Two plus Two equals Five for very large values of Two

It was to be a grand night.

Melanie and Frank agreed to accept the housewarming party from their new neighbors who moved in just four days ago. The Smiths were young (mid-twenties) and recently married. They presented as a happy couple with a happy future. Frank accepted their invitation upon meeting them. It was he who broke the news to his wife.

Melanie had yet to meet either one.

Melanie and Frank had seen their share of problems over the years; most of them financial. It was Melanie that carried the household expenses when Frank had his heart attack one day after his health coverage lapsed. If it had not been for Melanie’s solid employment as a cytogeneticist and Frank’s penchant for writing, they would have lost the house and their retirement.

But that was then.

Now, Melanie had enough time in her job to retire and Frank had enough scripts written to shop each around that their golden years had a renewed potential.

Tonight, at the Smith’s, a good deal of neighbors came with a myriad of gifts for the young couple who needed each and every one. Frank suggested a toaster. Melanie countered with a nice bottle of wine.

They walked the block with the wine bottle secured and their hopes high.

The other neighbors greeted them and waved them to the back yard of the new couple. Their deck donned with incandescent light bulbs, tables with flowers, and an old Victrola spinning a few 78s made the scene very picturesque, almost a Saturday Evening Post cover. Melanie found solace in Frank’s eyes. Frank was lost in Melanie’s.

Ten minutes later, a modest drum roll foreshadowed the Smith’s arrival to meet and greet their guests. Tanya (Smith) could not hold herself and she immediately blurted out that tonight was more than a housewarming.

Frank felt Melanie tugging on his hand to immediately leave.

Tanya continued to usurp the attention by stating that she was in remission for bone marrow cancer and as of this morning, her pregnancy test finally displayed that + sign her and her husband (Tony) had always hoped for.

Melanie dug in hard and pulled Frank away from the applauding crowd with a redoubled sense of urgency. They had to leave NOW!

Never had Frank sensed this from Melanie, but never was Frank one to second guess his wife of thirty years. He acquiesced and departed.

It was not until the two isolated themselves in their own home, out of sight, but easily within the perimeter of vocal festivities at the Smith’s. Frank gave Melanie a few moments to compose herself before he asked the inevitable.

He wished he hadn’t.

“Why did we have to leave? They seemed such a nice couple.”

Melanie asked Frank to sit, for this was not to be easy.

“Frank, I told you I was going to retire at the end of the year. I am going to call my supervisor and move that date effective today.”

“I don’t understand” was all Frank could think of.

“Frank, I told you what I do at the hospital as a cytogeneticist. I look at chromosomes and their defects. I confirm a doctor’s diagnosis and suggest a course of treatment when there is a course of treatment to suggest.”

Frank now understood, but remained silent.

“Frank, you never told me Mrs. Smith was Mrs. Tanya Smith. I have her report on my desk. She was in remission for bone cancer. She no longer is in remission.”

Frank asked, “How much time does she have?”

Oncologists will verify aggressive cancers leave the victim with two or three very painful months. Gynecologists and Pediatricians all want more for a successful gestation.

It was Melanie’s job to break the news to the patient.

It was not her job anymore.