"As you know, I'm an only child," Eric began speaking after Ava was in bed that night. "My parents married older, and they had trouble getting pregnant at first. So my mom was thirty-seven when I was born, and my dad was forty. They owned a house in the Cherry Hill neighborhood, not too far from here."

"Very nice," Tris said, commenting on the upscale neighborhood of large homes and rolling manicured lawns where Eric grew up.

"My mom never worked," Eric continued. "At least not after I was born. My dad was a lawyer, and he worked a lot. He also invested in real estate on the side. When Dad turned sixty, he sold his part of the law firm to the other partners and retired early. He kept his investment properties, though. It gave him something to 'putter around with,' as he said. That winter they went to the Caribbean, and you know the rest. They died in an accident. Dad had just turned sixty-one, and Mom was fifty-seven. My grandparents died when I was a kid, and my mom was an only child, too. My dad had a brother, but he lives in Alaska with his third wife or something, and I haven't seen him since the funeral. Before that he hadn't visited since I was twelve. Everything was left to me."

Eric shrugged like it was no big deal, and Tris waited to see if he had more to say.

"So the law practice had already been sold, and I had Dad's old partner and his accountant arrange everything else with the estate. They sold the house, and I moved the things I wanted to keep into storage units at the self-storage building my dad owned. The other investments weren't too big, and I just had them sold off. I bought my truck with money from the estate, and I bought this place after I graduated. I made a couple of charitable donations in their names, and everything else is in savings or low-risk investments."

"That's why you don't have to work over the summer," Tris concluded, "and why you can make improvements to your house whenever you feel like it."

"Pretty much," Eric said. "It's also how I afforded the private investigators who were looking for Melinda, and how I paid for her burial. Ava's education is covered, as well. For the most part I live off what I make, including the year-round income from the storage place, but I have a deep safety cushion that has been an enormous blessing this year. I had no idea when my parents died that my life would go in this direction. I thought I'd graduate, take a few months off to travel, party, see the world, and try to find myself. I had offers from the NFL and the NHL. They wanted me to enter both drafts. But after my parents died, I just felt like I was drifting.

"It's hard to explain," he continued. "I had my life mapped out - I was going to be a professional hockey player, then my parents died and everything turned to chaos. I tried sorting it out and making something out of it, but Melinda blew it up again. I didn't know what to do after that, and then things just started falling into place on their own. I'm happier than I have been since my parents died, maybe even before that."

"You don't regret it?" Tris asked. "You could have been a pro athlete. Isn't that every guy's dream?"

"It's a hard life," Eric explained. "It's awesome, and you make a ton of money, but it's hard. I was burned out even before my parents died, but that was the last straw. I get to work out how I want now, and I can eat whatever I want. I get to stay involved in hockey through coaching at Factions. My schedule is somewhat flexible, and I can have a paparazzi-free personal life."

"Until I came along," Tris interrupted, rolling her eyes, and they both laughed.

The attention and publicity that had hounded them after David's rumor spreading and the CelebWatch article were pretty much over. Occasionally a stranger would recognize them in public, but that had more to do with the Chicagoland Magazine article, their news appearance, or the appearances they made with Andrew and his campaign. They were greatly relieved to go back to their normal life of being plain old Eric and Tris.

"I'm sorry I haven't explained this to you before," Eric said. "It was never my intention to hide things from you. I just don't give it much thought. The money sits in the bank. I work and live like a normal person. I raise my daughter and spend time with my beautiful girlfriend and her family."

"I'm sorry too," Tris said. "You don't owe me any explanations or anything about your finances. I just panicked because I suddenly felt confronted with what I don't know about you, and it felt bigger than it should have because of last night."

"I understand," Eric said tenderly. "Last night was a big step for us, and especially for you. You trusted me and worked through something that really scared you. Apparently there were still some nerves hanging around."

Tris nodded.

She went home that night, trying to keep things as normal as possible. She knew that eventually she and Natalie would talk about what happened between her and Eric - not in the kind of detail Christina would press for, but Tris talked to Natalie about a lot of things that other girls would never share with their mothers. She knew that Natalie would love her, support her, guide her in the right direction, and keep her confidence. That was the kind of relationship they had. The conversation might be awkward, but Tris knew she could trust her mom.

