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I wish I was anywhere else on earth.
Tuck slices into his burrata, gathering its rich, soft center on his fork, along with an apple slice and some arugula. “Our situationisdifferent. I’m here to support Maren in any way she needs. I’ve raised my daughter on my own, so I’m well versed in what it takes to be a good parent. I’ll be there to help shoulder the burden every step of the way. Whenever Maren is ready to begin the next phase of her career, we’ll get the help we need to make that happen. Your daughter isn’t going to be stuck in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant. She’s going to finish her degree, graduate with flying colors, and do whatever the hell she wants to after that. Period.”
He shoves his fork in his mouth as if to say,end of discussion.
I’m blinking back tears, my heart pulsing in my throat. How can I be so angry with my parents but at the same time soenamoredwith Tuck? I’m brimming with opposite emotions, each one a torrent of feeling.
“That doesn’t change the fact that Maren is only twenty-two,” Dad replies. “She’s going to miss out on all the fun and adventure she should be having in her twenties if she’s rushing home to a baby.”
Tuck picks up his champagne. Glances at me. “Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?”
“No,” I say, wanting to kiss him for bringing me back into the conversation. “I felt that way when all I did was study and go to a job I didn’t like.”
“That was one school,” Dad says.
Mom gives me a pointed look. “One class. You should give teaching another try, maybe at a different school. A different age level, maybe.”
“Jesus Christ!” I throw up my hands. “Y’all don’t listen to a damn thing I say! Teaching elementary school is the dreamyouhad forme. For a while I thought that was the same thing as my dream. But it’s not, and I need you guys to accept that fact.”
Mom and Dad sit in stunned silence. I’ve never, ever talked to my parents this way, but clearly I’ve had it. I need them to listen. I need them to see me for who I am, not who they want me to be.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you.” My voice cracks. “It kills me, knowing I let you down. But this is what I want. Trust me to figure it out. I won’t ask for anything else from you.”
The arm Tuck has draped across the back of my chair moves, his fingers flexing on my back now.
Mom’s voice is thick when she finally speaks. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Maren.”
“Understand where we’re coming from,” Dad adds. “This is all so sudden, sweetheart. We didn’t even know you and Tuck were together. And now you’re having a baby and changing all your future plans? You never said a word to us about any of this.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “But I did. I told y’all time and time again that I hated the job I had at Wesley Elementary. I said I’ve been struggling to stay motivated in school because of it.”
“We thought it was just a bump in the road,” Mom says.
I shake my head. “It was a sign I needed to pivot. Which is what I’m doing now.”
Dad tilts his head. “All right. What exactly are you pivoting to? If you’re getting your master’s in early elementary education, where are you going to use it except at, well, an elementary school?”
I hold my fork and knife in a death grip. “I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure that out. I promise. And when have I ever not come through on a promise, Dad?”
“This very moment. Our deal always was that you did well in school, and we supported you.”
“Maren is still in school,” Tuck counters. “And if her past performance is any indication, she’s going to graduate top of her class.”
But Mom just shakes her head. “How’s it going to look when you show up pregnant to class?”
“My classes are virtual, Mom.”
“Fine. What about job interviews? You’ll be a single mom, which puts you at a disadvantage?—”
“She’s not single,” Tuck bites out.
Mom looks at him. “Are y’all talking about getting married, then?”
My scalp prickles with sweat. “Mom, it’s way too soon for that. Give us time.”
“I’ll do right by your daughter, whatever we decide that looks like.” Tuck’s chest barrels out on a deep inhale. “I’m here to support her. You have my word on that.”
But Dad only frowns. “Forgive me, but we don’t know you, Tuck. And Maren—hell, you barely know him yourself.” He lets out a mirthless laugh. “Y’all want to be together, fine. You want to have a baby? That’s fine too, but it should happen a ways down the road. You should wait. Get to know each other first. Let Maren finish school and figure out her career plans. If you decide in a few years this is still what you want?—”
