Chapter 20

A New Life

It was a sunny day in Geneva and the blue of Lake Leman had a nice, calming effect on Lynn, who sat on a bench watching fellow second year students passing by, chatting animatedly about the first summer exam.
She liked to watch them from a distance and try to guess who did good and who didn't by the looks on their faces. After all, she was preparing to become a psychologist. She came here almost every day and sat on her favorite bench by the water. Maybe moving to Geneva had been the best idea her father ever had. The memory of that night was still fresh …

“Mom, I need to tell you something”.
“Can't it wait till morning, baby? I'm a little tired with the wedding and everything” Ellen said.
“No, mommy, it's important. You too, daddy” Lynn called for James. But she suddenly felt very dizzy and had to sit. She placed her hand on her abdomen and closed her eyes waiting for the dizziness to pass.
Both Ellen and James noticed.
“Honey, what's wrong with you?” James asked concerned. “This is not anemia, is it? Are you sick? Come on baby angel tell daddy what's wrong and we'll fix it” he told her taking a seat beside her and wrapping his hand around her shoulders while his wife's gaze fell on Lynn's hand and her eyes widened in disbelief.
“It's not anemia, daddy. It's … it's … Oh, God!” she whispered and broke into sobs.
Ellen sat on her other side and placed her hand on hers.
“Baby, whatever it is we'll deal with it. Daddy and I are here now”.
Lynn looked at her with teary eyes and saw her mother fighting back her own tears. She realized that she knew. Ellen had figured it out.
“James, she's pregnant” she said calmly.
“I'm sorry daddy! I'm so sorry!” Lynn cried.
“Shhh ...it's okay baby, don't cry” Lynn clung to her mother, while James watched them both stunned. One meaningful look from his wife was enough to bring him back.
“Big girls don't cry” he told Lynn like he used to do when she was little.
“Daddy is right, baby” Ellen said “No crying...”
“I'll try ...” Lynn promised whipping her tears.
“Okay, then” James smiled “Tell us about it. Does Denny know?”
Lynn nodded.
“And that's the problem” she said ant waited for them to say something but they were only looking at her with encouraging smiles.
“He wants to do the right thing for … the … baby” she settled for the singular form “Even give up school if it's necessary ... And I don't want him to do that, give up his dreams ...”
“Baby angel, you love each other, maybe things will work out ...” James offered.
“No, daddy, he told me he'll take care of us, do what's right, what he's supposed to do, but not once did he tell me he loved me ...” she said starting to cry again.
"Oh, baby" Ellen tried to soothe her "You'll be okay, shhh ..."
Lynn sighed then said in a much stronger voice
"I have to take care of this myself, without him knowing where I am. The worse part is that I won't be able to face him again after this, which means I can't go back to Stanford ..." Then she turned to her father.
"Daddy, I'm sorry, I know how proud you were of me for going to Stanford but ... maybe ... I can transfer?"
"I'm sure we'll figure something out" Ellen said, "Now tell me what did the doctor say?"
"Um, she prescribed anti-nausea medication and ... rest?" Lynn answered shrugging.
"And the fainting?"
"Well, she said I'll have to be monitored closely to prevent risks and later possibly preeclampsia. What's that, mom?" she asked, somehow relieved that she could finally talk about her pregnancy with someone she really trusted, someone who had gone through it four times and wouldn't hide things from her.
Ellen's face turned serious.
"Baby, preeclampsia is a quite rare condition and it's first sign is high blood pressure ..." Ellen explained.
"My blood pressure's not elevated. In fact it had always been too low." Lynn assured her mother.
"I know, baby. Anyway this conditions usually appears much later into the pregnancy, but I'll run some tests when we get home. Just to make sure you're alright. Okay?"
"Thanks, mommy" Lynn whispered hugging her mother.
"Geneva" James said suddenly.
"Huh?" Lynn turned to him.
"Excuse me?" Ellen asked too.
"You could go to Geneva" he continued. "Remember that old friend of your mom and I, that was supposed to be Abby - Sue's godmother but couldn't because she was stuck in India due to some epidemics?" he asked.
"You mean Tante Corine?" Lynn seemed to remember.
"Yeah. She's living in Geneva and had been bugging your for mom and I for years to allow one of you to go to college there ..." he explained.
"James, you can't send her away" Ellen protested.
"No, mom, actually I think it's a good idea. It'll help me forget ... I'll have a new life. Really, if the university there accepts me and Tante Corine won't mind I'll love to live there at least till I finish college ..."