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“Gloria at the doctor’s office said she’ll be exactly like caring for Flynn. Down syndrome is a spectrum disorder. We won’t know where her abilities fall right away. We’ll read up on potential problems, and it’s crucial we take it one day at a time, like I said.”
“I can’t wait to get the ultrasound now,” he said, starting to calm down. “At least if we can be reassured that she’s healthy, it will make the rest of it easier to cope with.”
“I hope so.”
Holding her in his arms, waves of despair competed with overwhelming love. “This is what I’ve always wanted.”
She pulled back from his embrace to scan their house, which had been burned and flooded, and now with news that their daughter had Down syndrome, she figured she was missing something. But he continued explaining himself.
“You, this house, Flynn and our baby, this is what I’ve longed for. Not exactly like my family with the problems my mom had, but better. It sort of fell into my lap. I didn’t have to do anything to get you, you made it so easy for me, and little Flynn, he’s the love of my life. Now our house is rising from the ashes like a phoenix. I feel so hopeful.”
“I’ve read that’s normal after the news. You swing back and forth between despair and promise.”
“I’d better enjoy this, then, is that what you’re saying?”
“Pretty much. Come back and sit, Tony. Do you want to eat? I can’t believe I’m hungry.”
“I’ll eat. I feel spent.”
“Yes. That’s a good word for it. Let’s eat and talk about the house for a while, and then we can face the next big question.”
“Let me guess. How are we going to tell our families?”
“Exactly. Big Mike cried when the Chargers won last weekend. Steel yourself for that. And Roberta, I’m not sure about Roberta.”
“What about Alice and Emmett?” Tony asked.
“I’ll have to educate them. I swear to you, if my mam tells me it’s God’s will, punishing me for my sins, I’ll choke her with my bare hands.”
“Is it God’s will?”
“Tony, it’s not God’s will that we might have a kid with special needs, okay? No. It’s nature. An extra chromosome, like a freak accident. Don’t let anyone put guilt on you.”
“Lucky us to have devoted parents,” Tony moaned.
“They’re devoted, but they won’t do the blame game. We have to give them more credit than that.”
“Ugh, here comes Joey. I’d better pull it together.”
They had running water at least, so he went to the bathroom to wash his face while Bridget answered the door to let big brother Joey in.
“Thanks for spending your weekend working on our house,” she said.
“It’ll be your turn next. Candy and I found a house on Mountainview. It’s two blocks from here.”
“That’s great!”
“Roberta is going to have a fit,” Tony said, glad it was dark in the house. “I’m going to get Bridget home and I’ll be right back.”
“I can drive myself. Shoot me a text when you want to come home.”
Walking her out to the car, Tony felt guilty the conversation had ended so quickly. “We should probably be spending the day together, planning.”
“Tony, we’ve planned. We have everything ready for her. You’re doing the best thing you can, getting our house ready. Having our own place to bring her to so we can deal with whatever it is we’ll be faced with is the most loving thing you could do. Thank you so much.”
The conversation must have roused the baby because she immediately began to make her presence known again.
“Yikes! That was a real kick.”
