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(Last Sunday, Gina and Chartan team up to turn down Thor’s job offer.)

            “There’s a letter from Brazil on the kitchen table,” yelled Gina from the bedroom as Chartan closed the front door. Chartan grinned. There was only one table in the house.

            He grabbed the heavily stamped envelope when he walked through the kitchen to the bedroom.

            “How are you?” he asked his wife who was sitting up in bed.

            “I’m ready for this to happen.” She gently patted the bulge. “What’s Skyler got to say?”

            Chartan kissed his wife on the forehead. “Let’s see.” He tore open the envelope and fished out two pieces of folded paper. He started reading.

            “He says Julie is going to file for divorce if he doesn’t come home.”

            “’Don’t blame her,” said Gina. “ He’s been gone for two months and managed to write only one short note to her.”

            “He says he’s coming home in ten days. He’ll be in time to see the birth.”

            Gina grabbed her husband’s arm. “I think my water broke.”

            Fifteen minutes later Chartan’s limo rolled up to the front entrance of the hospital where a  nurse and an orderly were waiting with a wheelchair. .He had called ahead to say they needed emergency assistance—the birth was coming sooner than expected. (This paragraph is dedicated to my daughter who was almost born in a car stuck in traffic.)

(Continued next Sunday)