Black Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

entire building, even seeped through the walls to the outside where Jess pushed open a door and hurried down the austere hallway with the pale-blue walls, her shoes clicking on the bare floor, keeping an off-tempo time with the music. As she walked the music grew louder and when she turned the corner to stop just outside of Room 30 it was almost explosive.
    Looking around she saw that there was no one in sight. She took a deep breath and opened the door as Peter finished off the piece with a flourish, his face strained and sweating.
    Spent, as though he had just finished a grueling cross-country race, he looked up and smiled at her, saying breathlessly, “How about that? Did you hear it all? I finally got it right. No, not right. Perfect. How are you?”
    Diffidently she stood at the end of the piano biting her lip.
    “Well, are you going to say something? Was it great or wasn’t it?”
    “Peter, I’m pregnant.” Her voice was flat, tight and contained.
    His reaction was totally unexpected. “Jess! That’s fantastic.” He stood up and went to her, put his arms around her. When she remained stiff and unpliable he added, a little embarrassed, “Well, that’s great.”
    Quietly but firmly she said, “I don’t want it.”
    She turned away so that her back was to him while his arms remained around her.
    “You don’t want it?”
    “No. I’m going to have an . . . I’m going to have it terminated.”
    Fighting to control his rising anger, Peter asked, “How can you make a decision like that? I mean, the responsibility belongs to both of us. You can’t decide alone. You haven’t even asked me.”
    “There’s nothing to ask. It affects me, not you. Truthfully, I wasn’t even going to tell you.”
    He paused, swallowed hard, getting his breathing to slow down and his hands to stop shaking before he said, “Jess, I want you to have that baby.”
    “I’m sorry, Peter. I can’t.”
    “For God’s sake, Jess! I’m willing to have it. I want it. This is like some absurd futuristic movie where the man wants the baby and the woman doesn’t. We’re the ones who are supposed to suggest abortion while the woman weeps softly in the corner.”
    “I’m sorry, Peter, but that’s the way it is.”
    “Don’t you ever consider anyone but yourself?”
    “I’ve thought this out very carefully and I know what I’m going to do.”
    “Then why the hell tell me!”
    “It was a mistake. I thought I owed it to you. I even thought you might agree.”
    “Well, I don’t. Jess, do you know how important this afternoon is to me?”
    “Yes, I do, which is one reason why I contemplated not telling you.”
    “Oh, damn. Damn! Why don’t you just get out of here.”
    She looked at him for a moment, turned on her heel and crossed the room. Before she could get out the door, across the length of the practice hall he called out to her.
    “I want to talk to you some more about this tonight.”
    “There’s really nothing to discuss, Peter.”
    “I think there is!”
    “I’m not going to change my mind.”
    “We’ll see. Will you be home at nine o’clock?”
    “Yes.”
    “Don’t . . . don’t do anything until after I talk to you.”
    “Don’t worry. Even I’m offended by the idea of doing it on Christmas Eve.”
    “Okay. I’ll see you then.”
    “All right.” She walked out of the room and closed the door gently behind her. He sat down at the piano thoughtfully. After looking at his watch he began to play a difficult passage from the piece he was studying, a slow, romantic movement in contrast to the wild abandon of the finish. Totally involved in the music he listened to the tone and beauty of the work as he played until his fingers struck a discordant note. It brought him back to life, to the reality of his conversation with the woman he loved.
    He slammed his hands down hard on the piano and the discord reverberated through the hall.
    Mr. Harrison looked and felt uncomfortable and out of place in the small