“We just can’t wait,” David said as we sat in their grand living room. He squeezed my hand and kissed me on the cheek, sending a chill down my spine. It was like a dream come true. My heart thudded with excitement and happiness. Meanwhile, his mother, Rosemary, cried in her tissue and his father paced the room, pleading for him to take his time. I squeezed David’s hand back, and beamed at my husband-to-be. Winning. My beautiful engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight.

David stood then and pulled me into his arms. “I hope you guys will come around and bless this marriage. I’m in love. And I’m certain. She is the one. Forever. Jane completes me. Come on, honey.”

“You’re making a big mistake, son,” David Sr. had said, hands on hips, watching us leave the room. “You’ll be sorry. You’re moving too fast. Love that lasts can wait for an appropriate engagement, a proper wedding. We haven’t met her parents.”

“I’m an orphan, Mr. Harris,” I had said. “I love your son, very much. I will make him happy.”

“David, no. Please.” Rosemary was really crying by then. She barely got the words out of her little tiny pinched face.

“I love you both, but this is my life,” my David had said. He wrapped his arm around my waist and we walked out the door into our future. We married three months later. They never got over the speed of our courtship, even though David was so certain, so in love. Even though we’ve been married for more than twenty years now, I recognize the look I see in their eyes when I catch them watching me. As if they know they shouldn’t trust me, but can’t put a finger on why. We are cordial, for the girls. They do love to spoil their granddaughters.

Granddaughter.

And now I suspect they were responsible for pushing our move to Orange County, for making me give up my acting dream. For planting the seed in David that he had to procreate immediately to be successful. Did they also arrange for his one-night stand during our first year of marriage when I just couldn’t seem to get pregnant? No, likely even they wouldn’t go that far. David’s just a serial cheater.

David thought we were trying to get pregnant. I didn’t tell him about the birth control. Trying was the fun part. And I could keep auditioning, keep my figure. Sex is a great calorie burner. Of course I wanted children, just not right away. But things didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped.