Chapter 53: I'll give you anything

Opening up the front door to his house, Jay entered quietly, out of habit. He saw his girlfriend, Emma, sitting backwards on the couch, staring deeply at the table in the dining room.

"Green," Jay said as he approached her.

"Oh hi," Emma gave him a small smile, "Didn't hear you come in."

Jay bent down to give her a kiss, "Just got in. What're you doing?"

"Nothing," Emma answered and then sighed as she went back to staring at the table.

"Are you trying to move the table with your mind?" Jay queried in a joking tone, trying to lighten the mood. In response, Emma shook her head, still looking at the table. "Baby," Jay sat down on the couch beside her, "What's wrong?"

"It looks empty," Emma told him.

"That's because no one's sitting at it," Jay replied, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"No, I mean," Emma stopped, shaking her head.

"Tell me what you mean," Jay urged.

"No, I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you," Emma replied, turning her head to look at him.

"I won't think you're pressuring me," Jay promised, "Now, what's up with the table?"

Emma turned her attention back onto the table, "Look at it. I just think it looks so empty. Wouldn't it be nice if we ate there, with a baby?" Jay turned around on the couch to see the table, trying to picture having dinner with Emma and a baby.

"I can see him… or her," Jay admitted.

Emma looked at Jay, "Really?"

Jay nodded, "Yeah."

"Does this mean you want to have a baby?" Emma asked.

Jay looked at her, unsure of how to respond, "Well, shouldn't you want to get married first?" Jay questioned, "Or do you want to just jump in and have a baby?"

"You want to marry me?" Emma inquired, speaking slow and soft.

Jay looked at her, a bit confused, "Wait, you wanted me to help you make a kid, but you haven't thought about marriage?"

Casting her eyes down, Emma took a moment to think. She had to break the intense gaze Jay had created. "I didn't think you… would want to marry me," Emma spoke so softly that Jay almost didn't hear her, but her voice strengthened, "Plus, we… have sex… quite often… and we don't always remember to get a condom… and the pill's only 98 effective. Mom got pregnant with Jack while she was on the pill," Emma concluded quickly.

Jay adjusted himself so he was facing Emma, "Why would you think I wouldn't want to marry you?" Emma shrugged, refusing to look at Jay. "Look at me," Jay said softly, putting his thumb under Emma's chin to lift her face up. "Nelson, what's going on?"

Emma tried to advert her gaze, but Jay followed her eyes, intending to keep eye contact with her. "We aren't normal," Emma finally stated, causing Jay to chuckle.

"I know that," Jay replied, "Is that a problem?"

"Well, no," Emma paused, "It's just, we didn't really date, we just had sex and started living together."

"Again, is that a problem?" Jay repeated.

"No, but I thought when I finally did decide to be with someone that I would have a plan, but with you I don't," Emma paused, taking a breath, "I like this, us, I really do, but I want to have a baby so badly," Emma sighed, her lips forming into a little pout.

Jay thought for a moment, taking in all of Emma's words. "I know you want to have a baby," Jay started, "And I know we aren't really a typical couple," Jay looked at Emma, stroking her cheek, "I promise you we will have a baby, if you want to, but maybe we should wait a bit."

"You want to have a baby?" Emma asked in a soft voice.

"If you want to have a baby, then we'll have a baby. I just think we should wait, maybe get engaged or something first, at least," Jay replied.

"Engaged?" Emma echoed.

"Yeah, isn't that how it goes, engaged, married, baby?" Jay questioned, "Well, ideally anyway."

"Engaged," Emma repeated again, in an almost inaudible whisper. Jay could see a very small smile flicker in her eyes.