Free Meeting Max by Richard Brumer Page B

open.
    She looked at Rick, yawned, and leaned over to kiss him. She still appeared a little sleepy, not quite ready to greet the day, but she put Rick’s hand to her lips, kissed it, and held it there as she looked up at him.
    They each showered and dressed. Julie looked beautiful and well-rested. Rick made breakfast—fresh squeezed orange juice, scrambled eggs, warm croissants, and dark, bold coffee.
    “Rick, let’s get married,” she blurted.
    “We will, honey.You know that.”
    “I mean now.”
    “What do you mean by now?”
    “I mean soon. I just had your baby. I held him in my arms and snuggled with him. When I was at the birthing home, I imagined keeping him and dreamed we would have him with us always. He was so cute with his black hair like yours and my blue eyes…a combination of both of us. I want to get married now, Rick.” Suddenly she looked angry. “It was wrong to give him up. We both know that.”
    Rick lowered his head. “I know how you feel.”
    “No, you don’t know how I feel!” she snapped. “How could you? I carried him in my body. I brought him into this world. I was a mother, his mother, and I loved him from the moment I held him. He was yours and mine. I had seventy-two agonizing hours to change my mind and I was tortured by that. You could never understand. I thought of you and cried. How could you know what it was like for me? How could you ever know?”
    Rick sipped his coffee as he looked down. He didn’t know what to say. Maybe it was wrong to do what they did, but they’d had no other choice. All he could do now was listen to her.
    “We can get married now,” she repeated. “What difference would it make? We know we want to be together. When Eric was in my arms, I only knew one thing. He was our baby. When the stupid realization set in that he was going to be taken away from me, I screamed out loud and couldn’t catch my breath.
    “Our plan to give him up was all about us, Rick. Don’t you see? It was all about us, and nothing about him. What would he have wanted? It was selfish. I didn’t know you were like that, so insensitive,” she added bitterly, her lips trembling.
    “Julie, I feel your pain, I really do. I understand,” he said, knowing she was in no mood to believe that.
    “You keep saying you understand, but you’re not a woman! How could you ever know?” she shouted, her voice taking on a shrill tone. “I think we should get married now, share our lives together, and keep all our babies.”
    “What about your parents? And me being Jewish, and—”
    “I think my mom would have understood. She’s a mother. Now I really know what that means. You’re not religious anyway, so you can convert and we can bring our kids up Catholic. Then the church and everyone will be happy.”
    “That’s your solution? For us to all be Catholic and we’ll live happily ever after? This is too much for me. You know I love you and always will. Let’s take a break. We did the right thing and you know it.”
    “Whatever,” she said angrily, her face soaked with tears. She walked into the bedroom and slammed the door.
    Rick waited a while. He had another cup of coffee, then tapped gently on the bedroom door and walked in. Julie sat stooped in an armchair, staring at her knees. The flowered cardigan she wore was bright and cheerful, a stark contrast to the flashes of anger and sorrow that crossed her moist eyes. Tears fell along her cheeks. Rick wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t know how.
    “We did the right thing,” he said weakly, uncertain he believed his own words.
    Her head snapped up and she glared at him. “The right thing? Do you know what it’s like to give birth and have your baby taken from you?” She stood slowly, and then walked from the room. “No, you don’t. How could you?”
     
    ***
     
    A few weeks passed. Candlelight glowed at their bedside. Julie said nothing, but Rick knew it was a signal she wanted to make love. They kissed, felt each