"Jackie, can we talk?" Nick asked her that night after all the kids had been put to bed.
"Sure." She responded.
"Um, I'm not really sure what to say except just ask you straight out."
"What is it Nicky?"
"Well, um. Never mind." He said.
"Nicky, tell me."
"Alright, are you absolutely sure you want to get a tubal ligation?"
"You don't want me to, do you?" She asked.
"Well, it's not that I don't want you too but it just seemed like a sudden decision that's all."
"I could kind of tell you didn't want me too when I brought it up but you seemed supportive so I went ahead and made the appointment anyways, but then today I noticed the look on your face when we found out that I wasn't pregnant and I knew you were disappointed."
"I was a little disappointed." He admitted.
"If you didn't want me to get a tubal ligation why didn't you say something?" She asked.
"Because you seemed so sure about it and I didn't want to pressure you, but are you absolutely sure you don't want anymore kids?"
"Yes but if you want more kids we can talk about it."
"I'd love one more, but I completely understand if you don't want to go through another pregnancy and labor."
She smiled at him.
"Let's do this, I'll cancel my appointment for a tubal ligation and when Hundley gets older I'll consider having another baby, but until then we have to be incredibly diligent about birth control. How does that sound?" She asked.
"I think that is a wonderful idea and a fabulous compromise, thank you, I love you."
"I love you too." She told him.
"Can I ask you something?" She asked.
"Anything."
"Would you feel differently about having another baby if Hundley had been a boy?" She asked.
"I'm not sure, I never thought about it. With 4 girls and only two boys the scale is definitely tipping towards the girl side, but I love Hundley more than anything in this world and I wouldn't trade her for ten boys, she's perfect and I wouldn't want her any other way and I never ever want her to feel like she is a disappointment in any way."
Jackie smiled at him, he really was an awesome husband and an even better father. She was so grateful that they had a marriage that they could openly talk about their concerns with one another without fear of angering or upsetting the other. Jackie couldn't imagine navigating through life with any other man!
The End!