Part 33 (1/2)
”You girls and your secret marriages,” the doctor said. ”If I had a daughter who did that I'd never forgive her.”
What kind of father can't forgive his daughter? She was glad he wasn't her father. She believed Baba would forgive her anything. It was Mama she was worried about.
Dr. Stra.s.ser took out the speculum and felt around inside her with his hand, pressing down, making her even more uncomfortable. The nurse told her to breathe.
”I don't see any evidence of a miscarriage. Everything looks fine. Would you like me to fit you for a diaphragm, Mrs....”
”McKittrick,” Christina said, trying it out. ”And yes, I'd like a diaphragm.” She was so glad she'd read up on her choices last night. ”Do you have your husband's approval to use birth control?”
Her husband's approval? ”Yes.”
”If you use it properly-and that means every time-you shouldn't have to worry about being pregnant until you want to be.”
After she was dressed and seated in his office, he said, ”I see you're from Elizabeth.”
She nodded.
”Plane Crash City.”
”We don't call it that.” She knew people who weren't from Elizabeth did. Wasn't there a story in the paper about letters to the editor addressed to Plane Crash City, New Jersey?
”Terrible,” he said. ”A tragedy.”
”Three tragedies. And I saw two of them.”
He looked up. ”That would give you more than enough anxiety to miss your period.”
”Yes.”
”Newark Airport being closed is a real pain in the neck for me. Every time I want to fly to a conference or take a vacation I'll have to shlep into New York, all the way to LaGuardia or Idlewild.”
”I'm sorry,” Christina said.
He laughed. ”You're a nice girl, Mrs. McKittrick. Good luck in your marriage.”
”Thank you, Dr. Stra.s.ser.”
”And don't forget. Every time.”
”What?”
”The diaphragm. It doesn't work if you don't use it.”
- SHE ASKED HER PARENTS if she could invite Jack to the house, just to say h.e.l.lo. ”He rescued all those people from the burning plane.”
Mama and Baba looked at each other.
”We're friends.”
”They're friends,” Baba said to Mama.
Later, when the doorbell rang, Athena answered. ”h.e.l.lo, Jack.”
”h.e.l.lo, Athena.”
”We were in the same year at school,” Athena explained to Mama and Baba.
”And now?” Baba asked Jack. ”What do you do now?”
”Now I'm an electrician, sir.”
”Your parents are living?” Mama asked.
”I'm afraid not, Mrs. Demetrious.”
”Family is everything,” Mama said.
”Yes, it is,” Jack said.
”You understand our Christina is precious to us,” Baba said.
”Yes, sir.”
”And she will marry a Greek boy someday. You understand that, too?”
”I understand your wishes for your daughter, sir. And I respect them.”
”Good,” Baba said.
Mama grabbed hold of Baba's arm, as if to steady herself.
Athena tried to hide a smile.
- THAT NIGHT they made love using both her new diaphragm and a rubber, because she wasn't sure she was using the diaphragm correctly. She found it complicated and messy. First you had to put in the jelly and rub it around, making sure you got enough over the rim, then you had to squeeze it together and insert it into your v.a.g.i.n.a, getting it up far enough. She'd been practicing in her room at night. When she pulled it out she had to wash it, pat it dry and store it in its case, something else she'd have to hide, or maybe Jack would keep it. Yes, that would make sense. She supposed she'd get used to it. She supposed it would get easier. They were going to be married for a long time and she didn't want to be pregnant every year like Mrs. O'Malley's daughter, who'd already had five babies. But she still wasn't relaxed about going all the way. She supposed she had to give it some time.
Elizabeth Daily Post
ROSENBERGS GET Pa.s.sOVER VISIT.
APRIL 9 (UPI)-Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, sentenced to die for transmitting A-bomb secrets to the Soviet Union, received a pre-Pa.s.sover visit at Sing Sing prison from their 5- and 9-year-old sons. Meanwhile, following today's denial of their last plea to the Court of Appeals, the couple's lawyer said that he would be filing an appeal with the United States Supreme Court.