.

Life got busier in August. The campaign was taking more of Andrew and Natalie's time, and Tris made several appearances at events with her parents. Eric and the rest of the Dauntless team at Factions High School were preparing for the school year. They had to be at school some days, and Eric took Ava with him when Tris had to work. The rest of the Dauntless trainers loved the baby, and had no problem making room in their shared office for a playpen.

Though not in Springfield during the legislature's summer break, Andrew tried to keep an eye on Governor Eaton. He secretly researched pardons that the governor had issued, and though he found no damning evidence, he had to admit that some of the pardons and Eaton's campaign finances from his most recent reelection looked suspicious.

When the governor offered to make some appearances on behalf of Andrew's campaign for Senate, the candidate instructed his campaign manager, Matthew, to give Eaton a bit of a run-around. His trust in the governor as a person had been eroded, and he wanted to be careful of his own reputation if the governor were to be caught doing something illegal or unethical.

Andrew and Matthew's tactics worked until they received an invitation to a big rally in Chicago for the American Family Foundation. The foundation was a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting foster families, finding adoptive families for children, and child advocacy in general. After someone in the Illinois chapter had read Tris and Eric's magazine article, they contacted the planning committee for the national conference and suggested Tris as a speaker at the event. The planners, in turn, contacted the Prior campaign.

Tris was nervous but excited about the prospect of speaking at the event. Three days of breakout sessions and mainstage speakers were being held at Chicago's convention center, culminating in a closing rally that would feature several well-known speakers, and a stage full of politicians and dignitaries. Tris' story was being made into an introductory video that would be shown before she gave a short speech as one of the big rally's "opening acts."

On the Thursday that the conference opened downtown, Tris worked her usual shift at Flapjacks, then went to Eric's house. She walked into the kitchen, greeted Eric and Ava, and dropped down onto the couch.

"We need to talk about my schedule," Tris said. "School starts soon for both of us, and I need to give Jim my availability."

"Schedule?" Eric asked as he checked on the food simmering on the stove. "I assumed you wouldn't work during the school year."

"I have to work," Tris said. "My scholarship doesn't cover everything, and although I'm living at home and eating your food most of the time, I still need to have money. Now that I'm eighteen and out of high school, I have to pay for my car insurance. Plus there's gas, spending money, gifts to buy now and then, and all of that. I got some nice gifts for my graduation and have put away what I can over the summer, but I've had to take a lot of time off with campaign stuff, so my savings cushion is pretty small. If my car broke down or something, I'd be in trouble."

"I thought you were going to watch Ava for me," Eric said, looking over his shoulder at Tris as he washed his hands and prepared Ava's baby food.

"I am," Tris said. "Going to school in the mornings and being with her in the afternoons really only leaves me Saturday and Sunday to work, and I'd hate to be tied up every weekend and not be able to go to church anymore. Maybe I should quit there and get something in retail or something, so I could work evenings and Saturdays."

"What about me?" Eric asked. "When would you spend time with me?"

Tris sighed. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"I don't think you should work," Eric answered, as if it were that simple.

"I told you," Tris argued, "I have to work."

"I'll pay you for watching Ava," Eric said with a shrug.

"That doesn't feel right," Tris countered. "It's weird taking pay from your boyfriend. And weird asking for money to watch my own baby."

"I disagree," Eric said. "If we were a normal family, married or living together and raising our child together, I would pay your expenses. Everything we have would be ours with two names on the checkbook. We would work together to raise our daughter, and sharing our finances wouldn't be weird."

"But that's not our situation," Tris argued, her frustration mounting. "I'm not your wife, and I'm not Ava's mom. This isn't my house. You don't provide me with insurance. You're not responsible for me!"

"Then you're a babysitter," Eric argued, his own frustration getting the best of him. "And babysitters get paid!"

Tris stared at Eric for a moment, her mouth agape. Babysitter? she thought. Is that all I am?

She wanted to lash out at Eric for calling her the babysitter. She wanted him to know how awkward it would be to report her hours, or ask him for her paycheck. She wanted to explain that she could never see herself as his partner and his equal if she was his employee. But words failed her, and she just stood and stared.

"I'm going home," she finally said, then kissed Ava and left.

