My wife handed me a list of demands—an expensive car and a tattoo—in exchange for getting pregnant. It felt transactional, reducing a life-changing event to a mere exchange. So, I arranged a meeting with a lawyer to turn her demands into a reality check.
We’ve been married for one year and together for eight. She’s focused on her career, but baby talk crept in, especially with her mom’s nudging.
One Saturday, over breakfast, she dropped the bomb. I read her list in shock: a new car and a tattoo. “What the heck?” I blurted out. “Pregnancy will change my body forever,” she said. “I want to feel appreciated.”
Realizing we needed a serious talk, I set up a meeting with a lawyer. As she read the detailed contract on parenting, her excitement turned to contemplation and realization.
“Jake,” she whispered, “I didn’t realize how demanding this journey would be.”
I squeezed her hand. “We’ll face it together,” I said.
She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I wanted to feel appreciated.”
“You will be,” I said. “Not because of a car or a tattoo, but because of who you are.”
Our love and commitment strengthened. We didn’t need a contract—just each other. We made plans, visited doctors, and brainstormed baby names. Our true reward would be the family we were about to start. Through doubts and fears, we leaned on each other, realizing that our love was the greatest gift of all.
