Another Man's Child

“Never. You’re the least foolish person I know, Ol iver, and if there’s something out there you want, then go get it.”

“I’m not sure I can, son, but, thanks. You’ve given me something to ponder.”

Marcus wasn’t at all clear on what they’d just been talking about, but he was glad to have been able to help someone else, since he couldn’t seem to find a way to help himself.

Shortly after hanging up the phone with Oliver, Marcus packed it in. Wednesday was Lisa’s early day, and he’d been driving her to and from work most of the week. They’d often traveled to work together back before Marcus’s diagnosis. It was something he’d missed when they’d started working such crazy hours. Something he was enjoying doing again when he could.

He also enjoyed the massages he gave Lisa each night before dinner to help ease the cramps in her muscles. And he looked forward even more to the lovemaking that always came later. He’d made love to Lisa every night since the doctor had given him the okay to do so, and he still couldn’t get enough of her. All she had to do was look at him in that way, or he at her, and they started undressing. He’d wondered a time or two if maybe they were falling into bed so much because that was the only part of their relationship that was working, but decided that if that was the case, he was just grateful that something was working.

Surprisingly enough, he was even finding himself turned on by Lisa’s expanding belly. Regardless of how the baby came to be inside her, she looked so womanly to him, so sexy, growing big with child. He was awed by her physical ability to do that which he, a mere man, could never do.

And he was awed by the things he was finding out he could do. It was hard to feel like a failure when all it took to make his wife stop crying was for him to walk into the room.

He arrived at the medical complex a few minutes early, and not wanting to bother Lisa while she was working, decided to pay a visit to little Willie Adams while he waited. The convalescent center was at one end of the medical complex, and he’d been in to see Willie a few other times during the boy’s long recuperation, finding himself drawn to Willie’s cocky selfassurance against all odds.

“Hi, Mr. C. I just saw Dr. C. this morning. It’s pretty cool, you two having a kid and all,” the boy said as soon as Marcus walked into his room. He’d offered to pay for a private room for Willie, but the boy preferred to have the company of other children, and so shared a room with two other long-term orthopedic patients. He was alone that afternoon, however.

“Dr. C.’s been wanting one a long time,” Marcus said. He was learning to think of the baby only in terms of Lisa, hoping that would eventually make the whole thing easier somehow.

“Yeah, she’ll prob’ly be a great mom, too, for a woman.” Willie grinned, his red hair and freckled skin standing out against the stark white sheets of the hospital bed.

“I hear you’ve been doing pretty well yourself,” Marcus said, sitting down on the end of the bed. “Dr. C. tells me you’ve taken a few steps without any assistance.”

“I got to if I’m gonna be runnin’ by next summer,

” Willie said, his chest expanding importantly.

“Just don’t overdo it, fella. Dr. C. and your other doctors are doing everything they can to get you ready in time, so don’t go messing up all their hard work by rushing things.” Lisa had told him just the other night that Willie had been caught trying to get out of his bed by himself over the weekend to practice walking.

“I only did it once, Mr. C., honest. They canceled my therapy Saturday morning, and I didn’t want to waste a whole day of getting better.”

“They canceled your session because of some swelling in your muscles, Willie. I guess you pushed yourself a little hard on Friday, huh?”

“I guess.” The boy looked contrite for all of two seconds and then grinned up at Marcus. “But I was awesome, Mr. C. You shoulda seen me. I made it all the way across the bars, only stopping once.” Marcus knew a lot of Willie’s workouts consisted of forcing his legs to move forward in walking motions while he supported his weight with his arms on the bars on either side of him.

“I’m proud of you. Keep up the good work, and you and I’ll hit the batting cages before you go to camp next summer. Can’t have your hitting rusty when you’re playing with those older guys.”

“Cool! You mean it, Mr. C.?”

“Yep. Just as soon as Dr. C. says you’re ready.” He glanced at his watch. “And now I’ve got to get over to her office before she gets mad at me for being late.”

Willie’s eyes opened wide. “She really gets mad at you?”

“Yeah, but I can handle it,” Marcus said, ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately.

“Hey, Mr. C.?” Willie called just as Marcus reached the door.

“Yeah?” he looked back at the boy, thinking how small and defenseless he looked in the bed.

“Your new baby sure is gonna be lucky, having you for a dad and all.”

Marcus felt the sting of the boy’s words clear down to his soul.

THE FOURTH MONTH of her pregnancy was both the best and the worst time of Lisa’s life. In some ways she and Marcus had never been closer. She cherished their love, knowing what an incredible gift it was.

And she was pregnant, soon to have the baby she’d always wanted. Her morning sickness had subsided and she felt great. She was even starting to show enough to need some of the maternity clothes she’d already purchased, with Beth’s help, one Saturday afternoon. And she spent a lot of time daydreaming about the months to come. She was scheduled for her first ultrasound during her four-month checkup and might even then know the sex of her baby.

Everything would have been perfect if Marcus had shown any interest whatsoever in the life her body was busy creating for them.