What the hell just happened? Eric thought as he stared at the door. The situation was so simple in his mind. He was a working single parent. He would pay for childcare, whether that was full-time daycare or part-time daycare and part-time Tris. Her time was worth money, and she was entitled to be paid for her time just the same as Melanie the daycare lady. Tris shouldn't have to bust her butt going to school in the mornings, watching Ava in the afternoons, and working nights and weekends. That wasn't fair. He understood that their situation was unusual and that Tris would feel strange taking money for watching the baby she practically considered to be her own daughter, but why had she just stormed out like that?

Ava squawked, getting Eric's attention. "Ma, ma, ma, ma," the baby fussed, reaching toward the door. Undoubtedly his daughter could sense the tension between him and Tris. Eric tried to distract the baby. He smiled at her, made funny faces, and talked to her in a happy tone. It worked, and he was able to feed Ava while she was distracted.

Once Ava was cleaned up and playing with her toys on the living room floor, Eric dished up his own dinner. He carried his plate to the couch and watched his daughter scoot around on the floor while he ate. She was getting faster and more mobile now. When a toy caught her attention, she would quickly crawl, either on her belly or on her knees, and get what she wanted.

As Eric was finishing his food, Ava crawled to him and turned herself to sit by his feet. "Da, da, da," the baby called as she held up her arms in a request to be picked up. "Dada," had been Ava's second word, quickly followed by "Na-ma" (for Grandma Natalie), "Papa" (for Andrew), and "Ba-ba" (bottle). Caleb was still trying to get her to say "Bub-bub," but she preferred to laugh at her surrogate uncle and stubbornly refused to say his name.

Eric played with his daughter for a while, checking his phone every few minutes while scrambling to figure out what upset Tris like that. It wasn't like her to just get mad and leave. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He had been patient with Tris from the very beginning. He was open with her, and he had been gentle about her fear of intimacy.

Do I rely on her too much? he wondered. From day one of their friendship she had been Ava's primary caregiver, and since he took custody he had relied heavily on her for babysitting, advice, and someone to share the burdens and joys of parenting. He thought about how he had called on her when Ava was sick and how, even though they were fighting, Tris had shown up in the middle of the night and helped him through it. He thought about the Fourth of July, and how Tris had put Ava's needs above her father's campaign and insisted on bringing her home, even though it meant missing the last event and the fireworks. She did the same thing at her graduation, he realized, thinking of how Tris walked away from her friends and the celebration after the ceremony to find Ava some peace and quiet so she could fall asleep.

Eric dwelt on their relationship as he got Ava ready for bed. I don't take her on dates often enough, he chastised himself one minute. The next minute he flipped sides in his own mind. She acted like a child storming out like that, he thought.

Ava was still awake when Eric put her in the crib for the night. He walked out of the nursery and across the loft to his own room and dropped his large frame onto his even larger bed. "Ma, ma, ma, ma," Ava was whimpering pitifully through the baby monitor. Listening to his daughter mourn Tris' absence, Eric had enough. He pulled out his phone and texted Tris.

E: I didn't appreciate you storming out tonight. That was immature, and it upset Ava. I thought we were better than that. I thought that we talked about things in this relationship.

T: Relationship? I thought I was just the babysitter?

E: What?

T: You called me the babysitter. You want to put me on your payroll like some kind of servant.

E: I want you to be fairly compensated for all the money you save me. If you didn't watch Ava I would have to pay someone else. Why shouldn't I pay you?

T: I guess you should, since that's my place in your lives. Are you going to pay me for sex, too?

Eric swore to himself. What is wrong with her? he wondered.

E: Why would you say that? You're my girlfriend, not a hooker.

T: So to you I'm the girlfriend, but to Ava I'm just the babysitter. Is that the line you're drawing?

E: You're being ridiculous.

T: Thanks

E: So you won't accept the title of mother, and you don't want to be the babysitter, either. I can't win with you.

T: You don't understand me at all. Do you listen? Taking money from you is WEIRD. It feels icky and reduces me to the role of your employee.

E: So you won't take my money, but you insist on giving me free childcare.

T: Yes! I WANT to be with Ava. I love her, and I love you.

E: But in exchange I never get to see you, because you have to earn money, too.

