Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry to hear that,” growls my father. “Hopefully he pays you a little in child support?”
“A little,” shrugs Bethany. “But not enough. He never wanted this baby, so I think he’s kind of resentful about having to pay anything. Besides, New York is an expensive place. It’s hard to have enough for a child here.”
I nod.
“But the UK is expensive too. Is he in London? Cost of living there is even more than it is here.”
“I know,” she says wryly. “But it’s never enough. And he always has weird excuses about the small amount he contributes. He’s always blaming it on the exchange rate between the dollar and the pound, and stuff like that.”
Ryder and I snort derisively. Bullshit. No man should duck his obligation to his children, and this guy already disgusts us. A man should be generous and giving to those he loves, even if the baby was unexpected. This guy is already a hapless douchebag in our opinions.
Ryder steps in.
“So how are you able to get by in New York?” he asks in a low voice. “Are you doing okay?”
Bethany shrugs a little, blushing.
“Wow, we’re really telling each other everything, aren’t we? I know we just met, but still …”
“Are you uncomfortable?” I ask, point blank.
“No,” she says in a lilting voice. “It’s just that are you sure you want to know this much about me? It’s not all pretty,” she warns.
Ryder interjects.
“We want to know everything about you,” he growls.
She smiles helplessly again.
“Well, in that case, I’m happy to tell you the best parts,” she quips playfully. “Danny and me? We get by. We’re happy,” she adds. “I lucked into a rent-controlled apartment a while back, and so we actually have a two-bedroom on the Upper East Side,” she says. “It’s not fancy, but it’s enough for me and my baby. There are parks nearby, and good schools too for when he gets to be school age.”
I nod thoughtfully.
“Do you have a babysitter?”
She smiles.
“I do, but just occasionally. Danny goes to day care full-time during the week because it’s the only option,” she says a little hesitantly. “I work full-time, so he has to be somewhere safe and clean. He likes it,” she adds a bit defensively. “And they’re good there. He’s learning a lot and enjoys playing with the other kids. Well, they don’t exactly play together,” she says ruefully. “At their age, they independently play alongside one another. Kind of like they’re in the same room together, aware but ignoring one another.”
I laugh out loud. My sister Nicole has three kids, and I love my nieces and nephews to pieces. In fact, seeing Nicole’s happy family has made me think more seriously about becoming a father recently. It seems nice to come home to kids who run to welcome you with excited smiles and cries of “Daddy! Daddy!”
Ryder nods too. I know he’s been thinking about fatherhood recently as well. After all, we’re men in our forties, and whoever said that guys don’t get baby fever is totally wrong. We definitely do, it usually just hits a bit later since we’re not subject to the biological clock as much.
“Sweetheart, we’re the last guys on earth to criticize someone for their childcare choices. Remember, we went to medical school, and medical school is now fifty percent or more female. We saw how our female classmates struggled with daycare, nannies, babysitters and the like once they had kids and had to balance work, life, and motherhood. It’s not easy, and if anything, you have even more of our respect for doing it on your own.”
She nods, even if there’s a little sadness to her voice.
“Thanks,” she says in a bit of a wry tone. “I didn’t want to be a single mom. No one does because it’s so hard,” she says with emphasis. “But life is what it is, and again, I wouldn’t give my baby back for anything,” she says. “If anything, I think I’m a lot happier as a mom than when I was single. I used to roam around the city always searching for something, but now, I think I’ve found my purpose.”
“As a mother?” I ask. I’ve always adored women who make motherhood a priority, and Bethany clearly fits in that category. But she surprises me.
“As a mother, and as a person,” she clarifies. “After all, Danny will grow up, even if it seems like a long time from now. One day, he won’t need me every second of every day, so I want to develop myself too,” she says. “I want to explore my interests and become even more of a woman.”
I’m impressed. This is deep shit for a twenty-five year-old of any sex, and I agree with her. Perhaps motherhood is what’s helped Bethany become mature beyond her years. Whatever it is, she’s clearly an articulate and sensitive young woman. Definitely someone I’m interested in knowing better.