slid the basket to the center of the table. “Have some.”
She glanced at him startled, and then back at the fries as if he’d just offered her a wedding ring and she didn’t know what to say. She grabbed one and bit into it with a reverence that seemed a stretch for the greasy, limp fries served at The Oyster. It occurred to him what her problem was.
“You don’t eat, do you?”
“What?”
“You look like that because you don’t eat.”
She bristled. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you act as if those fries are gold encrusted. You’ve never had an extra pound in your life, why would you be so concerned about it?”
“The only reason I’ve never had an extra pound is because I’ve been so concerned about it.”
He studied her. He would never have pegged Sarah as having any kind of self-esteem issues. She seemed as confident, as self-contained, and self-possessed as anyone he’d ever meant. “You should eat.”
“A guy like you wouldn’t understand.”
“A guy like me? All right, try explaining to me why eating is not a good idea.”
“You make it sound so simple. You probably eat four thousand calories a day and don’t gain a pound. You probably can’t gain a pound. And you’re a guy. You don’t have the same pressures. So, no, a guy like you wouldn’t understand me.”
“You’re about twenty pounds from being even an average weight. And you forget I’m helping to raise Angie. I’m pretty read up on any new diet or fad teenage girls are into. So, I do get it. No, I mean I get it with Angie, but you? You’re successful, you’re thin, and yet you’re still insecure about it? How is that possible?”
She pushed the basket away from her. She shook her head. “It doesn’t come as easily for me as it does some people. Kelly looks how she does with no effort. I’m not so lucky.”
She was staring off into the restaurant, her mouth in a tight line. She did not like this conversation. He took the basket and said gently, “Well, one night? A few fries? That will change the course of your life how?”
She twisted her lips. Considering the fries? Who knew fries were a decision of life or death proportions? “Okay. Just a couple.”
He watched her eat a few. Why did that please him so much? But by her stiff posture she did not like him looking at her. He glanced away and finished his burger.
“Are you all right?”
They had been quiet for several moments when he found Sarah watching him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Angie. That was hard for me at the doctor and I’m not her family. It was heartbreaking.”
“That. Yeah, that’s not so easy to be okay about.”
“What do you want her to do with the baby?”
“I wish I could say I wanted her to keep it like Vanessa did, but God you’ve seen how clueless and young acting she is. I can’t picture her caring for a newborn. I cringe picturing her being responsible when she can’t even keep safe money I give her to see a movie. Vanessa was different than Angie at that age. No more equipped for motherhood, but Vanessa came from an abusive home, and was already on her own. She had already dropped out of school and worked full time. Angie, well, she can hardly wake before noon on weekends, and isn’t exactly a ball of fire about anything, which is fine, or supposed to be fine. She’s supposed to be lazy and growing up as a sophomore in high school, but her taking care of a baby? No way.”
“I agree she doesn’t seem into being a self-sacrificing teenage mom. I really don’t think she truly gets that she’s not just overweight, but that a baby is in her.”
“No, she doesn’t seem to get that.”
“Would you consider adoption?”
He sighed. Would they willingly separate this baby from Angie? From their family?
“Yeah, at this point, I’m thinking of encouraging just that. I wish none of this was even put before her. She’s young and kind of naive about life, and I don’t want her regretting whatever
She glanced at him startled, and then back at the fries as if he’d just offered her a wedding ring and she didn’t know what to say. She grabbed one and bit into it with a reverence that seemed a stretch for the greasy, limp fries served at The Oyster. It occurred to him what her problem was.
“You don’t eat, do you?”
“What?”
“You look like that because you don’t eat.”
She bristled. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you act as if those fries are gold encrusted. You’ve never had an extra pound in your life, why would you be so concerned about it?”
“The only reason I’ve never had an extra pound is because I’ve been so concerned about it.”
He studied her. He would never have pegged Sarah as having any kind of self-esteem issues. She seemed as confident, as self-contained, and self-possessed as anyone he’d ever meant. “You should eat.”
“A guy like you wouldn’t understand.”
“A guy like me? All right, try explaining to me why eating is not a good idea.”
“You make it sound so simple. You probably eat four thousand calories a day and don’t gain a pound. You probably can’t gain a pound. And you’re a guy. You don’t have the same pressures. So, no, a guy like you wouldn’t understand me.”
“You’re about twenty pounds from being even an average weight. And you forget I’m helping to raise Angie. I’m pretty read up on any new diet or fad teenage girls are into. So, I do get it. No, I mean I get it with Angie, but you? You’re successful, you’re thin, and yet you’re still insecure about it? How is that possible?”
She pushed the basket away from her. She shook her head. “It doesn’t come as easily for me as it does some people. Kelly looks how she does with no effort. I’m not so lucky.”
She was staring off into the restaurant, her mouth in a tight line. She did not like this conversation. He took the basket and said gently, “Well, one night? A few fries? That will change the course of your life how?”
She twisted her lips. Considering the fries? Who knew fries were a decision of life or death proportions? “Okay. Just a couple.”
He watched her eat a few. Why did that please him so much? But by her stiff posture she did not like him looking at her. He glanced away and finished his burger.
“Are you all right?”
They had been quiet for several moments when he found Sarah watching him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Angie. That was hard for me at the doctor and I’m not her family. It was heartbreaking.”
“That. Yeah, that’s not so easy to be okay about.”
“What do you want her to do with the baby?”
“I wish I could say I wanted her to keep it like Vanessa did, but God you’ve seen how clueless and young acting she is. I can’t picture her caring for a newborn. I cringe picturing her being responsible when she can’t even keep safe money I give her to see a movie. Vanessa was different than Angie at that age. No more equipped for motherhood, but Vanessa came from an abusive home, and was already on her own. She had already dropped out of school and worked full time. Angie, well, she can hardly wake before noon on weekends, and isn’t exactly a ball of fire about anything, which is fine, or supposed to be fine. She’s supposed to be lazy and growing up as a sophomore in high school, but her taking care of a baby? No way.”
“I agree she doesn’t seem into being a self-sacrificing teenage mom. I really don’t think she truly gets that she’s not just overweight, but that a baby is in her.”
“No, she doesn’t seem to get that.”
“Would you consider adoption?”
He sighed. Would they willingly separate this baby from Angie? From their family?
“Yeah, at this point, I’m thinking of encouraging just that. I wish none of this was even put before her. She’s young and kind of naive about life, and I don’t want her regretting whatever
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