you?”
Rainey turned the car out onto the street, heading for the Wake County Sheriff’s Department offices, in downtown Raleigh. She thought about what Ernie was asking her before answering, “I assume you’re talking about the baby thing.”
“Not just the baby thing, and good lord that’s enough, but you’re also building a house. You changed your sexuality about a minute ago and you and Katie haven’t even had time to deal with that. You were both traumatized when you found each other. That’s not usually a recipe for a long-term relationship. These are life changing steps you’re about to undertake and they are happening at a record pace, in my humble opinion.”
“Ernie, you’ve never had a humble opinion in your life,” Rainey said, laughing, unable to be offended by the older woman’s prodding.
“Don’t be a smartass. You know I’m right,” Ernie shot back.
Rainey reached over and patted Ernie’s leg. “Okay, okay, I know you’re just worried. Look, I appreciate that this all appears very fast and I do recognize that Katie and I met under less than ideal circumstances. This whole falling for a woman thing took me by surprise, too.” She shook her head and chuckled. “I mean, come on, this was the last thing I thought was going to happen to me.”
Ernie’s voice came out softer when she said, “Is it because of what that man did to you? I mean, I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted another man within a mile of you.”
Rainey returned her hand to the wheel and gripped it a little tighter. She rarely thought about the attack, but when she did the rush of emotion would often overwhelm her. Not this time. She held the flashing pictures in her mind at bay. She took her eyes off the road just long enough to make eye contact with Ernie, who looked sincerely worried.
“No, Ernie, that is not why I’m with a woman. I’d be foolish to say that having a relationship with a man after that would not have had its challenging moments, but I hold no animosity towards men in general. A man didn’t do what happened to me; a monster did. Believe me, there is a distinct difference. My being with Katie has more to do with who she is than what sex she is. I don’t know that I would be attracted to other women like I am to Katie. It just feels right. It feels permanent.”
Ernie didn’t let up. “Okay, but this having a baby is a huge step.”
Rainey considered her response carefully. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I haven’t had moments of doubt. Not doubts about Katie and me, but I’ve worried that we were rushing into this, that I was caught up in glow, and so eager to please her that I said yes without thinking.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Ernie interjected.
Rainey waved a hand and cut her off. “Wait, I’m not finished. I fully believe whether she was with me or not Katie would still be doing this. Losing the baby last year just made her want a child even more. If this is that important to her, how could I not say yes? I promised to support her in this decision and that’s what I’m going to do. Katie is a package deal.”
Ernie turned in the seat to face Rainey. “How do you feel about becoming a parent?”
“Katie is just going through the process of preparing for the procedure. The actual attempts to get pregnant will come later. The doctor just wants to make sure she’s fully recovered from all the trauma she went through last year.”
“Rainey, that’s not what I asked you. Are you ready to be a parent?”
Rainey smiled at Ernie. “This is going to surprise you, but yes I am. I can’t imagine anything more satisfying than having a family with Katie.”
“It’s a lifelong commitment,” Ernie said, adding, “You do realize you can’t just put food on the floor and let it in and out a doggie door?”
“I was thinking of using a shock collar and an electric fence. Is that too much?” Rainey grinned and winked, making the turn toward the
Rainey turned the car out onto the street, heading for the Wake County Sheriff’s Department offices, in downtown Raleigh. She thought about what Ernie was asking her before answering, “I assume you’re talking about the baby thing.”
“Not just the baby thing, and good lord that’s enough, but you’re also building a house. You changed your sexuality about a minute ago and you and Katie haven’t even had time to deal with that. You were both traumatized when you found each other. That’s not usually a recipe for a long-term relationship. These are life changing steps you’re about to undertake and they are happening at a record pace, in my humble opinion.”
“Ernie, you’ve never had a humble opinion in your life,” Rainey said, laughing, unable to be offended by the older woman’s prodding.
“Don’t be a smartass. You know I’m right,” Ernie shot back.
Rainey reached over and patted Ernie’s leg. “Okay, okay, I know you’re just worried. Look, I appreciate that this all appears very fast and I do recognize that Katie and I met under less than ideal circumstances. This whole falling for a woman thing took me by surprise, too.” She shook her head and chuckled. “I mean, come on, this was the last thing I thought was going to happen to me.”
Ernie’s voice came out softer when she said, “Is it because of what that man did to you? I mean, I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted another man within a mile of you.”
Rainey returned her hand to the wheel and gripped it a little tighter. She rarely thought about the attack, but when she did the rush of emotion would often overwhelm her. Not this time. She held the flashing pictures in her mind at bay. She took her eyes off the road just long enough to make eye contact with Ernie, who looked sincerely worried.
“No, Ernie, that is not why I’m with a woman. I’d be foolish to say that having a relationship with a man after that would not have had its challenging moments, but I hold no animosity towards men in general. A man didn’t do what happened to me; a monster did. Believe me, there is a distinct difference. My being with Katie has more to do with who she is than what sex she is. I don’t know that I would be attracted to other women like I am to Katie. It just feels right. It feels permanent.”
Ernie didn’t let up. “Okay, but this having a baby is a huge step.”
Rainey considered her response carefully. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I haven’t had moments of doubt. Not doubts about Katie and me, but I’ve worried that we were rushing into this, that I was caught up in glow, and so eager to please her that I said yes without thinking.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Ernie interjected.
Rainey waved a hand and cut her off. “Wait, I’m not finished. I fully believe whether she was with me or not Katie would still be doing this. Losing the baby last year just made her want a child even more. If this is that important to her, how could I not say yes? I promised to support her in this decision and that’s what I’m going to do. Katie is a package deal.”
Ernie turned in the seat to face Rainey. “How do you feel about becoming a parent?”
“Katie is just going through the process of preparing for the procedure. The actual attempts to get pregnant will come later. The doctor just wants to make sure she’s fully recovered from all the trauma she went through last year.”
“Rainey, that’s not what I asked you. Are you ready to be a parent?”
Rainey smiled at Ernie. “This is going to surprise you, but yes I am. I can’t imagine anything more satisfying than having a family with Katie.”
“It’s a lifelong commitment,” Ernie said, adding, “You do realize you can’t just put food on the floor and let it in and out a doggie door?”
“I was thinking of using a shock collar and an electric fence. Is that too much?” Rainey grinned and winked, making the turn toward the
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