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She clears her throat. "Uh, thanks. Though I'm not sure your opinion counts here."
"My opinion? Darlin’, it's a fact. You are a beautiful, stubborn woman with an iron will."
She laughs, patting at the corners of her eyes. "I'm not sure if you're trying to make me laugh or cry."
"Either? Both?" I joke. "Just making conversation at this point."
Pearl points toward the Gravitron. "Should we take a gamble on that ride? It looks dangerous as hell, but we should at least try one of the rides first. You know, before I fill my stomach with carnival food."
My lips twitch. She just said gamble. And I love to roll the dice. "Lead the way, darlin’."
She grabs my hand and starts pulling me toward the ride. I follow her to the ticket window, getting a couple of tickets.
As we stand in line, I purse my lips. Something occurred to me late last night when I was thinking about my role in Pearl’s life.
Am I just a baby maker to her? Or something more?
"Can I ask you something that you might potentially take the wrong way?"
Pearl pulls a face. "I guess?"
"You said you lost your dad when you were a kid. And I would guess that you really missed having him around for a lot of things. I mean like... holidays, birthdays, graduation, whatever."
She hesitates, then answers. "Yeah..."
"I guess I'm just wondering why you, a person who knows how hard not having a dad can be, are willing to sign away your future child's chance at having a dad."
Her eyes go wide. Her nostrils flare. My point is made, but I don’t feel any satisfaction about it.
"I'm proof that a kid can turn out perfectly well without a father around to raise them. Unless you're saying I'm somehow deficient?"
I put a calming hand on her wrist, which she shakes off. She glares at me, but I press on. "The thought hadn't occurred to you that you were... maybe repeating the cycle?"
"No." Pearl's cheeks flush. "And unless you really want to offend me, you'll stop asking me these questions."
"You know you've got me in the palm of your hand, Pearl. Your wish is my command, darlin’."
She plucks the twenty-dollar bill from my hand and moves ahead to the window, not saying a word. The whole time we stand in line, and even while riding the Gravitron, Pearl is silent. I let her stew for a little while.
Truth be told, I kind of thought that would be her reaction to my question. I guess we have reached the point where I'm able to predict her reactions.
Too bad that doesn’t stop me from blurting out questions about her dad. I feel like an ass for even asking the question.
“I’m sorry,” I say as we slow to a stop. “I shouldn’t have asked you that.”
She sighs. “No, you shouldn’t have.”
As we clank down the metal stairs off the ride, I offer Pearl my hand. "Friends?"
She rolls her eyes but takes my hand. "I guess."
That's the second reaction that I correctly guessed. "Let's go get corn dogs."
She holds up a finger. "Corn dogs, elephant ears, and deep-fried pickles."
I cock my head. "Are you sure you're not already pregnant?"
She elbows me in the ribs. "Deep fried pickles or no deal. I can go back to being mad at you."