T: We're not all wealthy trust fund babies with deep pockets.

E: Ouch

E: You know I would give up every penny to have my parents in my life. And I know you wouldn't give yours up for all the money in the world.

T: You're right. I'm sorry I said that. I'm just struggling with not feeling equal again. I don't have the options you have.

E: I think we should talk tomorrow when we've cooled off a bit.

T: That's a good idea. I've already said things I didn't mean and shouldn't have said. Tomorrow I have to get ready for the event on Saturday. I'll talk to you on Saturday night after I give my speech. Okay?

E: Okay, goodnight.

T: Goodnight

Tris felt terrible. She had been frustrated and felt like Eric wasn't hearing her, and she said things she shouldn't have. She knew she hurt him, and she felt horrible about it.

Tris hadn't eaten dinner. She had come home from Eric's upset and had gone straight to her room and stayed there. She had fumed about their conversation, pacing the floor of her small bedroom. She had picked up her phone a dozen times to type out a text and give him a piece of her mind, but she hadn't sent any of them. Once he texted her and she replied, things had blown up and gotten way out of hand. Tris felt like a jerk, yet she was still angry and frustrated about the job situation. She laid her head on her pillow and cried herself to sleep.

On Friday, Andrew and Natalie were surprised to see Tris at the house after her shift at Flapjacks. She told them that she was home for the evening to work on her speech for the American Family Foundation rally.

When Tris went upstairs to change out of her work clothes, Andrew and Natalie exchanged a meaningful look.

"We've asked a lot of her lately," Andrew said guiltily.

"Hmm," Natalie hummed over her glass of iced tea.

"I didn't want my campaign to upset my family so much," Andrew continued. "Beatrice has gotten the brunt of it."

"I don't think that's the problem," Natalie said wisely. "You saw her reaction when she was invited to speak. Child development is the field she wants to work in, and she has an advocate's spirit. I'm sure she has butterflies, but this is a great opportunity for her and she knows it. I think there's something else bothering her."

Andrew groaned, and put his head in his hands. "Please don't tell me she's pregnant," he pleaded with his wife. "I love Ava, you know that, but Beatrice is only eighteen, and not married."

"Relax," Natalie said, placing her hand on Andrew's shoulder. "She just asked me to pick up some tampons at the store. She's not pregnant. I'm guessing they had a fight."

"Eric?" Andrew asked, his head snapping up so he could look at his wife.

Natalie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her oblivious husband. "They're eighteen and twenty-two," she said, "but they don't get to act like it. They're raising a baby together, but they lack the security of being a traditional family. The new school year is around the corner, and they have a lot of things to juggle. She came home last night and locked herself in her room when she normally would have been over there. Now she came home right after work. I just hope it's not too serious."

A heavy sigh interrupted their conversation, and they looked up to see Tris in the doorway. "He wants to pay me for babysitting," she said.

Andrew looked from his sorrowful daughter to his sympathetic wife. "I don't get it," he said. "Why wouldn't he pay you for babysitting when he's at work?"

"Did you pay Mom?" Tris asked.

Andrew was taken aback. "Of course not. She's my wife, and your mother. We shared everything, including responsibility for you kids. But you're not… Oh," he trailed off as he understood.

"He called me the babysitter," Tris said as she dropped into a kitchen chair between her parents. "And I made it worse by getting mad and reminding him that I don't have an inheritance to live off of like he does."

"Ouch," Andrew said. Natalie shot him a glare that warned him to stop making things worse.

"I know," Tris lamented, letting her head fall to the table. "I apologized, but that was an awful thing to say. I wasn't thinking. I need to work, but Eric doesn't want me to. He says I won't have time for him if I go to school, spend the afternoons with Ava, and hold down a part-time job. He's right, but I can't take a paycheck from my boyfriend. That would be humiliating. We agreed to cool off and not talk about it until after my speech on Saturday."

"That was wise," Natalie said encouragingly. "You can brainstorm possible solutions instead of having an emotional argument. People like to say that you should never go to bed angry, but I disagree. Sometimes it's better to admit that you're upset, but you still love and care for one another, then take up the conversation when you're not so tired or emotional. Don't ignore your problems, but don't force a conversation when you'll just hurt each other."

"Thanks," Tris said.