Part 67

The girl's in school, Sam at work, and her dad out doing the food shopping, Charlotte and her mom were working on their Christmas letter and putting together a combined Christmas card list. At first the letter seemed to be a daunting task. No one wants to receive a novel tucked into a Christmas card, but what to put in and what to leave out.

With a pen in hand, Debbie was writing, trip to Seattle, gambled in Las Vegas, visited the house where A Christmas Story was filmed in Cleveland.

"Mom, is the Christmas Story house that important?" asked Charlotte who had just returned to the table carrying two cups of coffee.

"Yes," she replied, looking over the tops of her reading glasses, " and aren't you suppose to carry one cup of coffee at a time?"

It was great having her parents at the house. It was great to have their help, but... Charlotte took in a deep breath. "You're right."

Returning to her writing Debbie commented, "Well if that baby is important to you, you'd stop doing things Dr. Houseman has told you not to."

"Mom, whether the baby has any physical or mental challenges when it is born..."

"If it gets born," interjected her mom.

Speaking above her mother's voice, "When he is born, will have nothing to do with whether I carried two cups of coffee or one. The last ultrasound showed the placenta was moving away from the cervix. Therefore my chances of miscarrying were diminishing."

Her mother's shoulder's slumped. "I only want what's best for you and the baby."

Charlotte rested her hand on her mother's shoulder, "I know. I'm sorry."

Debbie smiled. "I know too."

Knowing it was the tension of the cancer, and the effect of the cancer itself that caused the majority of her mother's mood swings, Charlotte tried to be more patient, and changed the subject back to the letter, "Did you put in about running into Prince Charles, while you and dad were in London?"

Debbie was writing again, "No, but that was a good one. Imagine running into him in that pub. Who knew royalty got out like that?"

"If it weren't for the photography of you and dad with him, I wouldn't believe it. Maybe you should use that picture on the letter?"

Debbie shock her head, "Good idea, but what about you? What are you putting in?"

"Oh the usual, I'm 47 - pregnant, Jenny nearly died, Lovie is fine, Sarah is the best, and Sam..." thoughts of his still not quite under control flashed into her mind.

Debbie reached out and placed her hand on her daughter's hand, "Sam is doing fine. He's a wonderufl husband, great father, tolerant son-in-law."

"But he still drinking, despite the meetings."

"It's not a switch they can flip. It's like a cancer, lurking. He'll get there again."

Charlotte nodded, hoping the tears that were pooling in the corner of her eyes would stay there.

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