Chapter 19

Carrie snuggled in close to me after Kelly and Elizabeth left. I thought it was extremely nice of Elizabeth to drive Kelly the four blocks to her house after Kelly drank four beers. The last thing any of us needed was a DUI.

"Tonight was fun," Carrie said. "Well, most of it. God, it was so nice to have an adult conversation again."

"Hey!" I said. "Don't I count as an adult?"

I probably shouldn't have bothered to ask.

"Marginally," Carrie said with a giggle — as she snuggled even closer to me. "What I meant was that it was nice to sit with friends and just chat. I know this sounds weird but I can see myself being friends with Kelly."

I was starting to believe that I might be able to salvage a friendship with my ex-wife as well.

"I guess I finally stepped back and noticed some things about Kelly this evening," I admitted. "She's grown up some in the past couple of years. I mean emotionally."

"I saw the look on your face when she was talking about some of the things she does for battered women," Carrie said. "It was actually sort of cute. I could see the epiphany develop."

"That Elizabeth is a hoot, isn't she?" I asked not so much to change the subject to but redirect it.

"She is exactly like you said she was," Carrie told me. "But I can see where she might be considered a dragon lady if you pissed her off."

"Oh, yeah," I said in my best Kool-Aid voice. "Which is exactly why I don't piss her off."

"So, about the other thing," Carrie mentioned after a few minutes of silence.

"Well, as I said, there is no use borrowing trouble," I said. "If you're pregnant then you're pregnant. We'll accept the responsibility like adults and decide how things proceed. I mean, if you want my input at all."

"Of course I want your input," Carrie said quickly.

"Well, I mean, we've pretty much stayed away from any topic that might cause friction," I answered.

"Like politics and religion?" Carrie said with a laugh.

"Pretty much the big two," I replied.

"So you weren't sure if I was a devout Roe v. Wade disciple that believes you should have no say whatsoever in the decision," she said.

"Yep," I answered.

"Are you opposed to abortion?" she asked. "I mean, you mentioned that you and Kelly considered it with Kasey. But people's views change markedly over time."

"I would guess I am opposed to abortion as a means of birth control," I said after giving it some thought. "Honestly, after we decided to have the baby I have never really given it much thought. It was never a consideration with Mark. We didn't discuss the prospect. Like so many things it doesn't affect me so I've never really needed to form an opinion. Even with Kasey it was dismissed as an option pretty early on."

I felt Carrie nodding on my chest.

"So if I became pregnant with your child and had an abortion without telling you beforehand, you wouldn't be angry?" she asked.

"Of course I would be angry," I said. "But if we had a difference of opinion on the matter, your opinion is the only one that matters. At least legally."

"You sound a bit upset by that," she replied.

"I guess to a certain extent I am," I said. "I never really thought about it much, to be truthful. But if we were together and you found yourself pregnant, the entirety of the decision is out of my hands. You can choose to have the child — and soak me for child support for 20 years — or you can choose to terminate the pregnancy without so much as informing me of your decision. Hell, if Kasey had a wart on her little toe they would not perform a non-invasive medical procedure without my consent. But if she was older than 14 and pregnant and she wanted an abortion, she could have one without my knowledge or permission. I understand the rationale behind it but it makes being a responsible parent or a responsible partner much harder."

"Well, I don't even see the rationale behind it," Carrie said.

"I think it is more of protecting the kids against overzealous parents," I replied. "Hell, I don't know. The legislature passed the law and the patient can refuse parental notification. At least they could where we used to live. I'm really not sure here. But do you know that if Kasey gets a headache in school they notify me if they give her an aspirin. It just seems a bit backward."

"I can understand an abortion after a rape or if the child was going to have severe birth defects," Carrie said. "But outside of those parameters, I think I'm pretty much against it. I don't think I would ever consider one. But then again, I'm in my 30s and not in my teens. If I got pregnant at 15 or 16, I'm certain that it would have crossed my mind. So, if I am pregnant I can almost guarantee that I'll want to carry it to term. But I would discuss it with you beforehand."

"No need for that," I replied. "If you are pregnant and you want to keep it, we'll keep it. Hell, I should have thought of this earlier but it'll lower my child support significantly. With Kasey turning 18 and another baby in the house, Kelly will have to muddle through on 1400 or 1500 a month."

"Jesus, Mike," Carrie said. "How much are you paying now?"

"A hell of a lot more than that," I groused. "A little less than $3,500 a month. The spousal support ends next year and Kasey comes off next September so it'll drop to about a thousand per month for Mark by this time next year."

"So you picked me out to be your Sugar Mama, huh?" she said as she slipped a leg over my midsection.

"I had no idea of your net worth when I became enamored by you," I said earnestly. "I fell in love with your wit, grace and charm."

"Smooth talker," she said. "It's a shame that I'm so worried about my contraception. But don't worry, I'll know one way or the other by Monday. I'm certain that a portion of your slavery will be sexual."