Silos of Man

Chapter 3 -Baby Talk

Morning was breaking bright and sunny into our gossamer curtained bedroom.  They're lovely, just not great for sleeping-in.  I turn my unclothed body toward her and press my front against her back.  She sighs contentedly and I'm enjoying the moment when she interrupts it with, "You know I don't want to be old, right?"  I know right away where she's going with this.  We've both just been confronted with the probability that our respective careers are about to take off.  She's thinking about our future and she wants them to be a part of it, she's always made that clear.  I do too, just not for a while.  I want to enjoy this for many more years first. 

"You're barely the age of majority and won't be old for quite some time, and we've got plenty of it", I reassure her.  "In fact, you're only just eligible.  No-one does it at 24.  There is way too much to see and do for our generation to jump into it too early.  I really think we should experience some of the amazing things that this globe has to offer before we settle into helping someone else get to a place where they go off to find their own experiences and adventures.  Our upcoming trip is a brilliant place to start.  Let's experience cool parts of the world, check some things off of our bucket lists and then re-evaluate how many more experiences we'll want, worry-free, before making this decision... because, My Dear, my understanding is that once we do this, it's all worrying from there on in."

Her body starts to stiffen, but softens again when I gently pulled her closer to the warmth of my front.  "Remember June – when we both took those three weeks off and just slept and ate and danced and played and just lived for us?  Let's have a little more of that first too, okay?" I know she's got an unrealistic idea of a baby easily folding into our very busy lives, effortlessly and conveniently, but the fact is that nothing will ever be the same again, once we take that plunge. 

"I really want to share our baby with both of my parents and as you know, they were already old when they had me, so I can't wait if I want them to have lots of time together, which I do."  Aha – the old-parents card.  She's played this one a few times and, annoyingly, it's valid.  Her parents had her at the end of their eligibility window.  They both carried one, six months apart, so Ryann and Blake are very close in age, and they came from the same pool, so they're genetically related on their father's side.  While their parents clearly did a fantastic job – their advanced age has left Ryann with what seems to be her only baggage, which is a dreaded sense that life is way too short and that she has to fit all the important things in as soon as possible.  I, on the contrary, feel it's too early to start rushing through our lives.

Despite the age of her parents, she has a wonderfully close and supportive family.  "I understand, My Love, but can we cross this bridge again after graduation-transition and settling into our careers.  If we wait another year or two, you'll still be under the median age, and that's still considered young."   She inhaled deeply and then sighed out, "I just don't know how much past a year or two I have, if they're going to have enough time to enjoy it." 

I'm not going to win this one, so it's just a matter of stalling for as long as possible.  "Okay, let's really take it seriously, like planning dates while we're on our trip.  We'll work on this enormous family decision and move forward as soon as we're back."  Note to self: extend the trip by a month and surprise her with an extended couple's spa package!  By then she should be as enamoured by the good life as I am, that she'll hold-off her desire to start parenthood for a little while longer.  "Okay...", she sighs again and curls into me.  Back to bliss.

Over morning coffee, she asks, "Are you still good for Friday night?  Jeeze, that's tomorrow already!"  She looks over at me with apprehensive excitement.  Friday night, Fri-day night...she seems ready for me to disappoint her which I want to avoid at all costs, so, "Absolutely." I deliver with confidence.  She breaths out with a not-so-secret, 'secret' relief - almost imperceivable but I know her so very well that I pick it up.  I stay quiet while I wait for the follow-up which should re-enlighten me as to what I'm absolutely ready for on Friday night.  "Blake is bringing someone", she practically sings as though rejoicing.  Ah yes, the dinner party with her family!  I do enjoy spending time with them, more than my own parents in fact, but I'm confident that the baby pressure will be intense.  "Well now I'm looking forward to it even more!"  We both chuckle at the idea of interrogating the new guest.