“We just graduated from high school.
This week at the beach is our present to ourselves. “
“High school?” Nancy asked. Again, her gaze moved to Grace’s stomach, and this time Grace felt distinct discomfort.
“You’re not married, then, I take it?” Nancy asked.
“No,” Grace said.
“Wow.” Nancy said.
“When are you due?”
“Another month,” Grace said.
“Do you… Excuse me for asking such personal questions, but I’m a nurse. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No,” Grace said. For some reason, she didn’t mind Nancy’s probing.
The woman’s questions were personal, but gently asked.
“Are you keeping the baby?”
“Yes, though I haven’t figured out yet how I’m going to support it and me,” she said.
“Won’t your parents help?”
Grace laughed.
“I just have a mother,” she said.
“And she doesn’t know.”
“She doesn’t know?” Nancy asked, incredulous.
“Is she blind?”
“I’ve hidden it,” she said.
“She just thinks I’m fat.”
“Wow,” Nancy said again.
“What will she do when she finds out?”
“Have a heart attack.” Grace laughed.
“Right after she kills me.”
“Why didn’t you have an abortion?” Nancy asked.
“I didn’t want one,” Grace said simply.
“It must be scary not to know how you’ll support the baby,” Nancy said.
“You’re wise to be concerned about that. You’re only eighteen, right?”
“Not quite,” Grace admitted.
“Gee, honey, I think you should give some serious thought to adoption.”
“No, I’ll figure out a way to make it work.”
Nathan yawned from his station on the floor.
“It’s just that there are so many couples out there who can’t have a baby of their own for one reason or another,” Nancy said. “They would be able to give your baby a good home, with two parents and lots of love.”
Nancy was tapping into the one misgiving that gnawed at her: she was not being fair to this baby by depriving it of two parents and the material goods it deserved to have.
“I couldn’t give it away,” she said.
“I understand,” Nancy said.
“I don’t think I could, either. But you still have a month to think through that decision
“I’ve thought it through,” Grace said.
“Well, how has your pregnancy been?” Nancy asked.
“Easy,” Grace said.
“I was never even sick. Although now… I’m getting kind of nervous. I’ve been reading books about labor and everything. It scares me.”
“You’ll be fine,” Nancy said.
“What kind of nurse are you?” Grace asked.
“Have you ever helped at a delivery?”
“When I was a student, yes, I sure did. Right now, though, I’m an oncology nurse.”
“What’s that?” Bonnie asked.
“I work with cancer patients in a hospital in Elizabeth City.”
