The Butler and I (BWWM)✔

42

"What hit you?" I ask him.

"The father, you need sperm and eggs to have a baby. I know a female has eggs so who's the dad?" 

My mouth opens not believing what he just asked me. "Well," I try to start. He raises his eyebrow waiting for me to continue. I had no idea how to continue this conversation nor answer his question. I know he would have questions, but I didn't expect him to bluntly ask me something like this. He's too smart, that's the problem. 

"What?" He asks when I don't answer after a while. The hardest thing as a parent is being afraid that your kids are going to view you negatively. Whether it is true or not, we always want our kids to see us as loving, good people when in fact that's not really true. Why was I afraid to tell him that it 's Luke? Because Luke and I are not even together. What will he think of me? I know I'm probably exaggerating, but will he see me as someone who just walks around sleeping with people and getting babies. "Was it Zeus?" He asks.

I start laughing, "Zeus is a myth, honey," I tell him. "Just like Santa, tooth fairy and all the other crap people put in your head."

"Mhmm," he says. He already knows these things are not true. I'll be danm if I work hard to buy you presents on Christmas and for you to think it's a danm fat man who flies on reindeers. "The father now, please," he says. 

"Okay, so," I start. I put my mail down and walk towards him. "It's a man," he nods his head as if saying he already knew that. I sigh and realize how stupid I am being right now. Just blurt it out Christine, blurt it out. "Luke," I finally let out.

"Luke what?" He asks.

"The father is Luke," I correct myself. 

"Oh," he says. "That's cool," he adds. I can't tell if he is happy about it or if he's mad. "Hopefully the kid gets some of his cooking genes," I laugh and shake my head.  "Okay now, I'll go get ready for the art show," with that he leaves and runs up the stairs. I shake my head, what was that all about?

"Hey Toph," I walk into the kitchen to find my brother sitting down and eating ice cream. He nods his head, I grab a spoon and take a seat next to him taking some of his ice cream.

"How'd your meeting with Luke go?" He asks me.

"Horrible," I reply, "he thinks the contract is stupid. And he thinks I look at him inferior to me, I don't know Toph," I sigh. "I honestly do not think his inferior to me, I don't think anyone is. To be honest, what does a degree in something prove anyway. Just because you have a degree does not mean you're smart or you have skills, society just puts too much pressure on the profession you have or the degree you have," I finish.

"Mhmm," he says. "I don't blame him for thinking that," he says. I look at him so he can elaborate a bit. "All our lives, we're thought that a man is the head of a family, he has to take care of the family, but you don't need a man to take care of you. He just can't handle you being from a higher class than him, a higher profession. Why don't you just tell him that it doesn't matter?" He asks me. I have been telling him that forever, he still doesn't believe it.

"A cook is a high profession, Toph. Without them, there are no restaurants, we do not eat and we die," I say. "I just wish he could see past the money, the professions, and see who I am." 

"Easier said than done, I have class in an hour so see you later," he says. He gets up from the stool and goes up the stairs. 

"All ready," Jake says entering the kitchen. I look at what he is wearing, he has on a suit and dress shoes. I shake my head, he looks down at his outfit. "I hear that's what people wear," he says. The art gallery is not that fancy, "mom, cheese," he adds. "Get ready."