Chapter 13: Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024

Celia Burton was born on this day, February 29, 1992. So, she was turning 32 years old. Davis and Lara had conspired to prepare an elaborate party for her, with a decorated sheet cake, balloons, crepe streamers, party hats, paper napkins and plates, all kinds of juvenilia.

All of it marked, “Happy 8th Birthday!”

After they arrived home from work, Celia surveyed the clutter and said, “OK, you got me. But why all the ‘8s’? Oh, I get it. Only eight February 29ths since 1992. Smart-asses!

“I have just one question: do I get ice cream with my cake?”

“Of course,” answered Lara.

But, Seriously

After cleaning up, they took their full bellies to the big sofa in the living room.

“You’re all sweet to make a fuss over me, thank you. I don’t want to spoil the happy mood, but I want to talk seriously with you guys. This has been on my mind for years, and I feel that it’s time I brought it up.

“First, I want you to know, I’m thinking about a big change in our lives, for the better, I hope. I can already see the anxiety on your face, Lara.

“I know you are both very happy with our little trio, here, and I am too. Nothing’s going to change unless we all agree, all right? Let me just say what I need to, and we can go on from there.

“Now that I am 8 multiplied by 4, I am hearing the ticking of the old biological clock. I want to have a baby, a child. To be a mother. I want Davis to be a father. And you, my love, Lara, you also to be a mother.

“I know, this is a huge thing to dump on you Lara. Just let me get through the rest of it, please.

“Davis knows I feel this way, we tried for years but I just didn’t catch. And we know he’s got the little swimmers, because he unwillingly started another pregnancy when he was young.”

“UNWILLINGLY?” exploded Lara.

“He was only 12. A 19-year-old woman molested him and got herself pregnant. When all four parents discovered the truth, she had an abortion and her family ended up paying a lot of money to the Catania family to hush things up. That paid for therapy and college for him.

“This explains why you don’t use birth control, Celie. I just assumed you had an implant or something. Well, I guess it’s good that Davis got help ... wait. Are you ... ME?

“THE HELL, CELIA! You want ME to carry a baby for YOU?”

Davis tried to intercede, a bad idea: “No, Lara—”

They both glared at him, and he subsided.

“Lara, a baby for US. All three of us. WE would be both mothers, Davis the father. And ONLY if you are willing. If not, we will never speak of this again, and go on like we have been.”

“I don’t know about that, Celia. You just exploded a big bomb here. I don’t know what to think.”

Grim faced, Lara stood abruptly and left for the spare bedroom, reappearing a few minutes later in fresh clothes.

“Celia, put me down as out ill tomorrow, I’m going to a hotel for a couple of days. Davis, I’ll call your mobile number when I’m ready to come back and talk. Don’t contact me, wait for my call.”

With that, Lara was out the door and gone. Celia leaned into her husband’s arms, weeping.