Our Fifty Moments
Part Two: Try

The Name Game
After a year and a half of marriage, Colette thinks it's time for some "additions". Whether or not Lloyd will get the hint is a whole other story.

"Alessa... that's pretty! ...Alma? Hmm, maybe..."

Colette mumbled to herself, sounding aloud the girl's names out of a large anthology of baby names she read at the kitchen table. "A" names, she thought, sounded especially pretty - Allison, Anastasia, Amelia... Unfortunately for her, her husband Lloyd didn't seem nearly as interested in names at the moment; instead he was focused on seasoning the steaks they planned to have for dinner.

Occasionally, Colette would look behind her to see if Lloyd was paying any attention. Not one to simply interrupt him while he was focused on something, she had hoped that reading the names out loud would spark a discussion. After running off the "A" names she liked, however, the loud thudding of a meat tenderizer signaled that he was, indeed, off in his own little world and probably never even heard a word she said.

She shook her head a little. Oh, what was she going to do with him? After a year and a half of marriage, Colette thought he'd be a little better at detecting her subtlety. But, then again, Lloyd would always be Lloyd - kind, loyal, and of course, slightly oblivious. She wouldn't have him any other way.

Figuring that the direct approach would work better, she turned her chair towards her husband. "Say, Lloyd?" she asked.

Lloyd stopped pounding the steaks and turned. "Hmm? ...Hey, what's that book you've got there, Colette?"

Colette sighed a little. It was just like she thought. "You didn't notice? It's a book of names." She turned the pages until she found the "C" section. "Oh! Caroline! Don't you think that's pretty?"

The swordsman furrowed his brow. "It's nice," he said, "but I'm not sure it's a good name for a dog."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I mean," continued Lloyd as he went over to the sink to wash his hands, "you usually name dogs 'Poochie' or 'Kibbles'. You know, cute, girly things like that. I didn't think you needed a book of names - "

"They're baby names."

He blinked. "...Baby names?"

Colette, getting increasingly frustrated that he didn't seem to be getting the point, looked Lloyd in the eyes. "I think we should have a baby, Lloyd."

Lloyd felt something catch in his throat. He coughed. "Y-You really think so?"

His wife nodded. "We've talked about it before, right? You and your father said that as long as people wanted commissions, we'd have plenty of money, right? And if we ever really needed it, the others would help us!" She shut the book and smiled. "Besides... you would make such a wonderful father. I can't imagine a happier life than living as a family with you and our children."

Another smile crept over Lloyd's face as he listened to her. "You dork," he said, taking her hand and helping her stand, "You really think I'd say no to that?"

Colette's eyes began to shine with happiness. "You mean...?"

She was interrupted by a long kiss on her lips. When Lloyd finally broke off, he grinned. "Looks like dinner'll be a little late tonight."

"Oh?" the happy wife giggled, "By how long?"

"However long you want it to be!" They both laughed as they walked upstairs, hand in hand. Hopefully, their first try would be their lucky one.