Page 94 of Tickled Pink

She nods. “This time, they were just so… aggressive about it. Like I’ve done something wrong. Like there’s something wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Phoebe,” I say.

“Yeah,” Thad says. “If there was something wrong with you, then there’d be something wrong with us. And there is nothing wrong with us, either.”

“My mom…” She sighs. “She said something…”

“What?” I ask, entwining our fingers. “Tell us, Phoebe.”

Her eyes twinge, full of pain and annoyance. “You’ve got two men over there, and neither of them can knock you up?” she quotes.

I make eye contact with Thad again. His jaw tightens with anger that nearly reaches his eyes. I smother my own as well, keeping quiet.

“And I told them, again,” she continues, “you know, we’ve never actually tried. Because we don’t want to be parents. We have other plans, other goals, other…” She scoffs. “Sounds so stupid out loud.”

“No, it’s not,” Thad says. “It is not stupid for you to not want to be a mom, Pheebs. They don’t have to like that, but they do have to respect and accept that it’s your decision. Not theirs.”

“I know,” she says, nodding. “I know all of that.”

“What else did they say?” I ask.

“Just…” She pauses. “Some stuff about how they were proud of me and everything I’ve accomplished, but—”

“But?” Thad asks, some of that anger shining through. “There’s no but in that sentence.”

“But they always thought they’d be grandparents by now,” she finishes.

“That’s crap, Pheebs.”

“I’m an only child. I get where they’re coming from.”

“I’m an only child,” he says. “Max is an only child. Who cares?”

“Yeah, but you guys aren’t close to your parents. You know? It really sucks to disappoint mine like this.”

Thad looks at me, then back at her. “Phoebe, do you want to have a baby?” he asks.

I brace for her answer.

“No,” she says almost instantly. “I don’t. I thought I did. When I was young, I had the baby dolls and all that. But it was always someday. Then when someday became, hey, maybe today, I just never wanted it.” She looks up. “I wanted you guys. And this place. And Fortnight Press. And Stinky.” She adds with a smile at the lump now sleeping on the floor. “All our little misadventures.”

I smile, my heart full. “Thad,” I say.

He looks at me from the other side. “Yeah?”

“Do you want a baby?” I ask.

“Nope,” he says with a shake of his head. “Do you?”

“No,” I say, bringing Phoebe’s hand to my lips. “Never have.”

“You don’t?” Phoebe asks us. “Because if you do, then we should talk about it now.” She snorts. “Already having a shitty birthday. Might as well see how bad it can get.”

“Phoebe,” Thad says, kissing her other hand. “All I want is you.”

“Yeah?”

“And Max,” he adds with a smile. “And little Stink.”

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