An Unforeseen Turn of Events

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Fear gripped Christine as she entered her husband's hospital room. The strong antiseptic smell and the humming monitor raised her anxiety level even further. A glimpse of Daniel let her know that all the rallying and positive thinking that they were going to beat this would not be enough to overcome this terrible disease; his thin, frail body, hair turning white seemingly overnight, and his worn, haggard face made Daniel appear more dead than alive.

Christine couldn't control her shaking legs. She forced one leg to move in front of the other as she found herself walking into this waking nightmare. She wanted to cry out the words "How could God do this? Whatever did he do to deserve this?" The man who was responsible for turning her life around and providing her and her children with a happy stable family was dying.

He is such a good man. Why, God, why?

Y is a crooked letter, she recalled her mother telling her while growing up and complaining how unfair life was.

She shook her head to dispel these thoughts—this was not the time to speculate about these unanswerable questions. Now she could only offer her husband comfort.

Sitting gently on the edge of his bed, she tried to smile while gently squeezing his frail, bony hand, "Hey."

It took a moment for Daniel's eyes to reach hers.

With great effort, his lips moved, struggling to get the words out.

"The money," he whispered. "The money, money for the kids'. . . for the kids' coll-," he couldn't manage the last word.

"Shhh, don't, Daniel. Don't worry about that. You're the one who matters now," Christine whispered. She found it difficult to speak and not break down and cry. "The kids are in the lobby, worrying about you. We all need you, Daniel." Despite her efforts, the tears streamed down like a faucet unable to be turned off.

"I fought and I tried," Daniel said before shaking and coughing.

"Just rest, Daniel. Don't try to talk. You need your strength."

After he stopped coughing, he faced her and shook his head. "There's something I need to tell you, Christine. There's something you need to know."

She massaged his hand as gently as she would a baby's. "It can wait."

"No!" he tried to lift his head up, then sank back down in the pillow, his strength spent. He breathed heavily and clung to her hand. When he regained some energy, he gestured for her to come nearer.

Christine put her head near his lips. He spoke in a tone so low she barely heard him. "I need to tell you. . . ," he began.

"Told me what?" Christine faced him with wrinkled brows. As much as she wanted him to preserve his strength, she had to know what was so urgent.

"T-Tim and Trudy," he said. "They're my children. T-thank you for l-letting me be their father."

She turned back to her husband and said, "Of course you're their father. And I think you did a damn good job." Tears resumed flowing down Christine's cheeks. "I love you, Daniel. Please don't leave us."

Daniel's smile disappeared and he said, "How I don't want to leave you! I want to live so badly and have the four of us stay together forever." His eyes turned down in sadness as he said, "There is one other thing I need you to know, Christine."

"What is it, honey?" Christine reached for some tissues to dry her eyes as she waited for her husband to speak, wanting to see him clearly when he spoke again.

In what seemed like hours but was in reality only minutes, Daniel faced her while giving her hand a slight squeeze. "I was the one who wrote the letter hinting to Ryan Monti that he was a father. It was when I was on that business trip in Vermont."

Christine was going to speak but Daniel cut her off. "I had just been told I may have leukemia. I wanted to find out what he'd do and if he'd be man enough to give you and the kids help. I knew my medical bills would eat up all our savings and I didn't want the family to suffer. "

Christine sat open-mouthed, unable to utter a word.

Gasping, Christine asked, "H-how did you know?"

Daniel said nothing for a few moments. When he finally spoke, he looked down, avoiding her face, "I already knew Ryan Monti was the father. . .hear me out," he said, attempting to lift his hand before Christine had a chance to speak. He faced her. "I knew because when we were engaged, I came to your apartment one day. You had left the door open for me and your parents were there. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't hear me come in." He paused. "I overheard your father saying he would like to break every bone in Ryan Monti's body for getting you pregnant. They considered him scum and never wanted him anywhere near you again. When they turned their heads and saw me in the doorway, they froze. They begged me not to tell you I knew. Your relationship with them was strained at the time and they were afraid you would never have anything to do with them if they told me who the father was. They hated him and feared you and the twins would be dragged into the media and all your lives would be ruined. "Daniel shook his head at the memory. "They thought of him as the devil! I guess it made me, a Jewish guy, look not so bad in comparison.

When he finished, Christine sat there, stunned.

"Maybe it was stupid. Maybe I should have asked you before I sent out the letter, but I didn't want you and the kids to suffer any more in case it turned out I was very sick."

She slowly said, "You're probably angry with me for keeping this from you."

"Actually, I was flattered that I was considered a better catch than a famous Hollywood actor." Daniel chuckled as he reached for her and she lay on his chest. "I know how conscientious you are, Christine. You have principles and you felt horrible for letting your parent's down, for letting yourself down. I wasn't going to hold that against you. Besides, I'm proud and thrilled to be the twins' father."

Christine felt warm and heartened inside. Tears filling her eyes, she faced her husband and kissed his hand, saying, "Daniel, you're a man among men. You're worth more than all the gold in the world. The day I met you was the luckiest day of my life" She didn't care that the tears were flowing. Seeing the light in Daniel's eyes, Christine put her face gently next to his. She wanted to feel her husband's body for as long as she could.