After being out of her condo for two months Max was grateful to be back. She made a mental note of all the things she needed to do,
get new plants, buy food, unpack, do laundry, and go to the doctor.
She sighed at the last item on her list. Rubbing her belly contemplatively she began cry. "Hey little man, what is your mama thinking? You father hurt me badly, but I can't punish or blame you can I? Whatever we were or weren't to each other is irrelevant, you are a part of me. From here on out it's just going to be you and me, can you handle that? It will be ok. Let's eat."
Max went to the supermarket to fill up the fridge and get some plants. Now that she had decided to keep her baby, she formulated a new plan. She went to campus to speak to her dean.
Professor Moore was awesome and had a genuine affection for Max. On her first day at the university she met with him, and told him he needed to do something about her foreign language requirement.
"Dean Moore, my name is Maxine La Costa and I need a waiver on the foreign language requirement."
"Ms. La Costa that is a rather unusual request. You cannot get a waiver because you're are bilingual." He responded assessing her bi-racial heritage.
"Thank you, Dean but I speak seven languages fluently, as well as read and write. So spending my parents' money learning to conjugate verbs seems like a waste." Max was determined to get her way and Dean Moore could see it in her fiery grey eyes.
"Ok, Miss La Costa, let me make a deal with you, I will grant you your waiver if by Friday you can present to me and the other language professors a ten minute piece of your choice in the language of your choice."
When Friday came Max entered the room dress like a Shakespearian actor, she did the soliloquies of Julius Caesar in Russian, Macbeth in French, Romeo & Juliet in Italian, and Midsummer's Night Dream in Chinese, then thanked the audience for their attention in German. The faculty gave her a standing ovation. Max got her waiver, since that day Dean Moore had become her advisor.
Max knew he would be in his office since the first day of school was about a week away. She knocked and waited for a response. He was another person she did not want to disappoint, but she knew he would help.
"Come in."
"Hello Dean," Max smiled.
"Miss La Costa how goes it dear?" he asked hugging her.
"I am great and pregnant," Max blurted trying to treat the situation like she was pulling off a Band-Aid.
"Huh? Come again?" Dean Moore was sure he had misheard. Max was a super sensible girl, always had a plan she was working, and pregnancy had never been part of her plan.
"Yeah, I'm pregnant and I've decided to keep him, but I need to put a plan in to action to ensure I'll still graduate in May."
"Ok let me hear it." Dean Moore knew the only role he could play with Max was supporter right now. Having had a daughter go through this situation in high school he was a seasoned vet in unplanned pregnancies. He was just glad Max had such a great foundation before all this; she was four years into a five year master's program.
"I have completed all my requirements to graduate except my thesis and my internship. I can complete and present my thesis before we break for Christmas, and I can fulfill all my internship hours before April."
"Max that is an intense plan. Is this good for the baby? How far along are you?"
"I'm not too sure. I have a doctor's appointment after I leave here. I just needed to know if I can count on you."
"You have my support, but if I see you are stressing out or anything, all this will come to an end and you will graduate when you are able. Comprende?"
"Je comprends. Thank you so much." Max hugged him and headed out to the doctor.
*****************
Antonio could not sleep during the night, he kept thinking about his grandchild that will never be. Tara was rubbing his back thinking on the same things.
"My love, we must not torture ourselves with these thoughts. Maxine is grown."
"Woman, how can you be so calm about this, that is our grandchild. Would you have done the same thing?"
In the twenty three years Tara had never been asked that question, and was not sure if her honesty would help her husband, but she couldn't lie. "Yes, I thought of it when I found out I was pregnant with her. I was a black girl in a foreign country, no family around, and you were a dangerous cartel boss, it seemed that it would have been for the best."
Antonio turned to look into his wife's eyes. "Why didn't you?"
"When I was going to get it done, I suddenly felt I shouldn't but I still had to protect us. That is why I left you."
"Are you happy with the life I have given you?" Antonio was a little hurt by Tara's confession, and needed to be reassured he hadn't screwed up her life, and by default, their daughters'.
