tried a different approach. But have the two of you sat down and actually talked?”
“We’ve tried a few times.” Charity thought back to Christmas dinner last year. “It usually ends up with one of us overreacting or misunderstanding something. It tends to be easier if we just don’t talk about it and go on like there isn’t a problem.”
Margaret pressed her lips together like she wanted to say more but didn’t feel it was her place. She sat silent for a bit and then said quietly, “Maybe there isn’t a problem. Maybe you both just need to let go of the things you expected the other to be, and simply be content with who each of you are.”
“I never…” Charity let her voice trail off. Margaret had a point. Her father wanted her to be a doctor. He was ticked when she dropped out of school. She had needed him when her mother was sick, but never considered how he felt. He dealt with disease, death, the dying every day and always had to take a step back to not be involved too emotionally. Maybe he didn’t know how. Maybe she had done the same in a way and blamed him for her own disappointments instead of just letting it all go. Love was something that should last forever, not be lost forever. “Maybe you’re right.”
Margaret leaned forward and patted Charity’s hand. “I’m not one for giving advice but I’m going to let you in on a little guidance Elijah’s father once told him and I’ve always remembered it: You don’t need to be what anyone expects. Just be you.”
“I like that.” She smiled ruefully and then stood. “And sadly, now I have to go back to work.”
Elijah bounded through the door as soon as she spoke. “Mom! Glad you’re still here. I wasn’t sure if I’d missed you.”
Margaret laughed. “I’m here for about another twenty hours. You can’t get rid of me that quickly.”
Charity hugged Elijah. “I have to go. Spoil your mom for me?”
He kissed her and then pressed his fingers to his lips before planting them on her belly. “Isn’t that her job? To spoil me?”
Charity rolled her eyes jokingly at Margaret. “I’m not sure who’s going to be more of a child. Him or the baby.”
Margaret snapped her fingers. “I forgot! The crib is coming in today.”
“Crib?” Charity and Elijah said at the same time. Margaret had designed the nursery beautifully. The room was bright with white wood along the bottom of the walls and a soft pink on the top. She had bought them a change table and one of the rocking gliders. The closets had been fitted with shelves that now sat full of diapers and a million creams and ointments. A pack n’ play and stroller sat in boxes in the garage already as well.
“Did I forget to tell you?” Margaret pretended to look confused. “I could have sworn…” She waved her hand. “Never mind. I know you two were going to go crib shopping, but last week Scott and I saw this beautiful sleigh bed style crib. It matches the change table perfectly and it can turn into a day bed and then eventually into a full-size bed. Wait till you see it.” She smiled, knowing she had them. “I couldn’t resist.”
“Mom!” Elijah looked back and forth between Charity and his mom. “Don’t you think that’s something you should’ve asked us about? Charity might want to pick out her own.”
Margaret ignored Elijah, turning her attention to Charity. “If you don’t like it, just send it back. Elijah’s going to have to put it together. Apparently in America the delivery men don’t set it up for you. Something about insurance liability or whatever.”
“It’s the same in New Zealand, Mum.”
Charity could see the tightness forming on Elijah’s face. “It’s fine. Your mom has incredible taste. I’ll enjoy watching you put it together.” She smiled at Margaret. “Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you to do.”
“You’ll have to send me a photo or FaceTime me when Elijah’s almost finished so I can see it.”
Charity
“We’ve tried a few times.” Charity thought back to Christmas dinner last year. “It usually ends up with one of us overreacting or misunderstanding something. It tends to be easier if we just don’t talk about it and go on like there isn’t a problem.”
Margaret pressed her lips together like she wanted to say more but didn’t feel it was her place. She sat silent for a bit and then said quietly, “Maybe there isn’t a problem. Maybe you both just need to let go of the things you expected the other to be, and simply be content with who each of you are.”
“I never…” Charity let her voice trail off. Margaret had a point. Her father wanted her to be a doctor. He was ticked when she dropped out of school. She had needed him when her mother was sick, but never considered how he felt. He dealt with disease, death, the dying every day and always had to take a step back to not be involved too emotionally. Maybe he didn’t know how. Maybe she had done the same in a way and blamed him for her own disappointments instead of just letting it all go. Love was something that should last forever, not be lost forever. “Maybe you’re right.”
Margaret leaned forward and patted Charity’s hand. “I’m not one for giving advice but I’m going to let you in on a little guidance Elijah’s father once told him and I’ve always remembered it: You don’t need to be what anyone expects. Just be you.”
“I like that.” She smiled ruefully and then stood. “And sadly, now I have to go back to work.”
Elijah bounded through the door as soon as she spoke. “Mom! Glad you’re still here. I wasn’t sure if I’d missed you.”
Margaret laughed. “I’m here for about another twenty hours. You can’t get rid of me that quickly.”
Charity hugged Elijah. “I have to go. Spoil your mom for me?”
He kissed her and then pressed his fingers to his lips before planting them on her belly. “Isn’t that her job? To spoil me?”
Charity rolled her eyes jokingly at Margaret. “I’m not sure who’s going to be more of a child. Him or the baby.”
Margaret snapped her fingers. “I forgot! The crib is coming in today.”
“Crib?” Charity and Elijah said at the same time. Margaret had designed the nursery beautifully. The room was bright with white wood along the bottom of the walls and a soft pink on the top. She had bought them a change table and one of the rocking gliders. The closets had been fitted with shelves that now sat full of diapers and a million creams and ointments. A pack n’ play and stroller sat in boxes in the garage already as well.
“Did I forget to tell you?” Margaret pretended to look confused. “I could have sworn…” She waved her hand. “Never mind. I know you two were going to go crib shopping, but last week Scott and I saw this beautiful sleigh bed style crib. It matches the change table perfectly and it can turn into a day bed and then eventually into a full-size bed. Wait till you see it.” She smiled, knowing she had them. “I couldn’t resist.”
“Mom!” Elijah looked back and forth between Charity and his mom. “Don’t you think that’s something you should’ve asked us about? Charity might want to pick out her own.”
Margaret ignored Elijah, turning her attention to Charity. “If you don’t like it, just send it back. Elijah’s going to have to put it together. Apparently in America the delivery men don’t set it up for you. Something about insurance liability or whatever.”
“It’s the same in New Zealand, Mum.”
Charity could see the tightness forming on Elijah’s face. “It’s fine. Your mom has incredible taste. I’ll enjoy watching you put it together.” She smiled at Margaret. “Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you to do.”
“You’ll have to send me a photo or FaceTime me when Elijah’s almost finished so I can see it.”
Charity
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