The Story of Charlotte McPherson

The way I learned about Charlotte was from my wife. About two months after Charlotte's visit. I was there when her dad called to tell my wife. And then I was there when my wife talked to Charlotte.

"I'm sorry Charlotte. Well, it happens sometimes. It's exciting news but I know it's not good timing, and it will be difficult." That's what I heard on my end as Kathy talked on the phone.

"Poor Charlotte. She says she doesn't understand how it could have happened because she and her boyfriend were always careful and used protection. My dad and his wife are obviously upset but they're also supportive. Charlotte is going to take a year off before starting school." That's what my wife told me after she got off the phone.

I wasn't really trying for that to happen. Not with Charlotte I mean. Although it excited me that Charlotte was pregnant. I'm really not trying to be mean. I'm just being honest.

What Charlotte ended up doing after a year, was going to go to a university there in southern California instead of Stanford. So her parents were close by could help out with the baby.

What was really strange is that Kathy and I had also been trying to start a family at the same time. That was just a coincidence.

So when we traveled to the McPherson's the following spring, it was weird to see both Kathy and Charlotte about seven months pregnant. Partly because I had always thought of Charlotte as so much younger than my wife. Well I guess ten years is ten years. Charlotte was due about two or three weeks before my wife.

I said earlier there were consequences or repercussions from the visit. So now you know about that. I also said that things worked out fine and that's true too. Charlotte was able to get through college, did very well, and has a good job working in some kind of chemistry. Organic I think it's called. She helps design anti-cancer drugs.

Charlotte and her boyfriend didn't work out. But that had an okay ending too. Charlotte ended up marrying this guy she met at her work. Another chemist. And they have a son together.

And my wife and Charlotte became closer than they were already, partly because of being pregnant around the same time. Charlotte and her daughter would come visit us for three weeks every summer so that she and our daughter (Kathy and my daughter) could play together. Or we would go meet Charlotte at some vacation spot, like Hawaii, or Puerto Vallarta. The cousins became very close and still are close. And they're both grown up now because all this happened in 1991 -- so it's been a long time.

I called them cousins although I guess they're actually half-sisters just like Charlotte and Kathy. Except even more related than that because Charlotte and Kathy are both half-sisters too. I'm not sure what that makes them. It's complicated.

Yes, I still like to be with Charlotte when she visits or when we visit her. Although I've mellowed and would never stare at her the way I did back in 1991, I still think she's beautiful. I still enjoy her personality. I love my wife. I love Charlotte too. I still like Charlotte's mischievous blue eyes, her lightly freckled nose, and her dark red straight hair that now has a few subtle streaks of grey.