"Come here my love," she tenderly drew her husband to her breast, "I have never regretted a day with you, even when I saw the ugly sides of you. I loved you then and I love you now. Get some rest we are having lunch at the Carbones tomorrow.
**************
Isabella was moving like a fury in the kitchen. They had not seen the La Costas in awhile and this business with the kids had made it necessary for them to reconnect.
"Woman slow down before you make me sick," Carmine joked. He loved to see his wife excited like this. The years had been good to them, their friendship and love had gotten deeper and stronger.
"Don't talk to me Carmine our guests will be arriving soon. Go to the cellar and get some wine."
When Carmine was coming from the cellar he heard the doorbell. He opened the door with a great smile on his face. "Hey, old friend," he took Antonio's hand shaking it with vigor, and double kissing on the cheek. "And you Tara, just get more beautiful with time."
"Thank you Carmine. How are you?"
"Alive and well. What else could a man ask for, except for the love a beautiful woman to prolong that life."
They laughed and made their way to the kitchen.
Tara hugged Isabella and donned an apron to help her in the kitchen. The men went for a stroll around the grounds to catch up on business and family. When lunch was ready they sat in the outdoor dining room. The conversation flowed nicely until it hit the evitable subject, Leo and Max.
"I can't wait to see Max later this week," Isabella chirped. Both Tara and Antonio stopped eating.
"She's not here; she went back to North Carolina last night," Tara responded.
"Oh, that's too bad. I thought she was staying in the city for a week and leaving on Sunday?" Isabella was confused, something was amiss.
"That was the plan, but she came home yesterday morning and told us she was going back to North Carolina in the night. Young people," Antonio said shaking his head trying to close the subject.
"Young people nothing, did she and Leo have a fight?" Isabella was ready to call and scold Leo.
"I suspect so," Tara replied.
"Gosh I wish he was here so I could wring his ears. I am sorry. I just want them to make it work so badly. To see them together is magic, they have that spark and fire, but they are stubborn." Isabella was near tears, thinking of how the lovers were missing their chance.
"Oh, don't start the water works woman, they are still young, and they ain't no Romeo and Juliet." Carmine closed the subject raising an eyebrow to Antonio.
Lunch went on for two more hours. Tara gave Carmine and Isabella the gifts Max had left for them. They bid good-bye sending hellos to each other's child.
********
The doctor informed Max she was two months pregnant, and the baby was due at the end of March. He gave her an astounding list of things she needed to do to get ready, first things first get some vitamins and supplements. She decided to tell her parents about her decision and plan tomorrow, tonight it was just all about her and her baby.
Max called her mother and father in the morning and told them she was keeping the baby, but swore them to secrecy. She let them know flat out that Leo was not going to be part of her life and her baby's. Antonio was overjoyed with the news, he did not pursue any other line of questioning with her. However he was interested to know what would make Max be so adamant about keeping Leo away. Tara heard her daughter's words and it was like history repeating itself. She had made the same kind of decision twenty-three years ago and it did not go over too well. She decided she would not attempt to make Max see reason, but let it all play out. When they got off the phone Max's overjoyed parents looked at each other and an understanding passed between them. They were willing to put their relationship with the Carbones in jeopardy to keep Max's secret.
**********
As the days passed Max fell more and more in love with the young one growing inside her. Those days turned into months, and true to her plan Max worked on her internship during the day and her thesis at night. The schedule was pretty grueling, but Max was going to prove she could do it all...alone. Not alone really, but without a man. She had Laney, who lived across the hall from her, as big help. Her parents were coming out to spend Christmas and help get the baby room together. Max was grateful that she had gotten a three bedroom condo.
Her presentation before the thesis committee in December went great. She took four weeks off her internship, at the command of Dean Moore, to rest. Rest for more than two weeks would normally drive Max to homicide, but she had plenty to do with preparing for the baby. It was all very exciting and sad, at the same time. She was wondering what it would have been like to do all this with Leo.
