Fairytales by Cynthia Freeman Read Free Book Online Page A

home. It set us back a pretty penny, I can tell ya. But when Mama saw the house, I thought she was goin’ to faint. Her Catherine … livin’ in a place like this? “Well, Mama,” I said, jokingly, of course, “you picked my husband for me … it’s really your fault marryin’ me off to some strugglin’ lawyer.” She smiled and answered, “I guess we have to be sensible … after all, Catherine, you’re not married to a house, you can always sell it. But Dominic’s a young man with a good future … and I truly believe, in my heart, he’s a man of destiny.” I’ve thought about that many times and wondered if Mama really realized how very profound she was or if she was just sayin’ that to make me feel better … but she really hit the nail on the head, didn’t she?
    By George, no sooner had Tory turned one, I found myself pregnant again. But this time the nine months were miserable, really miserable. In the beginnin’ I threw up constantly. Nothin’ agreed with me, I felt sick and weak most of the time. I simply had to get some extra help in to assist with little Dom and Tory, and this time Dominic didn’t complain, not once. In fact, I think I felt closer to him durin’ that pregnancy than almost at any other time in our married life. His solicitude was so reassurin’ and comfortin’. I’ll just never forget it.
    By this time, he was just about to the point in his practice where he was makin’ a good livin’. In fact, Dominic’s name was beginnin’ to appear in the newspaper as havin’ won a large injunction against a major corporation. And always, there were little things said in the article about Mr. Dominic Rossi bein’ the most promisin’ young attorney that had come along in years … and naturally I was proud. In fact, I began to make a scrapbook of all of his clippin’s. I’d buy an extra paper and send the article for Mama to see. But with all he had on his mind and as hard as he was workin’, he managed to call me several times a day, if only for a minute before rushin’ off to court. Well, the months passed slowly and toward the end, my belly looked like one of those New Orleans overripe watermelons. I had the worse time gettin’ in and out of bed. During the night, I would moan when I had to get out and go to the bathroom … and Dominic would wake up and help me. I can tell ya, I wondered many times how he could go into court bleary-eyed with hardly any sleep with me gruntin’ half the night tryin’ to turn from one side to the next. Finally with the help of the dear Lord, my time had come. And what a surprise that was. Heaven help us! We had twin boys. Angelo and Anthony … those adorable little pink chubby babies, whom we came to call Angie and Tony. Well, you’d just think no one in this entire universe had ever been the father of twins, the way Dominic strutted around and crowed. I swear, he was just about the proudest man alive. I just hate myself for admittin’ that I could’ve had a … a mild case of jealousy over those poor little innocent babies. No, not them really, it was all the attention and lovin’ they were receivin’ from everybody and somehow, I felt neglected, especially after Dominic was so terribly concerned about me durin’ those nine months. Suddenly, it seemed to me that all I was good for was producin’ his inventions. I had the feelin’ of bein’ a conceivin’ machine, poppin’ out one child after another. Good Lord almighty … I’d never let a soul know I ever harbored such thoughts, why people’d think I was downright wicked … I don’t know … maybe I am just a little, but who hasn’t got faults for heaven sakes. I got mine but I do believe most faults are inherited and there’s not much a body can do about that except admit to yourself you’re just human. But I do think I showed my character by gettin’ over those feelin’s in a hurry and no one was the wiser. By the time me and the babies came home, we were one big happy