Chris Evans: The Collection (Imagines and Short Stories)

A Chris-mas Story 4

Chapter 4: Closure (For Now!)

March 2019

The memories of December are encapsulated in two frames, displayed on a table behind the couch at Chris and Guins' home in the City of Angels. The first is the more official earliest of photographs as Dodger is included in it-- obviously the ones at the hospital only have the human members. The second is a triptych from after Dodger was rid of the clown nose and antlers that had a strap that felt snug on his throat. Jay had the Nikon at his disposal, he fetched the tripod to take a photo of the entire congregation at the Patterson residence. The first, everyone is smiling, the second it transitions to silly, and the third is candid which combines both elements noted before.

Today, in true working mom on sabbatical fashion, Guin is burping Ava while giving a description of what she hopes from her next project. For once in the past few months, she's back in her professional garb of a green cap sleeve blouse, a black pencil skirt, and shiny charcoal heels. She feels like she's back in a lecture hall and it fulfills her. She's presenting to three intelligent and powerful women who are her colleagues at USC: Dr. Elizabeth Schmitky (Sociology, specifically looking at the roles of women and children in the societies they're part of), Amelia Engerman (Psychology, specializing in women's health, so anything from postpartum depression to providing emotional support to couples in periods of infertility), and Dr. Greta Abernathy (A resident educational specialist at Keck Medical School, with a focus on gynecology).

"So you see ladies," she gestures to the screen which has a presentation and bullets about why she sees this project as important. "I would like to look at the facts about what happens to women physically, mentally, and emotionally through my narrative. We need to show through an academic piece that there needs to be a shift in the message to women in order to change the narrative. What are your thoughts?"

Dr. Schmitky is poised and tall with ginger locks falling to her shoulders and is the first to speak, "I would love to be a part of this project because like you, this is a topic heavy on my heart, as before I had my son, I experienced two miscarriages. The shame one feels is not only internal but external because of societal forces. I would be happy to share my background in looking at how cultural norms impact the role women play, especially how they're viewed after a miscarriage."

Guin nods while striding over to where the hamper for kitchen towels. Ava has to spit up on the one over her shoulder.

"I'm glad. Thank you. I'm sorry for your loss, Beth," Guin tells her genuinely.

"Thank you, Guinevere. I'm sorry for yours as well."

She walks back stating, "Thanks. Please call me Guin."

"Okay, Guin," Beth nods.

When she's back in front of the projector, Ava is cooing and enamored by the light. The professors chuckle and Guin says, "I'm sorry. My husband will be back from running errands soon, so I have to watch Miss Ava."

Dr. Abernathy counters, "No need to apologize. She's adorable. Pretty name. Three months?"

"Yes. Thank you. Short for Avalon," Guin looks at her daughter who's grabbing her hair. "Oww. And keeping us on our toes. After my sabbatical, I intend to go back to work, but I want to spend as much time with her as possible. "

"It's a balancing act but not impossible as the questions people ask would imply," Dr. Schmitky says. "My husband is a professor at UCLA and after our son was born, he never got the question about how he'd cope. My mother to my good friends asked that question every time I saw them. Don't let anybody bring you down. Women have been balancing motherhood and work duties since the Ice Age. Even before that."