Page 106 of Growing Into Love

“Are you really okay with her naming the baby? Not having any input at all?”

“It doesn’t matter to me, mate,” Craig says. “The important thing is that the kid is healthy and loved, right?”

“Right,” I say. I mean, obviously I want that too.

“Can I askyousomething?” Craig says.

“Shoot.”

“Why did you keep taking her back?”

“Why did you?” I ask.

He chuckles. “Fair enough.”

I take a drink and consider how to answer him. “I was holding onto the idea I had of her, I think. Of this future I had constructed for us. Every time she came back, it felt like maybe our time together hadn’t all been a waste. But she was never the right woman for me.”

“I see,” Craig says. “Well, I keep taking her back because sheisthe right woman for me. We’ve had our troubles obviously. She’s not the only one who runs away—I just don’t go back to an ex-girlfriend when we have our rows. We don’t handle our arguments in the best ways. We’ve been talking about how to work on that better. We can’t keep running away from each other once this baby is born.”

“You seem very okay with the whole situation,” I say.

“I’m adopted,” Craig says. “It’s not as strange a concept to me, having multiple sets of parents. I have a good relationship with my birth mum now. And I love my parents—the fact that they aren’t blood related doesn’t matter.”

“Wow,” I say. “I didn’t realize.” I guess that’s what Theresa meant when she said Craig is used to non-traditional families.

“Theresa is thrilled about Cass’s family,” Craig says. “Like Cass will be able to provide some instant stability in a way that takes the edge off of her nerves.”

“Cass is fiercely protective of those she loves,” I say. “And her family is as tight knit as they come.”

“What about yours?” Craig asks.

“I’m an only child,” I say. “My mum wanted a whole brood, but it wasn’t in the cards for them.”

“Do you have a big extended family?”

“On my mum’s side, yeah. Big Lebanese family, scattered all over the country. I’ve got like thirty cousins.”

Craig whistles. “Holy shit. And on your dad’s side?”

“My dad’s family is a bunch of racists,” I say. “No love lost there.”

Craig nods. “I get it,” he says.

It’s strange to have something in common with Craig. But not unpleasant. He’s a decent bloke.

We drink in silence for a moment.

“It’s nice to know you’re not a complete prick,” Craig says.

I choke on my beer, and he laughs.

“I’m glad you’re not a complete prick either,” I say, grinning.

Suddenly, Cass appears in the doorway.

“Are you two fermenting that wine yourselves?” she demands. “Theresa seems to think that being raised on a farm makes me Mother Earth. I’ve no idea how to break it to her that I don’t have any sparkling insight into creating deep familial bonds. I mean, only a few weeks ago, Dec and I were at each other’s throats.”

Craig grabs a bottle from the fridge and pours her a glass. “I was saying to Jaz that she’s rather thrilled with your involvement. She’s eager to have all of us going through this together, getting as much support as she can.”

---