Instead of sitting next to him, she sat on the loveseat facing him, her hands clasped in front of her.
"I'm pregnant."
"Oh. Oh!" A smile bloomed across his face. "Darling! Is it too soon? I know we never discussed this. Wait-" He lurched forward to go on his knees in front of her. "Are you well? Christ! When did you find out and what did the doctor say?"
A frown replaced the smile. "You didn't call me to accompany you. That's not acceptable. Why didn't you-" His voice tailed off as he noticed for the first time that she looked far from happy. "You're not pleased."
"I love children!" She hastened to assure him. "That's why I teach." She started to get up again, but he pressed her back down.
"Let's hear what this is all about."
"Could you give me a little room?"
"No. Just say it."
Biting down on her lip, she avoided his eyes by gazing down at her hands.
"I did not tell you everything about the accident."
"All right."
Taking a deep breath, she finally lifted her eyes to his. "I did not really get away with just cuts and bruises."
"What else happened?"
"I had internal injuries."
An awful premonition hit him as he stared at her. "What sort of internal injuries?"
"It has to do with my uterus. The doctors said it would be impossible for me to conceive and if I do, the pregnancy would be very high risk. That I should never think about having a child."
He got up abruptly and turned to pick up his glass.
"Dean?"
"You never thought of telling me this before now?" He was holding onto his anger by a thread.
"I- I never thought about it," she began. "I know I should have told you that there's a possibility that I would never be able to conceive, but I love you so much and I believe in the absolute power of prayer, and I've been praying earnestly for healing. This is God answering my prayers. I-" She braced back on the cushions when he whirled around, a blaze of fury on his face.
"So, let me see if I understand you correctly. You spoke to God and he told you that you're going to safely carry a baby. Not that I'm doubting your religion, but what did the doctors say?"
She drew in a deep breath. "They're offering the option to terminate the pregnancy. They also said it's risky at this time, but even if that were not the case, I would never dream of getting rid of our baby." Her expression turned pleading. "I want this baby, Dean. It's a part of us, something we created in love-"
"Damn you!"
She stared at him openmouthed as he sent the glass hurtling towards the hearth. The crash had her jumping, one hand flying to her throat.
"Do you think I give a crap about a child, if it means you risking your life? How could you keep something like this from me?"
Lifting her chin, she tried to face his wrath head on. "Because I knew you would react this way. And the fact is, I didn't know I was pregnant. I'm not really regular and I felt nothing until a week or so ago, when I started feeling dizzy and the scent of cooking at the cafeteria made me feel nauseous."
"A week ago." He glared at her. "A week ago. We talk every damn day, and you never said anything."
"I wanted to be certain-"
"No, Catherine. Let's call this what it really is: you knew and you wanted to keep it from me. You knew damn well that I wouldn't be happy about it, if it means a pregnancy will in all likelihood cost your life. That's the real reason you did not say anything, isn't it? Answer me!"
"Yes!" She sprang up off the sofa, eyes blazing. "I want this baby and nothing you say will make me change my mind."