They arranged to meet at a cheap café on the rue de Chat Qui Peche. Noelle had
started to suggest a better restaurant when she remembered what Israel had said about
interns not having much money.
He was waiting for her when she arrived. They chatted aimlessly through dinner and
it was not until the coffee arrived that Israel discussed what was on his mind.
“Do you still want to have the abortion?” he asked.
Noelle looked at him in surprise. “Of course.”
“Then you must have it right away. You’re more than two months pregnant.”
She shook her head. “No, not yet, Israel.”
“Is this your first pregnancy?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me tell you something, Noelle. Up until three months, an abortion is
usually an easy matter. The embryo has not been fully formed and all you need is a simple
curettage, but after three months”—he hesitated—”it’s another kind of operation, and it
becomes dangerous. The longer you wait, the more dangerous it becomes. I want you to
have the operation now.”
Noelle leaned forward. “What’s the baby like?”
“Now?” He shrugged. “Just a lot of cells. Of course, all the nuclei are there to form a
complete human being.”
“And after three months?”
“The embryo starts to become a person.”
“Can it feel things?”
“It responds to blows and loud noises.”
She sat there, her eyes locked onto his. “Can it feel pain?”
“I suppose so. But it is protected with an amniotic sac.” He suddenly felt an uneasy
stirring. “It would be pretty hard for anything to hurt it.”
Noelle lowered her eyes and sat staring at the table, silent and thoughtful.
Israel Katz studied her a moment and then said shyly, “Noelle, if you want to keep
this baby and are afraid to because it will have no father…well, I would be willing to
marry you and give the baby a name.”
She looked up in surprise. “I have already told you. I don’t want this baby. I want to
have an abortion.”
“Then, for Christ’s sake, have it!” Israel shouted. He lowered his voice as he realized
that other patrons were staring at him. “If you wait much longer, there isn’t a doctor in
France who will do it. Don’t you understand? If you wait too long, you could die!”