Chapter 40: CHAPTER FORTY

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CHAPTER FORTY

"Well, little buddy, we're going to have to be really careful on the drive to my college today. Not only are the streets covered with that thin layer of ice that make them look like they're only wet. But that light snow cover on them from last night makes it really difficult to see the manhole covers. They can flip us right over."

Beeep!

I got on, spread my legs out wide on either side of the cub to act like safety wheels on a little kid's training bicycle, put us in second gear to keep us from fishtailing like it would in first, and very, very slowly accelerated us up to fifteen kilometers an hour and not a click faster.

Halfway to school, one instant we were very slowly putting along, the next instant we were flipped over sideways sliding along the icy pavement.

Damn! Must have hit a manhole cover!

When we finally slid to a stop, I tried to get up but my legs slipped out from under me.

Damn again! The snow's hiding black ice, too!

Finally, after I was able to very carefully and very slowly stand up and dust the snow off me . . .

"Oh my God little buddy, are you OK?"

Beeep!

I slowly righted my cub -- damn near breaking my back with its weight.

"Thank God there weren't any cars or trucks behind us, little buddy, or we'd both be scrunched flatter than pancakes right now."

Beeep!

I got on the cub, put us in third gear and very, very slowly accelerated us up to ten kilometers an hour and held us there.

"Whew! Well, little buddy, I at least got us here. Going home, the light snow at least should be melted off. I hope we'll be able to get home without flipping again."

Beeep!

As we were eating lunch at our usual table on the last day before our long spring vacation, Ruriko said."Dave, I've got something to tell you."

"What's that, Ruriko?"

She smiled sheepishly, "I'm pregnant!"

"Huh? . . . uh, congratulations . . . umm, isn't it?"

"Oh yes. For us it's wonderful! My husband and I have always wanted to have children as well as careers."

"So why didn't you tell me you were pregnant before?"

She chuckled, hand covering her mouth. "I just found out yesterday when I went to my appointment with my gynecologist after my afternoon classes."

"Have you told Fumie yet?"

She nodded. "I got here early before our morning classes so I could tell her. She said she was happy for me and to come back to her office after my afternoon classes to work out the details of my maternity leave. I may be able to start teaching again by fall semester, but I doubt it. I'm afraid I'll probably have to take off all of our next academic year."

"Hmm . . . I'm really going to miss talking with you at lunch time."

"Me, too."

"But anyway. My congratulations to you and your husband."

"Thank you, Dave."

Submitted: January 30, 2024

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