Page 50 (1/2)

"Well, sorry," I say, "but if Cory was that antichildren, he should have done a little bit more to make sure you two didn’t have any"

She frowns "What do you asps "Heather!"

"Why not? It’s a simple procedure that only takes half an hour to perform, and doctors do close to half a million of them every year in the US alone" I watch way too et one? Do you think it ht be because he’s secretly undecided on the subject of kids?"

Lisa stares at htly ajar

"Oh God, Heather I never even thought of that Do you really think that’s true?"

I shrug "How should I know? But I think before you make any decisions about this, you and Cory need to have a long talk And you need to visit your gynecologist too Six plus signs probablymy hand at her white wands, "but you never know And remember, it’s your body Whatever you decide to do is up to you"

Lisa’s shoulders slump "That’s just it," she says "I don’t knohat to do I feel so awful telling you all this, because I kno badly you want a baby and can’t have one, and here I anant by er on MTV"

"Hey," I say, reaching out to squeeze one of her hands "It’s not like that If I really wanted a kid, there are steps I could take I’m just not any more ready to jump on the baby train than you are But I’ll be here for you, no matter what More important, I think Cory will be too He colances at a fra day, holding Tricky, their ring bearer "You think so?"

"I know so" I give her hand a final squeeze, then release it "It’s pretty obvious froether, his face is all goopy and smiley He really, really loves you"

The tips of Lisa’s ears turn red as she flushes, but this tie "Goopy?" she echoes with a little laugh "That’s not even a real word"

"But you knohat I’et on their faces when the person they love is aroundlike they can’t believe anyone that a would ever fall for someone like them That’s Cory, with you It’s like he thinks he’s won the lottery or so to be okay, notoas she lifts the wedding photo on her desk and gazes down at it "I do know the look you reat around our nieces and nephews I always kind of suspected he secretly wanted a kid of his ownOh, but, Heather, what if we have this baby and he turns out to be a serial killer?"

"What if you have this baby and she turns out to be a genius who finds the cure for cancer?" I hold my arers on MTV You’re happily reat, stable jobs and a kick-ass aparte for which you don’t even pay rent, in a building assistant-directed byto make incredible parents"

Lisa’s flush of pleasure increases "I hate you sothis all sound so reasonable How are Cory and I going to backpack around Peru with a baby?"

"Leave the baby here in the file cabinet I told you, I’ll watch her Only froh, then Gavin will have to take her"