Braids
Chapter 16
The Big Baby Discussion
Teq, surprisingly, didn't speak much of his dad. "We weren't close," he said simply, and left it as that. Dib and Esther talked about it later that day, "I hope our kid isn't like that," said Esther, "I want our child to be able to say, 'I love my parents,' and cry for us when we are gone..."
Dib nodded, "I swear, if I become the type of father my dad was... I'll kill myself. He was never there, and when we left Earth... not one thought of him crossed my mind."
They were silent for a while, "Dib," began Esther, "What do you think it will be? A boy? .... or a girl?"
Dib reclined in the chair he sat in, and closed his eyes. He pictured playing catch with a small little boy... sitting down with him and watching baseball... and tucking him in bed at night. Then he pictured a girl... handing her a brand new doll... reading fairy tales... and kissing her good night. "I don't know."
"Well, what would you like?"
"Either... but I guess I would want a boy."
"Really? ... I was thinking a girl..."
"Girl?"
"Yeah. It's just... they're a little funner."
"How so?"
"Well, with girls, you can buy them cute little outfits, do their hair, and their not as dangerous as little boys. Boys are too rough, and rebellious... They're always ready for adventure... and I wouldn't want my first child to get hurt."
"I suppose... but with girls it's dangerous too."
"I don't follow.... how?"
"Well... on the news you don't hear of little boys getting raped and murdered. It's always girls who are the victims."
Esther frowned. She didn't like the idea of some strange, sick man doing something to her own daughter. She blocked the thought, and changed the subject, "How about a name?"
Dib paused, "Dib Jr.!" he grinned.
Esther laughed, "That's sounds good... but what if it's a girl?"
The two of them thought for a while, "I dunno. How about.... Um, Julie?"
"No. It's so simple. I want it to be something to remind us of Earth... like..." she paused, then her face lit up, "Oh, I know one that's perfect."
"What?" asked Dib.
"January."
Dib smiled, "Like the month?"
Esther nodded, "Yes. Don't you think it's beautiful?"
"It certainly is unique... January... that's nice."
"OK, so we definitely need to get little January an education--"
"Heeeeey! What happened to Dib Jr.?!"
"Sorry. Little January OR little Junior will need an education."
"Yeah. Does Sidini have a skool system?"
"They do," Teq said walking into the room. "Much like Earth's. Very much."
"Really?"
Teq nodded, "Everything's a lot like Earth. That's why I chose for us to go to Sidini... That's also the reason why I went to Earth, it's just like where I grew up... they even speak English... You guys will fit right in."
Chapter 16
The Big Baby Discussion
Teq, surprisingly, didn't speak much of his dad. "We weren't close," he said simply, and left it as that. Dib and Esther talked about it later that day, "I hope our kid isn't like that," said Esther, "I want our child to be able to say, 'I love my parents,' and cry for us when we are gone..."
Dib nodded, "I swear, if I become the type of father my dad was... I'll kill myself. He was never there, and when we left Earth... not one thought of him crossed my mind."
They were silent for a while, "Dib," began Esther, "What do you think it will be? A boy? .... or a girl?"
Dib reclined in the chair he sat in, and closed his eyes. He pictured playing catch with a small little boy... sitting down with him and watching baseball... and tucking him in bed at night. Then he pictured a girl... handing her a brand new doll... reading fairy tales... and kissing her good night. "I don't know."
"Well, what would you like?"
"Either... but I guess I would want a boy."
"Really? ... I was thinking a girl..."
"Girl?"
"Yeah. It's just... they're a little funner."
"How so?"
"Well, with girls, you can buy them cute little outfits, do their hair, and their not as dangerous as little boys. Boys are too rough, and rebellious... They're always ready for adventure... and I wouldn't want my first child to get hurt."
"I suppose... but with girls it's dangerous too."
"I don't follow.... how?"
"Well... on the news you don't hear of little boys getting raped and murdered. It's always girls who are the victims."
Esther frowned. She didn't like the idea of some strange, sick man doing something to her own daughter. She blocked the thought, and changed the subject, "How about a name?"
Dib paused, "Dib Jr.!" he grinned.
Esther laughed, "That's sounds good... but what if it's a girl?"
The two of them thought for a while, "I dunno. How about.... Um, Julie?"
"No. It's so simple. I want it to be something to remind us of Earth... like..." she paused, then her face lit up, "Oh, I know one that's perfect."
"What?" asked Dib.
"January."
Dib smiled, "Like the month?"
Esther nodded, "Yes. Don't you think it's beautiful?"
"It certainly is unique... January... that's nice."
"OK, so we definitely need to get little January an education--"
"Heeeeey! What happened to Dib Jr.?!"
"Sorry. Little January OR little Junior will need an education."
"Yeah. Does Sidini have a skool system?"
"They do," Teq said walking into the room. "Much like Earth's. Very much."
"Really?"
Teq nodded, "Everything's a lot like Earth. That's why I chose for us to go to Sidini... That's also the reason why I went to Earth, it's just like where I grew up... they even speak English... You guys will fit right in."
