“It’s not that I don’t want another,” she said gently. “I just… I’m not sure right now is the moment.” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I don’t want to rush it because it’s what families are ‘supposed’ to do.” David nodded, though she could see the sliver of disappointment tucked behind his smile.
He was a planner at heart — spreadsheets for bills, reminders for every appointment, grocery lists in color-coded categories. He liked knowing what came next. But Emily didn’t want to add a baby into their world just because it fit neatly into a timeline. “Maybe we just need something small,” she said after a long moment.
“Something new — but not as life-changing as diapers and sleepless nights again.” David raised an eyebrow. “A hobby? A new car? A vacation?” Emily shook her head, a soft laugh escaping. “No… more like a companion. Something for Lily to grow up with.” He gave her a suspicious look. “Emily.” “What?” she asked innocently, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.
“You’re thinking about a dog,” he said. She didn’t deny it. “Maybe.” He groaned dramatically and let his head fall back against the couch. “Em, we barely survived sleep training. How are we going to house train a dog?” “We’ll get one that’s already trained,” she countered. “Which one?” he demanded. “The imaginary perfect dog everyone dreams about?”