“Yes, and no. A conventional job, like the one I hold now, is something I would give up in a heartbeat. I barely have the energy to handle it now. No one knows this, except for the girls, but I’ve always wanted to write—and not some one-time passion project. I want to write something beautiful and powerful, like romance novels that make you scream, cry, kick your feet, and clench your thighs together.”Do not think about her thighs clenched together right now.“I love how as an author I could make my schedule. I could write whenever I don’t feel nauseous, during naps, or even during pumping sessions. It just takes time to see any kind of financial return out of it and I only have myself to rely on so I don’t have the funds to do that right now.”
“You know D-” I don’t even get a chance to finish my thought before she gives me a “don’t you dare” face.
“Absolutely not, Tatum.”
“I didn’t even get to tell you what I had in mind.” I chide.
“You were going to offer to take over finances and say something too good to be true, like you have the money and I can focus on writing while you handle everything else. Were you not?”
“You got me there. But, Darcy, it’s the truth. I make plenty enough to provide for us and I wouldn’t mind helping you out while you build your brand and business. You would be able to rest when you need it, instead of working yourself into the ground. You can still be in charge of where our money goes.” I pause, bracing myself for the potential backlash her fierce independence may cause. “Listen, Darcy, you don’t have to say yes right now, or at all, even. Just think about it, okay?”
“Ugh, you have some valid points, but I don’t want to say yes yet. The office is offering to let me work from home. They can see that I’m exhausted and want to work with me on some of that. I don’t think they realize it's not the pregnancy sucking all my energy, it’s the job. Do you mind if I set up an office space in my room to work?”
“You can do whatever you want, this condo is your home too, whether you say yes to my offer or not.”
“Thank you, Tate.”
“No problem, D.”
A little while after cleaning up from dinner, we head to our respective rooms where I lay awake, wondering what life might look like over the coming months. Will Darcy’s nausea ever completely go away? What kind of dad car will I be driving or will we use hers to transport our blob? Will Darcy quit her job and take me up on my offer? When our child makes their appearance in the world, will anything change between Darcy and me? Will I be a good Dad? What does it feel like to hold your child for the first time?
Chapter9
Extra Pickles Please
Tatum || 15 weeks pregnant, September
“Hey, how was the gym?” Darcy asks as I walk into the living room, her frizzy hair and droopy eyes implying she may have just woken up from a nap.
“Same old, same old. I’m going to grab a shower then we can tackle dinner?”
“That sounds great. I just took a quick nap, and haven’t had lunch today.” She grimaces, knowing I’m going to give her a hard time for not having eaten anything.
“Have you eaten at all today?”
“I had breakfast and some crackers here and there. Work was super busy, by the time I wrapped up all I wanted to do was sleep.”
“Mama, you gotta eat. For you and the blob.”
“I know. I need to be more intentional about eating.” She sighs.
“Okay so whatcha want for dinner?”
“Hmmm, a burger and fries!”
“Sounds good to me. No onions right? Anything else?”
“Extra pickles please.” After placing a delivery order, I head towards my room to grab my shower, while she disappears into her room.
“Knock, knock,” I announce, entering her room twenty-five minutes later.
“Come in.” She doesn’t turn away, keeping focused on her computer.
“What are you doing over there?”
“Fleshing out the book plot I have in mind, just seeing if it’s something I’m still inspired to write.”
“Wanna tell me about it?” She slams her laptop shut with a definitive shake of her head. I take that as my cue to change the topic. “So you know the season is about to start up again right?”
