Family. It is the most important support network that we can rely on. But, not all families are perfect. There are so many broken homes, so many toxic families that we even wonder why the word 'family' is just so important in the first place.
But, this chapter is about those families that we can depend on. Those families that are what we make them out to be.
Earlier in this story, Adam used the word 'codependent' to describe our relationship.
While we were pretty codependent, the issue at the time was that it was impacting our prospects with outside relationships.
But since then, the dynamics have certainly shifted. This chapter takes place almost a year after chapter twenty-three when Luis and I first started dating as an official couple... and not a fake-couple
At this stage, we are living together. While we could afford a nice house on the income that we both bring to the table. Him with his cooking show, and me with my Starbucks job, we have chosen to stay at the apartment.
It makes things easier because I am eight months pregnant, with Adam's baby and Adam still lives down the hall with Matt, who has since been elevated to husband status.
We couldn't be any more dysfunctional if we tried!
Luis and I are lying in bed and I have school in an hour. "You know you really don't need to go," Luis tells me. He rolls over, wraps his arm around my oversized stomach and kisses my shoulder.
He is right. I hate it when he's right. At my last doctor's appointment, I was told that for the benefit of myself and the baby I should learn to relax. All Luis is trying to do is look out for me and maybe I should learn to listen to him.
But, sometimes I feel that if I do relax, then I am being unproductive, so of course, I need to argue. "I have to go in," I say. "I need to hand in my assignment. I can't fail."
"The doctor said that you need to lighten your workload," he tells me. "If you go to school, don't go into work. You know that I make enough to look after all of us."
Oh, such a silly thing to say, Luis. Sometimes you're just so oblivious! Don't bring up the money situation.
"I'm not, not going into work! I get that it's a stupid job, but it's my job!" I tell him. I climb out of bed as fast as I can... which isn't very fast for an overgrown pregnant woman.
Luis sits up. "Seriously? That's not what I meant and you know it! Of course, I don't think it's a stupid job!"
"Well, it sure sounds that way!" I locate my clothes and storm toward the shower with him following behind.
"Nicky, don't do this! You always do this!"
"What do I do, Luis?"
"This! You snap at me for something so trivial! All I said was for you to lighten your workload. You're adding too much pressure on yourself. You need to just stop and think about the baby!"
"The baby? The baby that you weren't even thrilled about me having in the first place?" I yell at him.
He goes silent. He is trying to refrain from saying something wrong. It is Adam's baby and that is always looming over his head.
"Nope, I'm not doing this with you!" he says as he turns to leave me to shower in peace.
Instead, I follow him out, draped in only a towel. "Not doing what? Not doing what, Luis?" He has reached the kitchen and is getting started on making breakfast. He refuses to look at me. "Look at me, Luis! What aren't you doing?" I yell at him.
"This stupid argument! Fine, you want an argument? You've got one!" he yells as he throws an egg down onto the floor. "Yeah, I wasn't keen on the whole IVF thing! In fact, it turned you into a bitch! Second, it's not even my baby! When it should be my baby in there! Not Adam's! Not to mention, when she's born... she's still going to be Adam's baby! She will already have a father! I will be papa number three! She won't need me! But yet, here I am... fussing over you and her... for nothing but your constant fights! I'm just sick of it!"
