Daddy in Waiting - The Forbidden Fun

“Sorry about all of the theatrics, Rob. I don’t want you to think there’s anything wrong with you or with me, it’s just that…” I search for the right way to put it. “Since we’re both on the same page about taking this seriously, I want to be up front with you. About everything.”

He nods, his expression thoughtful. “What is it?”

I swallow.

“It’s about my parents. Marcy and Peter have been on my back about getting serious with a man ever since I graduated from high school. It’s crazy.”

I snort-chuckle.

“I’ll say. You’re what, honey? Twenty-one? Twenty-two?”

She rolls her eyes.

“Even worse. I’m only twenty, but my parents are really old fashioned, and they want grandchildren ASAP. To them, I’m practically over the hill already.”

I raise my eyebrows.

“No one should have kids before they’re ready.”

I nod furiously.

“Exactly, right? But when I told them I’d started dating Carl, they immediately went into overdrive. They started asking me when they were going to meet him, when they were going to meet his family, and when I thought he might propose. I thought it was all typical parent stuff and blew them off.”

Rob looks thoughtful.

“Okay, that’s fast, but still harmless.” I clear my throat again and take another drink to try to moisten my parched throat.

“Maybe they were just asking typical parent questions, but I don’t know. Either way, I told Marcy and Peter that Carl and I broke up, and things changed. You see, they’d hoped that Carl and I were going to live happily ever after and that we were going to have a family together. Now that they know that isn’t the case, well…” I take a few deep breaths. “My parents … well, they’ve been pushing me to freeze my eggs.”

Rob looks nonplussed. “Really? At age twenty? That’s a little young, isn’t it?”

And then I can’t hold it back anymore. A rush of emotions comes pouring out, and I can’t stop it. “I know Marcy and Pete mean well, but I just—I’m so upset that they would even suggest egg-freezing! I’m young! I’m just barely out of my teens, so I have time! I don’t need to do it, do I? I mean, they’re treating me like I’m already a spinster or something.”

Rob listens to me without interrupting and when I finish my rant, he places his hand on my back and rubs it in soothing circles. “Pepper, baby girl, I understand your frustrations. I even empathize with them.” He pauses as if there’s a “but” coming along, and I wince a little.

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about this but there’s some truth to your parents’ words. Freezing your eggs is done best in your twenties. A lot of women tend to wait until they’re thirty or forty or sometimes even older to do it, but by then it’s not a great idea because the eggs aren’t as likely to be viable.” He rubs my shoulder. “Did you know that?”

I bury my face in my hands, and nod. I think about my parents and how much they love me. I remember almost every Christmas and birthday gift they’ve ever gotten me, plus the times my mom kissed my boo-boos and my dad drove carpool. I really, really want to be mad at them, but I just can’t.

I tremble, trying to hold back my tears, but they spill over anyways.

“I don’t know, when Marcy and Pete told me they wanted me to freeze my eggs, they went overboard! They gave me a gift certificate for a facility close to my school. Who does that? Whose parents act like this? It’s just so heavy-handed and insulting that they would make this decision for me!”

Rob hands me a few napkins as I cry, and I try to calm down a bit. I dry my face and blow my nose into them. “God, I’m such a mess,” I say. “I’m sure I’ve ruined my makeup by now. Some first date, huh?”

“Stop that, Pepper.” His voice is soft, but the words are firm. “You’re tearing yourself down, and I won’t stand for it.”

He’s right. I look away from him and worry at the unused napkins. “Sorry. It’s just that I want to be a mom, you know? I want to have a huge family and give them tons of grandbabies to dote on. But I don’t know that I want to think about family planning right now. Again, who does that at age twenty? I should be thinking about my career, and having fun. What’s the big rush?”

Rob pulls me into his arms, and I nestle against his shoulder. He rubs my back until I stop crying, and then kisses the top of my head.

“I’m so glad you told me this,” he whispers into my hair. “I know you’re frustrated, and I know you’re scared. I can imagine it was hard for you to let all of these emotions out, but I want you to know that no matter what, I’m here for you.”