speaks.â Amelia looked up, her eyes damp with pain. âMama knows about our problem, but I donât want her to hear us arguing. The frustrating thing is we both want a kid, but all this trying and waiting is driving us nuts.â
âMaybe you two need to relax. Go on a vacation, take a second honeymoon. Have fun and donât even think about getting pregnant.â
Amelia gave me a sour smile. âLike weâve never heard that before. âRelax,â Mama says, âand itâll happen. Wait for God to answer.â Well, weâve tried relaxing, and it hasnât happened. Weâve tried taking my temperature every morning and Marioâs been wearing baggy underwear, which he despises. Iâve even asked Yaritza about old wivesâ tales. Iâve prayed for a baby until I feel like Iâm just repeating useless phrases, and Iâve even been tempted to get one of those talisman fertility candles. . . .â
âDonât waste your money on superstitious junk,â I whispered. âAnd I know God hears your prayers. He wouldnât be God if he didnât, right?â
âMama says if I feel like I was meant to be a mother, heâs probably not saying no . He might be saying wait . But wait for what ?â Amelia swiped tears from her face, then crossed her arms and gazed into private space. âIâve been waiting a long time. Iâm twenty-seven, and Iâm not getting any younger. I want to have kids while I still have enough energy to chase after them.â She sniffed when the bells on the front door jingled, then jerked her thumb toward the register. âYou should get back in there.â
âThat was probably your mother coming in.â I took a step closer and lowered my voice. âHave you thought about investigating other options? Thereâs in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination. You should talk to your doctor about other ways to have a baby.â
âMarioâs old-fashioned.â Amelia pulled a tissue from her jeans pocket, then blew her nose. âHe will barely talk about this, and he wonât admit that any part of it could be his fault. If the doctor asks him toââ She shuddered. âNever mind. I think heâd cut off his nose before heâd go in for an exam. And those other things you mentioned are expensive. Our insurance would never cover those kinds of elective procedures.â
The bells above the front door jangled again, and this time Amelia stepped away. âIâve gotta get some cartons unpacked. Donât mind me. Thereâs nothing you can do, anyway. And please donât say anything about this to Gideon. Mario would die if he thought the men in the family knew he couldnât get me pregnant.â
Ameliaâs heavy sorrow seemed to spread until it crossed the space between us and mingled with my own anxiety about a terror-filled future. During that awful moment, I wondered if darkness might manage to erase all the light in the world.
Chapter Six
C hristmas finally arrived, complete with a chilly breeze that blew down from Canada and forced us to haul our sweaters out of storage. I think my cardigans were grateful to come out of the closet, and Marilee absolutely loved the fuzzy red sweater I bought her for Christmas and allowed her to open early. The pullover was a little big on her, but it had a treble clef embroidered on one side and a bass clef on the other, so she rolled up the ribbed cuffs and promised that it fit perfectly.
Gordon and Yanela had brought many traditions with them from Cuba, but their love for the Catholic churchâs nativity service topped the list. Out of respect for the elders, the entire family came together every Christmas Eve to celebrate the Misa del Gallo, or Mass of the Rooster, at St. Josephâs Church. As usual, we paused in Mama Isaâs living room so Yanela could tell Marilee why midnight Mass was named
Maggie Brendan
Barbara O'Connor
Jan Washburn
Terri Blackstock
Norah Simone
Barry Kemp
G.P. Taylor
Alan Cumyn
Linda Barnes
Lisa Jackson