Laughter
"Wow, that was great" said Denise Richardson.
"Yeah, it was pretty good." said Peter Woodson.
The two had just seen a popular new Broadway play.
They had been dating about six months. This was
her first serious relationship For him it was one
of a long list behind him.
"Let's go for drinks." said Peter
"No, I have an early class tomorrow." said Denise.
"You and that school. It's so restricting." said Peter
""It's important for me to get good grades for a great
job."said Denise.
"But it's cutting on our time together."said Peter.
" I only have a year to go. It will be a good investment.
There is a real need for RN's now. You told me
that you were attracted to my brain." said Denise
The moon came out in the old sugar hill section of
Harlem to say goodnight. The eighties was a time of
both opportunity and crime in New York City. Sometimes
the choice was yours and sometimes not.
The early daylight seeped into the brownstone Denise
shared with her grandmother.. Both her parents had
passed before she was ten. Her grandparents had
finished raising her as the only child. Her grandfather
had passed a few years ago.
School was really important to her. She had to
maintain a B grade point to keep her full scholarship.
She could not wait to get a good job and spoil her
grandmother.
"Good morning nanna" said Denise
"Morning child. You okay?" said Grandma
"I 'm okay." said Denise
"Come on, what's worrying you?" said Grabdma
"Peter is starting to complain about the time I spend
on school." said Denise
"When he met you weren't you in school?" said Grandma
"Yes"said Denise
"Well just be careful you don't let love distract you from
what you worked so hard for and close to getting."
said Grandma
"But why can't I have both? He loves me and I love
him."said Denise.
"Well I hope so. Just be careful baby." said.Grandma.
Peter meanwhile was waking up in a studio in lower
Manhattan. He was not really ready for a committed
relationship. But he was willing to try it for a while
with Denise. But she had to make him priority, not
school.
He to was an only child. Both his parents were still
alive. He worked as an accountant and made good
money. He was proud of not having any kids at 25.
Denise took the subway to her nursing school. She
had a test today. She was glad she had made an
early date last night with Peter.
"Are you okay?" said Mary , her classmate.
" I just felt so nauseous the last few mornings." said
Denise.
"Better get that checked out. You might be .." said Mary
""Don't even think it.. I can't be. I took precautions."
said Denise.
The nauseous moved to throwing up in the morning.
She was nervous. But she couldn't be. Would it be
so bad? He said he loved her.
Next week she got the results from her doctor. She was
three months pregnant. She would be having her baby
a few weeks after graduation.
She got dressed up at home to meet Peter for dinner.
"Hi Peter, I have something special to tell you tonight
at dinner.' said Denise in the phone.
"Okay I will see you at 7, at Antonno's." said Peter.
"Okay love you" said Denise
The phone line went dead.
"You going out? Don't you have a early class? " said
Grandma.
"Yes, Nanna but I have something important to tell
Peter."said Denise.
"No matter what hold on to your heart baby. I am here
for you always."said Grandma
It brought tears to Denise's eyes as she was leaving .
She couldn't express her emotions. She just gave her
a hug goodbye.
Peter was late as usual for dinner. She got a table but
did not order a drink. She had to take care of her baby.
"Hey, .missed the train. You didn't order a drink while
you were waiting?" said Peter.
"No, that was what I wanted to tell you about."said
Denise
"Yeah, what was so important?" said Peter
"Well, surprise I am pregnant." said. Denise
"What?"said Peter
"I am pregnant" said Denise
"You were suppose to take care of that. How do I know
it's mine. I'm not ready to be a parent yet. Get rid
of it quickly. I will give you the money."said Peter
She started crying quietly. He got angry. Then it got
worse.
" I can not kill my baby. You said you loved me. If
I got pregnant you would be there for me " said Denise
"You were crazy enough to believe me. Do what you
want. It is not mine. If you don't get rid of it I'm out
of here. Don't make a scene. Here's cab money to get
you back home. Bye." Said Peter.leaving.
She went to the bathroom to wash her face. A insightful
waitress checked on her in the bathroom. She helped
her stop crying. Then she hailed her a cab
She arrived home to the watching stars alone.
" Nanna, you were so right. I should have listened to
you. I am pregnant and Peter is denying it while
telling me to kill it." said Denise.
"OH baby I am so sorry." said Nanna
"Isn't it funny, funny, funny,..." said Denise.
Denise starts laughing hysterically. Her grandmother
can not stop her. She then begins to scream and cry
loudly. It scares her grandmother. She calls for an ambulance. She is taken to the hospital.
Six months later the miracle is born. The doctors and
staff worked hard to help Denise to be emotionally
stable. She gave birth to a beautiful, full term baby
girl. The baby went straight into the arms of her
grandmother.
Over the next few weeks her grandmother sent Denise
pictures of her daughter to the hospital. The doctors
were slowly weaning off some of her medicine with
behavioral therapy. Her grandmother sent her a card
.
It said. " You are going to be allright. You just have to
learn how to laugh the right way again." Live Nanna ".
One day she was looking at the picture of her baby girl.
Another patient looked over her shoulder.
"Who's that?"she asked.
"nothing" said Denise turning the picture over.
"Well nothing is beautiful." said the fellow patient.
"I didn't say my baby is nothing."said Denise.
"Well you got someone to fight for. Why are you still
here. That pretty baby needs you."she said
Later that evening g Denise thought about what her
fellow patient said. She took out the picture again.
The next morning she went looking for that patient to
thank her but could not find her. No one would tell her
where she was. She got upset.
"Denise, calm down. If you do I will tell you."
said her doctor.
"Okay" said Denise sitting down in the office
.
"Last night Sally took a call from her ex. He cursed
her out. She.had been doing so well. She was
getting ready to be released. She hung herself and
died." Said the doctor.
"No no she can't be. She just told me I had someone
to fight for. She helped me. I didn't t get a chance
to thank her."said Denise crying.
"I am so sorry. But she told you right. Let's really do
together what she suggested. Teach you how to
fight to get healthy again to take care of your baby,"
said the doctor.
Three months later Denise was walking from work on
Fifth Avenue in Manhattan . She was on the way to pick
up her daughter from daycare . She heard a familiar
voice.
'"Well hello you look good." Said Peter
She didn't even acknowledge his existence. He stood
there watching her back keep moving. He wondered
why his charm wasn't working. He shrugged, oh well.
It was to the next one.
She fought hard to overcome her pain. She learned
coping skills. And learned how to laugh again. Her grandmother moved to Florida because of her arthritis.
She met one of her grandmother's neighbors who was a widower in Florida. He was a doctor.. The dated long
distance for a year. They both fell in love..
Denise finished school and became a RN.Two years
later her beautiful daughter was her flower girl in her mom's wedding.
"
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