Thanks for the amazing response to this one. I had to go back and re-read Explosive Eighteen to get the order of events more clearlyXD When Stephanie is at her Parents' and she's being asked if she's pregnant Stephanie is quick to assure her mother, grandma and Lula that she's NOT. She does fail to say out loud that she'll be 'more sure in a week'. This is my view on how the baby issue has occupied her mind lately;)
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to Janet Evanovich.
Back when I was married to my ex-husband, The Dick, I never pictured us with a child. Perhaps I have Joyce to thank for not allowing us any time for there to be a possibility.
Having a child changes everything, bonding two people for the rest of their lives...or so I've heard.
Now, I have to admit that a baby with Morelli HAS popped into my head on occasion. A little boy with the same dark hair curling along the back of his neck and ears, all boy charm and irresistibly cute.
Things aren't always smooth between Morelli and me, being we wanna marry the other at different days in the week, unable to coincide on the same day. But truthfully, I can picture us raising a child together. There would be meals shared around Morelli's dining table or by the couch. Walks to the park or even to get a donut as a family: Morelli, little Joe and I. Even Bob the dog would be included. I'd be settled, living in a home with a family.
Most of the time all of that didn't seem so bad.
But then again if I WAS to be pregnant there was a huge probability that Ranger was the father, what with all the nighttime activities in Hawaii. The caramel-dipped boy would be equally adorable. I would dress little Ricardo Jr. in non-black just to get a reaction from Ranger. The living arrangements would be a bit awkward. I'm sure Ranger would want me living at Rangeman, but I'm not so sure of the extent of his involvement. I mean, he's got a daughter he rarely even sees though there's no doubt he loves her.
I wouldn't keep Ranger from his child, but the chances of us being a true family were slim.
In the most horrific of scenarios the baby is a girl. A girl who looks just like me! I'm not saying I wouldn't want a baby girl, don't get me wrong. There would be so many things we could do as mother and daughter. It's just...the thought of Stephie following in my footsteps scares me. It's bad enough that one Stephanie can't make a decision, but two? And what if because of my own feasting I end up pressuring my daughter to get married or to apply for a job at the button factory in hopes that her story would be different?
THAT would be the worst.
I guess the toughest part of imagining all this is that it's been so difficult for me to decide between the two men in my life. A baby would mean a definite decision. I'd have to choose our path and who's to say my choice would be the best?
I could choose Morelli...or Ranger.
Maybe neither will be the lucky one in the end.
What I'm certain of is that I HAVE to put my life in order. First, I'll start by snagging my current FTAs. Really, any will do to break this bad luck and get some much needed cash flowing. Then, I can think about my love life. Okay, so it's more like a twisted triangle. Don't judge.
Of course, I'll be retaking a pregnancy test in about a week or so. Just to double check. There's no need to add uncertainty to my mental to-do list.