The Eden Shack

Even this relatively worthy arrangement was to receive another reminder of the other world. Jacinta, who was due to menstruate about four days after Justin had left, failed to do so. At first this did not trouble her, but when a week after she was due she still had not menstruated, she confided to Grace; "Grace, I think I'm pregnant."

At first Grace assured her that all would be well, but it would prove to be so.

On their return to that other world Jacinta was examined by a doctor who confirmed her pregnancy. She was faced with a triple paternity dilemma. Was the father Steve, Harry or Justin? The odds were in favour of Steve since it was with him she had made love most frequently, and since Justin had failed to impregnate her over many years he seemed an unlikely candidate.

The point was, Jacinta would never really know. If she decided to have tests to prove paternity Justin would have to be included in the tests, and that would surely inform him that Jacinta had some reason to question paternity. As it was he accepted responsibility without question, while Steve, as it were, accepted responsibility unofficially.

Had that been an end to the tangle all might have been well, but Grace, who flattered herself that she had escaped such consequences, also discovered she was pregnant about a month after they had left the shack. She had no husband to fall back on since time alone indicated the impossibility of Jeff being the father.

When finally Jeff was informed of her condition the marriage was at an end. In the case of Grace, tests were made and the father proved to be, not Harry, but her son Steve. Despite this knowledge Harry decided to play the gallant and accept the responsibility.

When eventually Justin learned of his son's apparent paternity all hell broke loose. "It's that woman," he yelled, "she seduced him. It must have been while they were at the shack, the bloody slut." Then turning on Jacinta he complained, "You should have kept an eye on them; I always knew that woman was a whore." And so it went on until Harry cleared out of home and went to live with Grace.

For some time Steve continued to visit Jacinta in order to make love with her, but this faded and then ceased when he became engaged to and married a girl around his own age.

Jacinta gave birth to a daughter whom she called, Joy. From then on her sex life was limited to Justin's routine requirements.

Although she continued to visit the shack she had little enthusiasm for it and only went because Justin wanted to. There were too many memories for her now to get any pleasure from the place.

Grace gave birth to a son and soon after Harry married her. As far as Jacinta knew he remained faithful to Grace until she died at age seventy five. Not long afterwards Harry married a girl some fifteen years his junior and they produced four children.

When Jacinta lay dying her daughter Joy sat holding her hand, and it was she who heard Jacinta's last words.

"The Eden Shack."

Whether Jacinta went to another Eden, or to some place of eternal torment, not even the wisest of us knows.