Glory hung her head, unable to even look at him. He was so angry. She wasn’t afraid of him, she was embarrassed.
“You can’t keep it.” The words burst from T’s lips. Even though the thought was inconceivable, this was the only answer.
“Pardon me?” Glory was stunned. Shocked. She’d expected this from the doctors. After all, they knew the truth. T-Rex didn’t. He wasn’t concerned for her or her health; he was only thinking of himself.
“You can’t keep it, Glory. You’ve got to fix this. I can’t be a father.” T had no idea what was going on. He’d been thinking about rib sauce a few moments ago and now here he was, faced with his greatest desire and his greatest fear in life. All rolled into one package.
“Fix this?” He meant an abortion! For a few moments, Glory was tongue-tied. “No! Absolutely not. How can you even suggest such a thing, T?” She rose from the couch and marched across the room, staring out the window. “This is our baby!”
“How far along are you?” T snapped, trying to wrap his head around an impossible situation.
Glory was about to cry. “Almost two months.”
T felt his throat closing up. “I…I can’t do this.” Staring at her, he raked his hand through his hair, making it stand up in its usual unruly pose.
Glory felt herself beginning to shake. “You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. I can manage.”
“I have to go.” T headed towards the door, needing to get outside. He couldn’t breathe.
Glory whirled around, rushing toward him. “Wait! Don’t leave! Please!” When he didn’t stop, she cried, reaching for his arm. “Where are you going?”
T pulled from her grasp. “For a walk. I need to think.” Without looking back, he stormed out the door, slamming it shut behind him. How cruel could fate be? Giving him something he’d die to have, yet making it impossible for him to accept. He was terrified. T’s greatest fear was that he’d be like Rex senior, be blessed enough to have people in his life and put them in danger by being near him.
