The Blurred Line Between

He finds her on Lois' lap in the dining room. They sit together at the table on one of the spare dining chairs. Lois comforts Maddie while she sobs on her shirt. Ted is on the telephone with his brother, Roger. He talks about his mother, who has recently had a heart attack. Judging by the air in the room, and the somber faces, Gabriel suspects that Gram has passed away. Ted has his usual cool about him, but there is something unsettling there, in the way his body sulks in his stance.

Ted hangs up the phone. Gabriel feels a great worry fill him out. The silence seems to be endless, how ever short the time actually lasts.

"What's wrong?"

Maddie looks up from her mother's chest, her face red and teary and contorted with grief. It hurts him to see her this way. He nears tears himself.

"What is it?" he asks again, thinking that Maddie will surely tell him.

"I'm having an abortion."

The whole world crumbles away.