Judy Christenberry - The Texan's Tiny Dilemma

As if sensing how overwhelmed she was, the kindly sexagenarian doctor patted her hump. “Now, I’m going to go to my office. After the nurse cleans you up and you get dressed, she’ll show you to my office and we’ll have a little talk. I can answer any questions you might have.”

“Thank you, doctor.” She waited for the nurse to take Jim back to the waiting room.

“Mr. Schofield, is it? You want to wait in my office for Teresa?” the doctor asked.

Teresa wanted to scream no. Jim had no business being in the consultation with them.

However, before she could protest, he bent over and kissed her forehead and accepted the doctor’s invitation.

“So, the babies are all right?” Jim asked Dr. Benson as he followed him into the office. “And Teresa?”

“All three are in perfect shape.” The doctor sat in his leather chair and smoothed his tie over his chest. “Mr. Schofield, if you don’t mind my asking, how are you related to this situation?”

“I’m Teresa’s sister’s husband’s brother,” Jim said. “I came with her as a friend, sort of as her brother.”

The doctor nodded his head, and began jotting some notes in a file. He didn’t look up as he spoke. “I think under the circumstances we’d better wait until Teresa comes in. But I hope you will continue to offer her support. It won’t be easy to raise two little boys by herself.”

“I’m a twin myself,” Jim said. At that, the doctor picked up his head, fully attentive. Jim knew what the man was thinking. A mother who was a triplet—and a father who was a twin? But Jim revealed nothing. He had no right to divulge the truth. Only Teresa could do that.

“Really?” Dr. Benson intoned, trying for mildly interested. “Then you’ll be a lot of help.”

Jim wanted that responsibility. Though he’d never pictured himself married, he was willing to take that leap so that he could be involved in his sons’ lives. He’d never deny his kids. He’d also never regret them. Though this complicated situation was created out of his own stupidity, Jim vowed to do what was right.

The door opened and Teresa, again dressed in a turquoise dress that made her blue eyes look huge, stepped into the office.

“Come in, my dear. I’m so pleased with your pregnancy. Now, do you have any questions?”

Teresa stared first at the doctor and then at Jim.

Before she could speak, Jim reminded her, “Don’t you want to ask about the baby, I mean babies, moving?”

“You felt the babies moving?” Dr. Benson asked.

“I felt what I would describe as a flutter. It worried me,” she admitted.

“That’s a good sign. Perfectly normal. Now, I want you to continue your normal activities, but don’t push yourself. A nap every day would be good. Pamper yourself, but don’t overeat.”

“Yes, doctor.”

“Do you have any other questions?”

“I—I can’t think of any others,” she said faintly.

“Good. But you call if you’re worried about something. I think the best thing for your babies is to have a happy mom. You should be spoiled and cared for. Mr. Schofield has promised—as your brother, sort of—to be sure you’re cared for. I’m holding him to his promise.”

“No! He isn’t my—It’s not his responsibility. I can take care of myself!”

“That’s exactly what I mean,” the doctor said as Teresa jumped from her chair. “It’s not good for the babies or for you to get agitated.”

Teresa sank back into her chair, assisted by Jim, and took deep breaths. “I’m sorry. I’ll be careful. My sisters will check in on me. That will be sufficient.”

In a fatherly manner, the doctor said, “My dear, you should never turn down a friend. We all need any help we can get.”

Jim watched Teresa’s jaw tighten, just as it had when he’d asked who was the father of her babies. “She’ll be careful, doctor. She loves children.”

“Good.” He stood and held out his hand first to Teresa and then to Jim. “Let me know if you have any questions.”

Teresa nodded and headed out of his office, not waiting for Jim. He sighed but caught up with her. “Teresa, are you mad at me?”

“Yes, I am. You had no right to talk to my doctor. You’re poking your nose in where it doesn’t belong.”

“We didn’t discuss anything except that I’m a twin. Unlike you, he didn’t feel I was being nosy.” About the time he finished that statement, he noticed she was carefully carrying a paper. “What’s that?”

A warm flush covered her cheeks. “A copy of the sonogram. The nurse printed it out for me.”

Jim hadn’t realized Teresa would have a picture. “May I see?”

“You were there, Jim.”

“I know, but…it all went by so fast.”

They had reached his car and he held open the door for her. Then he circled the car to get behind the wheel. Without a word, Teresa handed over the sonogram picture.

Jim noted that his hands were shaking as he took the picture of his sons. There they were. Two baby boys. “Dear God, Teresa, this is so wonderful. You might have preferred triplets, but…” His voice trailed off as he looked at the two small shapes.

“No. I’ll have to struggle to manage with two boys. Three would do me in,” she said with a small smile.

“And now, more than ever, I want to help you. After all, I’m a male twin. I can give you advice, help you deal with…anything.”

She closed her eyes and laid her head against the headrest. “I don’t need any help, Jim. Please take me home.”

He carefully put the picture back in her lap and started the car. “Are you going to show your sisters the picture?” he asked.

“Probably, the next time I see them.”

“But—”

“Jim, these are my babies and my decision. They don’t have to know immediately. The babies and I aren’t going anywhere!”

Jim pressed his lips together to stop himself from arguing with her. That was the last thing she needed. It would make her blood pressure go up.

When they reached her house, she got out of the car before he could reach her door. As she started for her house, he said, “You unlock the door. I’m going to get something out of the trunk.”

Teresa turned around to stare at him. “What? I don’t need anything.”

“I’ll be right there.” He took a large flat box out of the car and started toward her.

Teresa stared at the box, unable to figure out what it could be. Then she saw the writing on it. That couldn’t be a television.

Jim hefted the box through the door while she held it open. Then she followed him into the living room.

“Jim, what is that? What are you doing?”

“I thought I’d loan you a television for your living room, so you can rest.”

“I have a television in my bedroom. I can rest there. Besides, that’s too flat for a television.”

“It’s a new—uh, relatively new plasma television. And it has that new picture. I’ll just hang it on the wall.” He put down the box and looked around. “May I take down this picture?”

“Jim, I don’t need a television. And I like that painting.”

“Sit down and take deep breaths, Teresa. Let me just show you how this will work.” He removed the picture and went about hanging the TV in its place. A while later he moved back and picked up the remote control. A blast of noise came out of the flat television, cheering as the camera panned the audience at a baseball game.

“The game’s on already?” Teresa asked, immediately captured by the big screen and sharp clarity.

“Yeah. It just started.”

Teresa reluctantly turned from the television to look at Jim. “I really don’t need this television. I don’t want to take it away from you.”

“The doctor said you should be pampered,” Jim reminded her. “I’m just following his directions. Mind if I stay and watch the game?”