"No, we can't take that chance. Alberta. In this day and age people can find their origins. Whoever adopts the baby will have a right to know where the child came from, especially if it came from a clinic like mine. There could be an even bigger scandal if we were caught doing that. It could blow up in our faces, and then where would we be? When you lose control of the situation, you take a bigger chance."
"I won't do it. I won't have a crazy child brought up as our own."
"There's nothing wrong with the child. Alberta. The problem the woman suffers comes from behavioral, social problems, not genetic." I said.
"Don't give me that medical gobbledygook. Claude. A disturbed person is giving birth to a ... a what? Is it a boy or a girl?''
"We don't know that yet. Alberta. but I assure you there is nothing mentally wrong to be inherited."
She shook her head. "It's too late for us. Claude. I'm not suited to be a mother now. I can't raise an infant, especially not my own. I won't do it Find another solution," she ordered and turned back to her vanity mirror.
"I have some ideas. Alberta. Just listen." I pleaded.
She didn't respond. She went about her cosmetics as if I was already gone.
'I will hire a nanny immediately who will be solely responsible for the child. You won't have an iota of work in that regard."
"Ridiculous."
"She and I will be solely in charge of the infant's upbringing."
"What is this?" she asked, turning back to me. "Some sort of psychological study you want to do?"
"Yes," I said.
"In a way that's lame." She stared a moment. thinking.
"People will admire you for this. Alberta. What a great act of charity to be performing. adoption. You will just have to keep the child's origins to yourself"
"Who would want to admit to having the child of a nutcase?" she fired back. She was still shaking her head. "I can't imagine it. I just can't."
"We would improve the house, of course, fix up a nursery, prepare quarters for the nanny..."
She turned to me again, her eyes narrowing, "Improve the house? Does that include my
landscaping designs?" she asked.
"If you think that's absolutely necessary. I suppose..."
"Absolutely necessary? What do you think I've been shouting about all these months? Of course it's absolutely necessary. Have we had a dinne
r here recently? No. And you know why. Claude. I've been too embarrassed about our grounds to have any distinguished guests come here."
"I understand." I said I felt as if my arm was being so twisted behind my back. I could do nothing but surrender to every demand she would make.
She sat there. considering, "You will hire someone who will be completely responsible for the child? I will have nothing to do with caring for this... infant?"
"Just as I said. yes."
"And we'll get started immediately on all the improvements?"
"I would want them done in time for the child's arrival here. yes."
She thought again. "I suppose we could make some sort of social announcement about it, about the need to adopt needy little babies. There is Clair Softer's child welfare organization, the one that holds that auction dinner every year at the Ritz."
"Oh. I'm sure you can do something significant with all that, Alberta." I said quickly.
"Don't patronize me. Claude." she fired back, her face screwed tightly, "Don't think I don't see how you are manipulating me here."