Read Online Meeting Max by Richard Brumer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richard Brumer
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want, anything. All the choices will be yours, and I’ll help you. We can work out anything together.”
“Okay, it would make me feel better, going to church with you.” She rubbed her red eyes.
God, how did I let this happen?
Rick was scared. He was too young, way too young to be a father. His mind was racing. No education meant menial jobs. He wanted to be a college professor. He wanted, more than anything else, to be independent and have a PhD after his name.
***
When they got back to the city, they walked to the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village, near NYU. The church was empty, except for two elderly women lighting candles in front of a statue of a lovely woman dressed in a long blue and white garment. Her arms were outstretched in a welcoming, motherly gesture and a white veil covered her head.
They walked to one of the front pews. Julie stood silently for a moment, then genuflected, entered the pew, and knelt on the padded kneeler in front of the bench.
Rick felt awkward in the church. Everything was unfamiliar, but he knelt alongside Julie as she prayed. Her hands were clasped in front of her lips and her eyes were closed. Tears slid down her cheeks. Her face was solemn.
After a few moments, Julie stood and motioned Rick to follow her toward a side altar and the statue of the woman dressed in blue. The plaque at the bottom of the statue read Mother Mary . Julie lit a candle, then knelt and prayed again.
As they left the church, Julie’s face lit up, and she smiled at Rick. She explained that she prayed to St. Jude and to the Virgin Mary.
“I love you, Rick. Thank you for coming with me. We’ll work things out,” she said, painting on a smile.
Later that night, they walked to Cafe Reggio on MacDougal Street to sip frothy cappuccinos. They sat by the large plate glass window surrounded by strips of green tapestry and looked out to the street as they listened to the music of Simon and Garfunkel playing quietly in the background.
Rick sat motionless at the table with his head down. He took a sip of his coffee and peeked up at Julie. “Do you want to have the baby? Please, let me know what you want.”
“I have to. There’s no other choice for me. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt our baby if that’s what you mean. It would be wrong.”
“Okay, so that part is settled. Whatever we do, we will do together. Do you want to get married?” He tried to take back what he just said, but it was too late. The words were out.
Thankfully, she took it in good humor. “Rick, if that’s a proposal, you have to do better than that.” She glanced around the café. “I want a more romantic atmosphere than this.”
“What’s wrong with Reggio’s? It will make them famous. I can see the headlines now: ‘Man proposes to hot woman over hot cappuccino.’”
Julie laughed. “First of all, I’m not that hot, and secondly, Reggio’s is famous enough. Save your proposal for Washington Square Park at sunset. We both know we’ll get married. I want to be your wife more than anything else, but not now. My head is too messed up, and I’m afraid of my parents and what they would say.”
“Honey, relax. I don’t know how to say this or what you’ll think of me for saying it, but tell me if you want to keep the baby.”
Julie paused and looked down. “I don’t know, Rick. I don’t know.”
“We have time. Everything has a solution, and we’ll find it. I’ll always be here for you. We’re one, and we’ll always be that way.”
What is she thinking? She already said she would have the baby. Would she want to keep it? Give it up for adoption?
Nothing was certain.
Over the next few days, Rick and Julie started to sort things out. Since the baby was scheduled to be born over the long Christmas break, things would be easier. They wouldn’t have to balance school with the baby’s birth. Julie would tell her friends they’d eloped and gotten married.
Rick was determined he would not
“Okay, it would make me feel better, going to church with you.” She rubbed her red eyes.
God, how did I let this happen?
Rick was scared. He was too young, way too young to be a father. His mind was racing. No education meant menial jobs. He wanted to be a college professor. He wanted, more than anything else, to be independent and have a PhD after his name.
***
When they got back to the city, they walked to the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village, near NYU. The church was empty, except for two elderly women lighting candles in front of a statue of a lovely woman dressed in a long blue and white garment. Her arms were outstretched in a welcoming, motherly gesture and a white veil covered her head.
They walked to one of the front pews. Julie stood silently for a moment, then genuflected, entered the pew, and knelt on the padded kneeler in front of the bench.
Rick felt awkward in the church. Everything was unfamiliar, but he knelt alongside Julie as she prayed. Her hands were clasped in front of her lips and her eyes were closed. Tears slid down her cheeks. Her face was solemn.
After a few moments, Julie stood and motioned Rick to follow her toward a side altar and the statue of the woman dressed in blue. The plaque at the bottom of the statue read Mother Mary . Julie lit a candle, then knelt and prayed again.
As they left the church, Julie’s face lit up, and she smiled at Rick. She explained that she prayed to St. Jude and to the Virgin Mary.
“I love you, Rick. Thank you for coming with me. We’ll work things out,” she said, painting on a smile.
Later that night, they walked to Cafe Reggio on MacDougal Street to sip frothy cappuccinos. They sat by the large plate glass window surrounded by strips of green tapestry and looked out to the street as they listened to the music of Simon and Garfunkel playing quietly in the background.
Rick sat motionless at the table with his head down. He took a sip of his coffee and peeked up at Julie. “Do you want to have the baby? Please, let me know what you want.”
“I have to. There’s no other choice for me. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt our baby if that’s what you mean. It would be wrong.”
“Okay, so that part is settled. Whatever we do, we will do together. Do you want to get married?” He tried to take back what he just said, but it was too late. The words were out.
Thankfully, she took it in good humor. “Rick, if that’s a proposal, you have to do better than that.” She glanced around the café. “I want a more romantic atmosphere than this.”
“What’s wrong with Reggio’s? It will make them famous. I can see the headlines now: ‘Man proposes to hot woman over hot cappuccino.’”
Julie laughed. “First of all, I’m not that hot, and secondly, Reggio’s is famous enough. Save your proposal for Washington Square Park at sunset. We both know we’ll get married. I want to be your wife more than anything else, but not now. My head is too messed up, and I’m afraid of my parents and what they would say.”
“Honey, relax. I don’t know how to say this or what you’ll think of me for saying it, but tell me if you want to keep the baby.”
Julie paused and looked down. “I don’t know, Rick. I don’t know.”
“We have time. Everything has a solution, and we’ll find it. I’ll always be here for you. We’re one, and we’ll always be that way.”
What is she thinking? She already said she would have the baby. Would she want to keep it? Give it up for adoption?
Nothing was certain.
Over the next few days, Rick and Julie started to sort things out. Since the baby was scheduled to be born over the long Christmas break, things would be easier. They wouldn’t have to balance school with the baby’s birth. Julie would tell her friends they’d eloped and gotten married.
Rick was determined he would not
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