Alice is pacing my room,

waiting

afraid to look.

She's the kind of woman

who would keep it

because she can't bear the thought

of taking even the potential

of life.

She doesn't want to scare the father away.

"Alice, I can take care of you,"

I tell her this because

I want to support her

and because I love her.

"Charlie, you can barely take care

of yourself."

"But I love you, Alice."

She laughs again

but it doesn't ring

like it did on the highway.

"You're too inexperienced

to know what love is,

Charlie."