Chapter 14

Karen was very close. This baby would not be spending much more time inside her.

"I thought I was going to piss myself I was laughing so hard when Randy asked Lisa to have that 'officious functionary' taken into custody for contempt of marriage.

"The look on the nurse's face when Lisa started with, 'Ma'am, I'm afraid I'm going to have to have you taken into custody.'

"All of the pain was gone for those few moments."

Karen was recounting the events leading up to Alexander's birth.

"And," she patted my hand, "he was so helpful, mom."

Did I detect a tone of condescension?

"He told me to take slow, deep breaths. And what did I tell you, Randy?"

"She told me I could demonstrate the process as soon as she punched me in the nuts."

My mother howled. She loved Karen and was delighted to be called 'mom.'

"But you're doing it now," I said.

"Sure, after taking all the yoga. And don't forget the epidural."

Things were quite a bit less hectic than with our first.

Karen's doctor told us it was time. I tilted my head questioningly.

"It's just a baby," Karen said. "We're not politically correct. Go with the family."

Earlier we had agreed it was entirely her call. I was happy to do whatever she preferred, and she knew it.

My mother and I headed to the waiting room.

My father was reading the paper. He glanced up. Mom shook her head and he went back to the paper.

Betty had Alexander in her lap. She had a wistful look on her face. Her three kids rushed up to grab me, each calling out, "Daddy."

Harry asked, "Did Mommy Two have her baby?" I saw Betty flinch.

"She's having it now," I told him.

'Mommy Two' developed quickly and naturally. The kids were at our house quite a bit. They discovered what I had: Karen's heart was a boundless wellspring of love that was fully available to them.

She was married to daddy.

"Mommy is Mommy," explained seven-year-old Nancy, "so Alexander's mommy is like a second mommy. So Mommy is Mommy One and Alexander's mommy is Mommy Two."

There was not a trace of doubt in her voice, there rarely was. She was just explaining the order of the universe to her Daddy.

As always, at the end of such an explanation, there was either the implied, or the actual, "Right, Daddy?"

And, as always, I gave the expected response of either, "That's right," or "Very good."

Hearing this name made Betty pretty upset in the beginning. She ripped into me later until I was able to explain its derivation. Hearing her children tell her how wonderful Karen was moved Betty to subconsciously compete for their affection. It was never in doubt, she was their mother, but both Betty and the children were the better for her extra effort.

The children loved their "half" brother Alexander and were excitedly looking forward to their new baby.

Less than an hour later a nurse came out to get me and I was able to tell the family that Melinda had arrived healthy.

Karen was drifting in and out of sleep.

She opened her eyes, smiled and said, "You have the look. It has nothing to do with the baby, does it?"

"Nothing at all."

I was consumed with love for this spectacular woman. I reveled in it. There was no happiness or success I did not want for her. I would do anything to assure that. That was the look. Fortunately for me, she too had the look.

We discussed the meaning of the look, when she discovered I had intervened, though she called it meddling, on her behalf with a member of her department. To say she was angry was to call a hurricane a zephyr.

Fool that she was, Karen told me everything. She was unhappy because her advancement was being blocked Harrison Cartwright.

I thought the name was synonymous with constipation. I could have sworn that he was constipated each time I met him at some function.

Karen told me about him because she wanted my love and support, which I gladly gave her.