Elliot and Julia have a complicated relationship. Since they met in the seventh grade, the only heart-to-heart conversations they've had have been strictly over text. But they don't mind this lack of intimacy. If anything, they enjoy it.
Don't thi...
When Ava turned four, she started asking for one thing and one thing only: a sibling. Who knew why she wanted one, no one who lived near us had any small kids, it wasn't like she hung out with babies all day and that's how she decided that we needed to have one. But there is no rhyme or reason when it comes to little kids so there was no way of figuring out how she got that idea into her little head.
Like with the other things Ava asked for, a pony and a life-sized doll house, Nora and I were ready to just brush it off. But then we remembered our off hand conversation about having a son as well as a daughter. So we talked about it and thought about it for a while and then talked some more and thought a little more. The idea was still a little out there, we weren't totally serious, but it was out there and we were considering it.
After all, Ava was going to start school soon and we had steady jobs, why shouldn't we have another kid if we wanted one? There was no reason I could think of.
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"What would we name it?"
"It?"
"The baby, if we had one."
"You should probably say 'The Baby' instead of it."
"'The Baby' doesn't exist yet, I can call it it."
"Fine. Do you have any ideas for names?"
"Well, for a boy I like Eli."
"Nope."
"What?"
"I'm not naming our next child, if we ever have one, after you."
"Why not? It's a nice name."
"Men who name children after themselves when it's not some kind of family transition are just looking for some kind of validation."
"Harsh much? Fine, we won't name him Eli. Do you have any ideas?"
"I think if it's a boy we should name it Casey."
"And that won't give Casey an unwarranted ego boost?"
"I'm not married to Casey so his ego can get as big as he wants."
"Unfair. Personally I like the name Jack better."
"Really? It seems so common."
"But it's still a nice name. My parents almost named me Jack, actually."
"Why'd they change their minds?"
"Who knows. My parents are a very unpredictable people."
"Do you have any ideas for if it's a girl?"
"Not really. Do you?"
"I was thinking Julie might be a good name."
"Now that would give her an unneeded ego boost."
"Please, give her more credit. I think it's the perfect name."
"Yeah, maybe you're right."
~~~
Hey guys! Sorry for the wait on this update (it was supposed to go up on Sunday), I had writer's block. But I hoped you liked this update and the next one (the one that was already scheduled for today) will be up later today. See you all then!
P.S. Oh and while you wait, go check out The Stage Manager, which started a few weeks ago. I know there's a lot of you who read this story who aren't reading TSM and that disappoints me. So go start reading it! You won't regret it.
