An Unforeseen Turn of Events

Chapter Four

Christine arrived at the office and warmly greeted her secretary, Linda Page.

"How's the family doing?" Christine asked as Linda closed a file drawer.

"Fine. Chaperoning my kids here and there. Can't wait until Rory gets her driver's license and lends me a hand. But as long as they're busy with good stuff, it's all good," Linda, a woman in her upper forties with dark hair with grey streaks coming in through the roots, replied. "And how's your family?"

"Great but hectic. The twins are getting ready to apply for college."

Linda chuckled. "It sure goes by fast."

Christine raised her eyebrows and nodded as she went over her mail. She never felt comfortable keeping her employees at a cool distance; on the other hand, she never confided anything too personal.

After tossing the advertisements in the trash, Christine headed into her office and as always, she viewed the Boston skyline outside. Her shoulders relaxed and she found herself smiling: it may not be New York City, but by having her own office in Boston with the Prudential Center looming above all the other buildings gave Christine the feeling she made it to a certain degree. Besides having a loving family, she had a career, albeit not a top-paying one. No small feat considering all she had been through.

Just as she sat down in the ocher leather chair at her desk, the phone rang. Upon seeing it was Daniel, she picked it up immediately.

"Hi honey. How're you doing? What did the doctor say?"

For a moment all she heard was silence on the other end.

"Oh, good, good," he reassured her. "The doctor wants me to come in again so he can perform a few more tests, but otherwise, it's fine."

Christine didn't believe him. She knew by the sound of his voice that something was not right.

"So the doctor said there's nothing to worry about?" she asked tentatively, reaching for a pen. Scribbling always calmed her nerves.

"No, nothing to be concerned about," Daniel said, trying to sound more cheerful. "But my parents called me before I had a chance to call you. They want the whole family to get together Sunday night for Rachel's birthday."

Christine slumped in her chair.

It seemed every time her in-laws were mentioned she felt a headache coming on.

"Can't just you and the twins go? Must I make my presence there?"

"Christine, why don't you want to go?"

"You know the reason just as well as I do," she forced herself to smile as she answered.

"Christine, don't you think after all these years they've finally accepted you? They really do consider you part of the family."

"It's more like they've resigned themselves."

"Anyway," Daniel said, "I've got to go to work now. We can discuss it later, sweetie. Just please keep in mind that my parents really do like you."

Christine rolled her eyes. You're talking like you're in la-la land again.

But she refused to say it aloud. He had been through enough this morning with all the medical testing.

"All right," she answered, thinking, I'll try to think of an excuse to get out of it by Sunday. Aloud, she said, "Have a good day, sweetie. Hope this is the end to all those medical tests."

"Believe me, I couldn't agree with you more. Love you."

And he hung up.

A shiver went through Christine's body just thinking about those medical tests Daniel had to go through. She remembered her own pregnancy, how she had to go in and out of the hospital because she had early contractions with the twins. She had never been in such pain in her whole life. Her gynecologist reassured her that if she were carrying a single baby, it would have been a normal pregnancy. She remembered having to take almost a year off work because the twins were born premature and fragile so they couldn't go into daycare.

But she never got pregnant again. Christine often wondered what a single pregnancy would have been like. Would it have been much less painful and more pleasant carrying one? Would she have had the opportunity to continue working up to the time she gave birth? She most likely wouldn't have needed such an extended leave of absence. Christine remembered others she worked with getting promoted at the time. Did she miss the promotion she had worked so hard to get for years? Her co-workers that did get promoted were just as hard-working and ambitious as she was. Were they actually more deserving? Was she overestimating her own talents? Perhaps that long leave didn't actually make such a difference. She'll never know. She had since moved on to this job.

She stared down at her messages and schedule. Time to quit ruminating about the past and get to work, she reprimanded herself.