THE PACT

THE PACT

But you said… Thomas saw the start of a comment from Rosa and stopped her dead mid-sentence, as he knew where she was headed. He stood up from the sofa in Rosa’s apartment and emphatically said: “No, no!” Rosa was taken aback and recoiled back away from Thomas on the couch. “What is it? she replied.

The two had been talking about the state of their relations. Seeing each other for over a year and a half of courtship, Rosa questioned if getting married was in the cards. She wasn’t getting any younger, and she did want to have kids as her biological clock was clicking so loud it was a surprise Thomas didn’t hear it. Rosa was of that age where a woman has sites on having children needing to negotiate her life in such a way so as not to spend her childbearing years with an incompatible mate.

In her view, Thomas would be a satisfying donor if not a good father if he chose to stay with her. He came from a family of healthy males with no significant health issues. He was employed and even showed bursts of ambition for certain things. All of this made Thomas an excellent candidate to have a child with.

The most pivotal talk the two had had about their relationship happened on one of their dates that ended up at a soft-service ice cream parlor. The day had gone well, except Thomas was on edge about a trait that Thomas saw in Rosa that annoyed him: Rosa’s complaining about the food, service, or both. That day it was both. So as they left the restaurant to get some air and talk, making their way to the ice cream parlor, the topic arose and continued.

Thomas was honest, maybe even more realistic this time than ever before. He shared that it was too early for marriage. And since they had been having unprotected sex since the first day they met, having a child could be upon them sooner than expected, it made sense. Rosa knew Thomas enjoyed sex with her knowing she, at times, could be insatiable, and he liked that, but sex for pleasure and sex to procreate seemed like two separate things.

Upon arriving at the parlor the same night, the talk became even more honest and led to a little misleading pact that seemed to come from the right place in their relationship. The agreement was this, they’d put all talk about marriage and kids off for a year, and if they were still together, happily and even more in love, they should make those next steps a reality. The pact seemed a little hollow and not spontaneous, but with the talk over Hawaiian chocolate toffee soft serve for Thomas and strawberry for Rosa; their resolution felt final.

Now a year later, the time had passed quickly, and the two were still living separately, engaged in what appeared to be one long relationship. Thomas was promoted and made more money, and it seemed the stars aligned with their pact. Yet something was up, and as they made out on Rosa’s sofa, they paused to address the anniversary of their agreement. Rosa then spoke to Thomas without much ease in blurting out that she was pregnant, gaining an astounding look on Thomas’s face.

Thomas seemingly forgot about the pact, but when the topic came up as it did, he remembered clear as day. The mood had now shifted, but Thomas and Rosa didn’t bother to re-dress as they were both down to their bare essentials. Rosa looked at Thomas as his mind was processing the news. Rosa didn’t know whether to continue or stay quiet, knowing they hadn’t revisited their pact.

On Rosa’s end, she had been counting the days, and then when she missed her period, she knew she had to say something regardless of whether Thomas brought it up or not. The silence was deafening as Rosa continued to watch Thomas, his face slowly turning from bewilderment to a smile as if his mind had convinced him this was a good thing. To which Thomas turned to Rosa still with that wholesome grin and spoke up, “So we are going to be parents?” Thomas’s words were like sweet honey to Rosa’s ears. She nodded affirmatively, and they embraced each other with a kiss, both happy for the news.