Room for More
Fall gave way to Winter and Winter melted into Spring. As the days passed, Mei Li grew, taking on more personality as she explored her world. Now seven months old, she had the ability to be mischievous. She could crawl across the room with lightening speed and started pulling up on the furniture. No doubt she would be an early walker.
Today, they would take the bus across town to see Rong Ning and her family. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the pleasant April wind carried the faint smell of cherry blossoms that had begun to bloom. On the way to the bus stop, she stopped at Ming's food cart for a quick bite. "How's the little princess today" he asked as he handed Mei Li a cracker.
"Teething like crazy" Jing Mei answered, as she watched Mei Li start to slobber all over the cracker.
"She'll be ready for solid food before you know it" Ming cheerfully advised.
"Not entirely a bad thing" Jing Mei replied. Not that she'd share it with Ming, but her breasts were having a hard time keeping up with her daughter's appetite.
After finishing her snack and the brief chat, they were on their way. Arriving at Rong Ning's, Yin Shi was very cute jumping up and down with excitement. Usually, they came to see Jing Mei because Mei Li was so small, but now she was big enough to come see them. Yin Shi had a new doll and some stuffed animals to show Mei Li.
Jing Mei and Rong Ning sat on the sofa and chatted as Yin Shi tried to keep up with the crawling Mei Li as she explored the room.
"You look like you're doing well, motherhood agrees with you" Rong Ning said.
"I found I love being a mother. I love watching her grow and learn about her world. Look at how cute she is!" Mei Li had crawled up on Yin Shi, causing her to plop down on the floor and roll, giggling all the way. Mei Li just continued to crawl on top of her, much to Yin Shi's delight. "I'm thinking about having another one."
"Another baby?" The comment took Rong Ning totally by surprise. "No husband, and you want another baby?"
Jing Mei nodded.
"How are you going to do that?" Rong Ning asked.
"I never corrected your story. Remember when you told Dr. Wang that my husband was in America?"
Now it was Rong Ning's turn to nod.
"Well, he's just going to send me a little something long distance, that's all."
"They can ship it?"
"Just takes money." Jing Mei answered matter-of-factly.
Rong Ning laughed at the thought. "You know you could have said that living on two different continents didn't work and you divorced…"
"It's more like I told them Mei Li's father works for the International Alliance and right now he's serving in Africa, and they pretty much assume he's my husband, I just don't correct them. Besides, this way they'll do the IUI. They wouldn't do it if they knew I was single."
"Uh huh" Rong Ning replied with an insinuating tone.
"No uh huh. I just don't want any stigma attached to her" Jing Mei countered as she watched her daughter at play.
"So how are you going to explain needing to be inseminated" Rong Ning inquired.
Jing Mei shrugged off the question "just because two people aren't in the same place at the same time, but doesn't mean they can't expand their family. Technology has made the world a smaller place, right?"
"You've given this quite a bit of thought, haven't you?"
"I really want to have another child." She was sincere and heartfelt with her comment.
"You planning on staying an American citizen?" Rong Ning asked.
"Even if I don't, the one child rule has exceptions, ways to get around it. I should qualify." Jing Mei countered.
"You know we'll be here for you." Rong Ning offered.
"Thanks." Jing Mei knew she couldn't do it without them. She was grateful to have them in her life.
Having talked it over with Rong Ning, Jing Mei was confident in her decision to have another baby. Monday, she'd make an appointment with Dr. Wang to see about the IUI procedure and get John's donation transferred here.
She'd start treatment in June, and would find herself pregnant once again by Mei Li's first birthday.