The talk

There was no avoiding it. Derrick stared listlessly out of the coffee shop window, trying to ignore her dark gaze. It was futile, of course, glowering was what she did best. It was often Beth's last line of defense when Derrick's optimism threatened to crack her pessimistic core. This was the tactic she employed now, her brown eyes showing just above her black, horn rimmed glasses.

"All I'm trying to say is it ain't that bad, that's all." Derrick turned his attention to the latte before him, avoiding her medusa like gaze as if it could really turn him to stone.

She cocked her head to the side a bit and her stare intensified. "That's easy enough for you too say, there isn't something growing inside you."

"Someone," he corrected her, hoping that reminding her of the humanity of the situation would ease her fears, "We're talking about a person, not a thing." Derrick took a sip of his latte, daring a glance across the table towards his girlfriend, hoping to see some signs of calm.

"You know what I mean," she retorted, "and you know we can't handle this, he have enough trouble taking care of ourselves."

Derrick mulled this over, trying to find a way to approach this argument. As he swirled his cup in small circles he recalled the details of thier situation, how he had lost his job, and how she had to work the night shift at the gas station down the street just to keep the bills paid. Definitely not the ideal situation for child rearing.

"We'll find a way." he said finally,"One way or another, we'll find a way."

"How can you be sure?" she said softly. Derrick looked across the table to see tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"I just know,he said, watching her composure fade like a sky at sunset. He reached across the table, taking her hands in his. "Just like I know you'll be a great mother."

Her icy facade finally broke, the faintest hint of a smile played at the corners of her lips. She sobbed softly for a moment, tears of joy and fear intermingling in her eyes, becoming one solid feeling of both hope and apprehension.

"And you will be a good father."