‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI’™m hurting,’ Adam said to his Bubbles over breakfast.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhere?’, she answered.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œHere,’ he said, placing the tip of a bony finger over his breast bone.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWell, you’™re forever claiming you lost a rib because of me, maybe that’™s the place and it’™s just begun to hurt.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œDon’™t be funny ‘“ could be serious.’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œNot if I know you, Adam. Fit as they come, you are.’ But a flash of worry passed over Pamella’™s face as she spoke. Adam loved his wife with a passion and a wonder that was rare. Wonder must be a strange word to mark love, yet this was, perhaps, the main aspect of his love for Pamella.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAs unpredictable as the whippoorwill,’ he would say of her to his friends. ‘œOne moment almost human, the next she is a Puck of the woods. Sometimes she’™ll buy with a passion things we might use only once, or pulling me by my sleeve and begging to go to friends, dinner out or dance.’ This Adam would say not so much in frustration or anger but rather in wonder at this small human who possessed the vitality of a dragonfly.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œShe works with a theatrical company,’ Adam would say when speaking of Pam’™s work, ‘œBut it seems to me that Pam’™s life is one big theatrical’.’  This, Adam was sure to say with a laugh that reflected only admiration.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œDarling,’ he would often say, ‘œIt’™s high time we started a family – while we’™re still young. Time passes so quickly!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBut, Adam,’ his Bubbles would always reply: ‘œI can’™t be tied to children just yet. I have my career to think about. Maybe in a year or two,’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Sometimes Adam wondered if he hadn’™t made a mistake falling in love with Pamella. But at the Engineers’™ Finalists party he had been unable to help falling in love with this short, vivacious dark-haired bundle of energy. “Your name should never have been as down to earth as Pamellaת” he had told her when they were courting, “you’™re like the bubbles in champagne – your real name’  is Bubbles. And the name had stuck.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  So it was this fascination and wonder of Pamella that kept Adam keen to please his Bubbles and forever buzzing about her when they were together. As would be expected, at work Pam was a live wire; sometimes taking the director’™s chair, sometimes a part ‘“ usually the lead, being understudy to any, even manhandling screens and stage sets.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Adam, lanky and blond, a civil engineer by profession, was as steady as the concrete bridges he designed.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWe’™re going to a party tonight, Adam ‘“ Regie’™s place. You must be at your best. He’™s planning an expansive, very modern play at the Theatre Royal and I am to play the lead. It’™s a great opportunity for me. I may become famous. Name up in lights! Oh, Adam, isn’™t this just too wonderful?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Pam’™s enthusiasm sparkled indeed like champagne. Adam often wondered what she found in him and felt sometimes that to Pam he must be a mill stone about her neck.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œNot a millstone, Adam. You’™re my anchor, my darling, not a mill-stone’ she would say to him with an impish grin, ‘œWithout you I think I would just fly up and away ‘“ like a kite,’ and her laugh would tinkle and shine like crystal as she skipped away on some chore.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was no wonder to Adam that Reginald, a new director to Pam chose her for the lead in the new play. When the director met Pam that evening, his enthusiasm was as obvious as his attachment to her. To Adam it was significant – as if Reginald thought Pamella was the one actress that would make or break the show and, perhaps, his company.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Seeing Reg and Pam dancing together that evening, Adam couldn’™t help noticing his whispering in Pam’™s ear something that induced a laugh so loud and with such delight it almost stopped the band.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Adam at once became worried. Pam and Regie would be together for many long days, weeks and months when rehearsals began and the show took off. And that would be quite soon.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  And so it was. When rehearsals began, Adam fretted at work always wondering ‘“ losing his concentration on an important calculation of the stresses upon a girder arch under a storm wind.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI’™m going to lose that crazy little thing of mine, I know it. Reg is so compelling ‘“ and good for Pam’™s career. Good looking and dynamic too ‘“ so unlike me.’ This he confessed also to Ted the barman down the road. He had taken to frequent the place now that Pam was getting back from rehearsals as late as nine, nine thirty and even ten.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYou know, Ted, when she comes home, instead of being tired she’™s still bubbling. I have this terrible feeling that she ‘œrests’ during the day. You must know what I mean.’ And Adam’™s face would reflect the thoughts tormenting him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThe play is coming on just something wonderful, Adam,’ Pam said. ‘œReg is very, very demanding but I can understand him too. He wants it to be just perfect ‘“ and it’™s going to be. In one scene I have to clamber over a roof to escape a captor ‘“ it’™s so exciting and Reg says that it’™s my agility that makes me so good for the part. I asked him to let you design the structure but he said they already had a designer and that the set is ready. Oh, it’™s a wonderful play. A wonderful plot. The set is being put up tomorrow, in fact and we start tomorrow doing the play for real.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Pam’™s excitement over details of the play would often go on into the small hours of the night until, exhausted, she fell asleep. But Adam’™s sleep was troubled just as were his waking hours. His Bubbles’™ talk of Reg disturbed him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œHe’™s tough,’ she would say, ‘œbut at the same time you know he’™s human and can be generous and kind. He demands better than one’™s best and is hard on everyone until he gets it. It’™s difficult but I love also reaching for something that is even a little beyond my limit. Oh, Adam, I have so much satisfaction now!’ It was Reg this and Reg that whenever Adam and Pam were together.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Throughout rehearsals Pam had never called Adam at work, so it was with some surprise when the operator sought him personally at a colleague’™s desk. ‘œThere’™s a call from the theatre – it’™s urgent – I’™ll put it through to you there.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He picked up the receiver and waited. Finally: ‘œHello. Yes, this is Adam . . .’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThere’™s been an accident, I’™m afraid ‘¦ Pam’™s hurt ‘¦’  taken to hospital ‘¦’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhich hospital ‘“ for God’™s sake!?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThe West London.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The caller got no further as Adam slammed the receiver down and ran for the lift stopping only to take his jacket from his room. Placing himself in front of the first taxi that came by, he forced the driver to stop.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œCan’™t you see that I have a passenger ‘“ I’™m occupied!?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThis is an emergency…’ Adam turned to the passenger, his eyes wide, ‘œPlease, forgive me. My wife’™s just had an accident and is in hospital. I’™m sure you’™ll understand.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThe West London’, Adam shouted to the driver and then to the passenger, ‘œIt’™s really quite close.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  They arrived In under five minutes. Adam shoved a twenty pound note into the driver’™s hand and not waiting for change, dashed for the hospital steps and entrance.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Although still in a semi-doped state, Pamella managed a feeble smile when she saw Adam peeping around the screen.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBubbles. What happened?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThe roof gave way. Oh, Adam I feel an awful goop!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  A doctor joined them and examined momentarily the’  drop rate from the infusion bag. Adam turned to him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat’™s the injury, doctor? Is it serious?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œNothing that a few months won’™t cure.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMonths!?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œ’™Fraid so. A rib ‘“ perhaps two, collar bone and thigh ‘“ all in one. Did a good job.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œShe always does that,’ Adam remarked with a forced smile and turning to Pam.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat does Reg say?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œOh ‘“it’™s my understudy’™s chance of a lifetime. I’™m out of it! Oh, Adam, what am I going to do now?’ Pam said with a wail, ‘œMy world has collapsed!’ and she began sobbing uncontrollably. Adam tried to comfort her with words and touch, but comfort could not come easily.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  A week later and in the quiet of their home, Adam was quick to notice that though his Bubbles’™ spirit was basically intact, she was much more Pamella than Bubbles.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œOkay, my darling, so you can’™t prance around for a while but with an au pair to help us, you’™re mending. Time passes so quickly and in next to no time you’™ll be as fine as ever.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAdam, I love you. You’™re as solid as one of your bridges, you’™re good and kind. I’™ve had a lot of time to think in the past week and I think that some of the things I have to tell are going to surprise you.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBut even before you tell, Pam, there’™s something that I, too, must say. Something that has troubled me not for a week but three months and more.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI want you to be completely honest and open with me – no matter what. Was there anything between you and Reg? There, I’™ve said it at last and I’™m glad.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI’™m glad, too, Adam. I could tell what was going through your mind for the past weeks but couldn’™t bring myself to start. Yes, it began when Reg made all kinds of hints and even a pass or two but he’™s rough, Adam. Not like you. You are gentle. I told you. I think that without you I would loose myself. Fly like a kite without a string. You’™re my string, Adam and I know just where I am with you. No. I admire Reg for being so thorough but I drew a line and made it stay just there. And that’™s not all, Adam ‘“ not the half of it!
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat’™s the other half, then?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhen I was in art-school a line from Shakespeare struck and stuck with me. It’™s about a soldier ‘˜seeking a bubble reputation in the cannon’™s mouth’™. Was it coincidence you calling me Bubbles?’  Suddenly I feel that an actor’™s life is like a bubble too. One day, there’™s a pop and it’™s all gone! Nothing to show for one’™s life! I’™ve become quite a philosopher haven’™t I in one week? I suddenly feel a deep yearning. This accident might just have been my end ‘“ for what? I feel now a need. I feel that the one real thing I can leave when I go is an offspring or even two. How does that sound to you, Adam?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Adam’™s eyes went bright at this. ‘œI’™ve always wanted kids by you. Imagined little yous and mes growing up around us. I love you, Pam, This is the greatest – just too wonderful,’ and he snuggled up a little closer to her on the settee.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œOw! That hurts!’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhere?’ And Pam pointed a dainty finger to the centre of her breast.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œSorry, Pam. Didn’™t realise. You’™ve always been a part of me – my thirteenth rib, you know. If only I could give you another to fix the broken one,’ and Pam’™s bright laugh was for Adam a brush stroke that swept away so many doubts that had tormented him for so long.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAdam, think. If you’™d designed that roof, I’™d be just another rising pin-point of light in a galaxy instead of, hopefully, a mother. I feel truly that this bad construction was the finger of fate turning. If you designed that roof I’™d be riding a star to nowhere instead of this planet into a dream with you.