Breeding Dylan

11: What's Growing On In There?

We had a simple dinner with his parents and his oldest brother, Ahmad, who was joined by his Italian husband, Luca.

"We heard you are expecting a child. Congratulations. When is the wedding?" Ahmad asked when we sat down.

"We have not discussed this yet. It was unexpected," Tareq responded.

"I did not realize your boy was transgendered. Mother tells me this." Ahmad looked at me with new interest as if this excited him.

"He's not..." Tareq started to correct him, but I was getting amused by this thinking.

"Do you usually introduce yourself and state your gender history?" I looked at him as if I was offended.

"Excuse my ignorance. Is a surprise to us. You do not show signs." Ahmad started to backpedal awkwardly.

"Signs?" I looked home dead in the eyes.

"Please stop," Luca said to his husband. "You are in a hole. Stop digging."

"No, no! I do not mean to offend. I only mean he is very handsome boy. Is surprising. He is very beautiful either way." Ahmad tried to explain.

"Please keep your eyes off the one who carries my child." Tareq looked at his brother threateningly.

"I apologize, Dylan. There is no bad intention in my words." Ahmad gave up his inquisition. He nodded to me and I nodded back. No sense in starting a war.

"You are going to have the cutest baby! The two of you combined! I can't wait to see how this turns out. My friend in Rome designs the most amazing baby clothes. I've begged her to make things in my size! When will you know the gender?" Luca asked.

"Not for a few weeks I think. I haven't really researched this. I have a feeling it will be a boy. I just kind of know it." I couldn't tell them how we knew for certain.

"As long as it is healthy! Your child will never worry for anything. He will be a Zakar and will have a life of privilege." Mr. Zakar nodded at me with a smile.

"I guess this means you'll be staying here? You can't have our grandchild in America. It is a dreadful place." Mrs. Zakar looked at us as if the very idea of living in the US was abhorrent.

"I'm supposed to go home on Saturday. I haven't decided. I need to see my family. I haven't told them about this. They'll be very surprised." I realized I was torn here.

"You must convince him to stay. Travel is dangerous for the baby and the mother. We have the best care in the world here. The finest doctors will be available around the clock for you." Mr. Zakar frowned at the thought of me leaving.

"If he does not wish to stay then I send him home, but of course I shall go with him. I can not leave my mate alone, especially when he carries my child. I can not be on the other side of the world from the most important people in my life." Tareq hadn't told me that before.

"You'd go to Arizona with me?" I reached over and took his hand.

"I will go where you go. I wish you will stay here, but you are not bird I can cage. So you decide, my love. You choose the tickets and I will buy them." Tareq looked sincere.

+++--+++

"I'm pregnant," I texted Wes later that night. It was morning in Tucson.

"Me too! It's great!" he wrote back and sent a selfie with him sticking out his stomach and rubbing it. The picture showed him in his Muffin Manor uniform and I saw Ricardo in the background working the register. I missed home.