Solar Cycle 24 Read online

  Part 5: Storks and other matters

  Two days before Rob told Kathleen about the radiation, she had walked out of the bathroom with a shocked look on her face; her pregnancy test had shown positive; she was elated but surprised and confused also. She had been to several pregnancy specialists in Seattle, and they had all told her she could not get pregnant.

  She redid the test and the second test told her the same thing, she was pregnant. She was 38 years old, and she was going to have a baby. Then Rob had laid the biggest bomb shell on her yet; he had gotten involved with the U. S. government.

  She knew it was unfair, but she resented Rob and God a little, deep down at the unfairness of what life had thrown at her. Rob had spent the better part of their marriage involved in his work and his sciences, and she felt she had been left out of his life just when she needed him the most, she still loved him with all her heart, but she felt it just the same.

  Now they were preparing for the end of the world as they knew it, she trusted what she was told by Rob and Gary, and in a way she appreciated the fact that they were both scientists, but she was depressed as she walked the Isles of the big Safeway store pushing two carts with this strange and studious girl.

  She fought back the tears as she raked off several cans of Pet Milk off the shelf. She came to the diaper section, What am I going to do? The tears welled up in her eyes unbidden.

  “What's wrong Kathleen?”

  “Ruth, I’m pregnant.”

  “At a time like this? Girl you sure can pick them…well…we’re going to need these.” Ruth said as she began stacking disposable diapers in underneath the food baskets of all four carts.

  Kathleen giggled at the girl as she hurriedly stacked the baskets full, “You take everything in stride don’t you?”

  “What else am I gonna do, sit here and cry about it?”

  “I guess not, forgive me for being so emotional.”

  “Hey, I feel emotion too; it just can’t come to the surface; I'm really happy for you Kathleen.” She looked at her through her very thick glasses, “I’m glad I met you.”

  Kathleen hugged the girl, crying and laughing at the same time, A woman walked by pushed her cart; she had a little boy sitting in the cart; she looked at them strangely.

  “What’re you looking at?” Ruth looked at the woman with her analytical gaze.

  She quickly ducked her head and moved on, the women both giggled as they continued their shopping spree of a life time.

  Part 6: Missing and presumed gone