Chapter 53

They entered her room and began to undress, Miranda paused to look at him, she loved watching his nude form being revealed as he undressed for her. "AJ we've never talked about whether you want anymore children or not."

He stopped in the middle of unzipping his jeans and asked, "Children?"

"Well, we've never talked about it…" she was unsure about going on because she couldn't read how he was feeling.

Sitting down on the end of the bed he patted the area next to him inviting her to sit with him. "I suppose in the last several years I haven't given it much thought at all. Marcella and I always talked about having several, but with me away so much it didn't happen. Do you want more children Miranda?"

"I was just thinking that since we both had daughters…and most men want a son to carry on the family name…"

"Since my daughter is in her thirties and your's is in her twenties it might be a bit late to start all over again. There are enough other Chegwidden's in the world to carry on the name. So unless you want more children I'm just as happy to spoil any grandchildren we have and then send them home to their parents."

"That sounds good to me too. I have an appointment with my doctor this week so I'll have a talk with her about having my tubes tied rather than going on the pill."

AJ looked a bit startled that she was ready to do something that final after such a short conversation about it…unless this was something else she had known in advance… "Miranda that seems to be a big leap from the talk we just had. Is this something else that you already knew the outcome of?"

"No! Why would you think something like that?" she asked pulling away from him a bit.

"Because a surgical procedure seems very final."

"Are you likely to suddenly decide that you want a child a few months or years from now?"

"No…"

"And neither am I, so why fill my body with chemicals or continue to use condoms when there is a way to make sure that we don't have any unplanned surprises?"

"I guess that does make sense," he admitted.

"AJ, I know that there's a lot of things that we don't know about each other yet, but I would hope that in loving me you can at least trust me not to deceive you like that."

"I do trust you Miranda, but I just don't know how this ability of yours works yet. I don't know if somehow you just knew what my answer would be when you asked me about children…I just felt that having your tubes tied was a pretty major step. What if something were to happen to me and you met someone that did want you to have another child?"

"What makes you think something is going to happen to you? And if, God forbid it did, that I would ever want someone else? I am over forty now a mother and grandmother, I really don't have any desire to have any more children and since you don't either, I see no reason not to do something to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Then if that is the case I should be the one to have the vasectomy. From what I understand it is an out patient procedure and not as invasive as what would need to be done to you."

"AJ! I would never ask you to do that!"

"You didn't Miranda. I'm the one that suggested it. If you like we can talk to your doctor about it together, but I'm willing to bet that since I am willing to have a vasectomy that she will agree that is the best choice."

"AJ are you sure?"

"Yes, darling for all the same reasons you are."

"You are an amazing man!" she told him wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply.

"And I think we've already determined that you are pretty amazing too," he whispered against her lips as he drew her closer. "Shall we pick up where we left off?" he asked.

"Mmmm that sounds wonderful, but I think I'd like to make one change."

"What's that?" AJ questioned with a grin, fairly sure from the look in her eyes that he would like whatever she had in mind.

To Be Continued….