“I have to get every moment in with you alone before you leave.”
“It’s not like I’m leaving the country. I’m not even leaving town.”
“I know. So what’s your feeling about all of this, Debs—excited, scared, wish you weren’t doing it?”
Debbie smiled. “I think it will be a good experience.”
“Experience for what?”
“I’ve been thinking the last year or so about having a family.”
“You mean a baby? Like get pregnant and carry a child?” Lisa put her hand on Debbie’s tummy.
Debbie put her hand on top of hers. “No. I’m getting too old to have a non-risk pregnancy. I’m pushing forty already.”
She took Lisa’s hand from her body and put it on Lisa’s. “I was thinking you’d carry our child since you are in your early thirties.”
“Really?” Lisa turned sideways on the couch, pulling her leg up so she could face Debbie. She was beaming. “You want me to get pregnant. How?”
“We’d get a sperm donor or buy an embryo, whatever you prefer.”
“Oh wow. Yes, let’s look into that.”
Lisa had to admit she’d never seriously thought about having a baby or being a mother. At least not since she was a child herself. After all, she lived with a woman, so how would that be possible? Of course, Debbie was far ahead of her: sperm donor, embryo implant. Both were invasive. Could she carry a baby who had no natural tie to her, or use sperm from a stranger? She’d have no idea who the man was. She thought of stories she’d read where doctors injected their own sperm into unwitting women. She shivered. Debbie had been so good to her and for her—if Debbie wanted her to do that, she would.
“I think we’d make good moms.” Debbie put her hand on Lisa’s face and then kissed her.
“Wow,” Lisa said. “Just wow. Do you want to get married?”
“Maybe. Let’s think about it.”
“As long as you don’t leave me at the altar.” They both laughed softly, though Debbie took a minute to stroke Lisa’s hair. Lisa was over Curtis, but the insult still stung. Debbie had a moment of panic thinking about her family’s response to her marrying a woman. She rarely spoke to any of them… but… anyway, nothing was happening right now. The next six months were going to take all her energy.
They both got up and went into the kitchen to fix dinner.
“So, Debbie, this baby talk. What does it have to do with living with Gini?”
Debbie leaned up against the counter. “She’s special needs. I’ll see how patient I am with living twenty-four seven with someone who needs me constantly. Good training to be a parent.”
Lisa cut a large wedge of lettuce. “Do you think she and Ric will ever be able to live together again?”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“Where do you see her going after the six months?”
“My plan is to get her to where she can live in a group home. That’s a tall order, but she’s driving this train and at high speed sometimes. I think we’ll get there.” She took the plates out of the cupboard. “I guess Ric could hire in-house care if they live together. He couldn’t take care of her alone.”
“Oh, I hope they can be together again. He’s such a wonderful guy.” Lisa looked sideways to Debbie. “I know; you think he isn’t real. But I’ve never seen anyone love a person like he loves her. He’s always there, happy, upbeat, and loving. And with those good looks and charm, ahh, he’s perfect.”
“Leesy.”
“Come on, Debs, he’s perfect. Look at Mr. Legotti—he caved, couldn’t handle the trauma. And Ric, well, he never falters.”
“I’m getting to know him. He puts on a good face, but he’s not perfect; he’s human just like the rest of us. Don’t be fooled by that bright smile.”
“Debbie Pierce, you’re going to give him a pass? That’s not like you to give in so easily.” She reached over and patted Debbie on the bottom.
“He’s going to be around—a lot.” She smiled and went back to preparing dinner. “A lot!”
Aaron and Debbie worked with Gini every day after her afternoon nap—when she was fresh and thinking clearer. Every time he walked into the room, Gini said, “A ron… awk.”
He chuckled each time. “Yes, sweet pea, you will walk, but not today.”
Gini had not been out of bed. They were working with her to sit up and had successfully gotten her to sit on the edge of the bed without any support. As usual, she would open her eyes now and again. Neither Debbie nor Aaron had come up with an effective way to teach her how to open her eyes and blink.
“Okay, Gini,” he said with his encouraging tone, “if you want to walk, we have to go to the therapy gym. And to get to the gym, you have to ride in a wheelchair.”
“A… ron…” She stopped and thrust her tongue.
“Waa… awk. A… ron… uff… Er… guieney… waa… awk.”
All the staff knew to pause and wait when it appeared Gini was going to speak. Her words came slow, with long hesitations between them. They knew thinking the words, then going through the process of forming and saying them was very difficult for her. “Absolutely, you are going to walk. But first, we must get you comfortable in a wheelchair. Do you know what a wheelchair is?”
“Oh… yes…” she said profoundly, raising her voice at the end.
Aaron was a big burly man, a gentle giant. He had never had any problems with his patients. Probably his size and encouraging voice put them all at ease. He had a way of pushing without offending. But he knew there would be no push with Gini. She was pacing herself way too fast. If anything, he’d
