Can I Ask You a Question?

It had been a long day. We’d been out shopping, kept P’s son and friends happy, had a good laugh at a DVD and made love for the second time that day. I was just in the process of dozing off in bed when P turned to me and said "Can I ask you a question?"

My heart stopped – what could it be, was it something good or something bad? Her question was toned in a quizzical manner, so I suspected that I wasn’t about to be dumped – but never the less I was a little worried as to what was about to be said, so I replied "Sure" to which she continued with "Do you want children?"

I know she is on the pill, but my heart was ready to explode with the thought of what her next sentence was about to be - and she continued with "I mean, not just right now, but I’d really like to have another child before my bits start falling off".

I was kind of relieved that she hadn't just announced that she was pregnant, but then again, I think I would have been absolutely thrilled if she had.

Never the less, like the prized pratt I am, I replied "Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t". It was an honest response – and after recently catching some of "Supernanny" on television I was pretty much prepared to keep my fella in my pants just in case I manage to spawn some evil little swine that would trash the house at the drop of a hat. Mind you, after watching that programme, I’m pretty certain that most people would feel that way too.

But no sooner had I finished speaking that I realised what I’d said – and it wasn’t really a reply that would keep a blossoming relationship going. But as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I do get quite broody at times (my Match.com profile said I wanted children – as did P’s) and it would melt my heart to be called "daddy" by my own flesh and blood.

As such, I thought a bit of rewording and clarification was required. "I certainly don’t dislike children" and added "and they seem to like me too", which is absolutely true. A friend commented a while back that I seem to have an aura that draws their shy child towards me, plus P’s son really likes me – and after my exhausting afternoon at an adventure park – as do his friends too. Even P acknowledges that I have a fan – which is much more than can be said about her previous boyfriend.

I finished with "It would be nice, but it would be scary too". Again, this is the truth. After all, you have to care for a screaming bundle that is wet at both ends and you simply can’t turn it off or hand it back to its parents - because that’s you! Fortunately, P agreed that it is scary, but with her already being such a good mother to her son I’m sure it would be OK.

Still, P has put her cards on the table and I didn’t flinch (well, too much). It’s also nice to know what her plans are for the next few years, but since we’ve only been going out for 3 months, it really is still too early to make such plans – after all, we don’t even live together – but there’s nothing wrong with considering what lays ahead or being worried by the commitment it entails.