Chapter 39

"Adele…I was young and stupid. Turns out the guy who I thought I loved…the one who told me that he loved me, too…well…turns out he really didn't…and he made that clear enough when he took off after finding out that I was pregnant. And I certainly didn't have any support from my mother back then; so there was no way I could have told her that I was…" Corrine takes in a breath. "I wasn't ready to have a child of my own…not by myself." Corrine turns around and faces Adele. "Adele; I had no choice. I…I had an abortion, Adele." Adele remains silent. Corrine waits a moment before asking… "Do you know what an abortion is, Adele?" Adele isn't exactly sure what she meant by abortion; but she can tell by the look on Corrine's face and the tone in her voice that it wasn't a good thing. Not wanting to upset Corrine anymore than she seems to be, Adele simply nods; pretending to understand what she was telling her. Corrine could tell that Adele doesn't have any idea what she was talking about; but greatly appreciates the fact that Adele's attempting to make it easier on her by not having her explain it. She continues. "It was the most difficult decision I ever had to make, Adele…but I couldn't have the baby. I wasn't ready. I wouldn't have been able to take care of it. I couldn't…" Corrine begins to cry. Adele immediately goes to Corrine and takes her hand. When Corrine looks to her, Adele gives her one of her typical, tenderly warm, sincere smiles; which Corrine finds instant comfort in, and stops crying. She wipes the tears from her face with her free hand; then, when finished, takes hold of Adele's other hand. "That was one of the hardest things I ever had to deal with, Adele. I was a wreck. There's no way I could have gotten through it…not without Nadine." Corrine takes a brief moment to wipe away some tears starting to form in her eyes again; then lets out a short laugh. "There I was…this hardheaded, supposed know-it-all, eighteen-year-old ‘grown up woman'…and I needed to turn to my little, thirteen-year-old sister for help." Corrine gazes into Adele's wide-eyed, childlike, sympathetic eyes and suddenly recognizes an uncannily similar resemblance to those of Nadine's when she first told her of her predicament. More tears start to form, and she quickly releases Adele's hands to wipe them away; while also swallowing the lump beginning to swell in her throat. She explains… "The thing is, Adele; Nadine was there for me. She was there for me when I needed her…during one of the toughest times of my life. And I thank God that she was…" she takes hold of Adele's hands, "because, like I said before, I probably wouldn't have made it through that without her by my side." She lovingly smiles at Adele and gently strokes her hair. "Adele…I want you to listen to me now. You know Nadine's sick…and the medicine she's taking…well…it's starting to make her feel sicker. It's not going to be easy for her. In fact, things are going to be a lot harder for Nadine very soon." Corrine delicately places her hands upon Adele's cheeks, and slowly positions her head so she can look her directly in the eyes. "Adele…Nadine needs you. She needs you to be there for her…just like she was there for me. Trust me, I have every intention on being there for her, too; but I know that it's you who she really wants there for her. I know this; deep down in my heart." Adele tries to move her head downward, but Corrine manages to direct it back to her. "Adele…I know you're still sad about Miss Krinsky. It's okay; it's only natural to feel sad when someone who you care about dies. I understand that. But, please; Adele…you have to be strong now…please…Nadine's going to need you to be there for her…" She pauses a moment; taking in a breath before finishing, "I need you to be there for her. Please…please be there for her…I'm begging you."