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It won’t be a struggle forever.”
    â€œIt will if you keep knocking me up!”
    He chuckled. “You’re so damned knock-upable. I just can’t help myself. And it’s not like I planned it. I’m just so potent .”
    â€œSee, you think you’re so manly right now. They’ll swim through anything—through condoms, IUDs, diaphragms…. And you’re goddamn proud of yourself!”
    â€œNah, that’s not it,” he said. “But I have to admit— I love you pregnant…”
    â€œYou’re just an idiot! I can’t pay the bills! Don’t you get that?”
    â€œExcept the part where you’re in a bad mood all the time and throw up. But you’re probably not crazy about that part, either.”
    â€œDid you look around Marty and Joe’s tonight? The big house, the nice furniture, all the stuff they have? You know why? They didn’t get married when they were twelve, they have only one child and she works, that’s why! While we’re eating casserole made out of tuna or, on a big night, wings and thighs!”
    â€œYeah, it’s really tight, but I don’t think we should give any children away….”
    â€œI’m not finding this funny at all! We’ll never get out of debt!”
    â€œListen, you can’t make assumptions about people, about their lives. Who knows what’s going on in their private lives? For all we know, Marty and Joe have fifty-thousand-dollar credit-card bills and a second, third and fourth mortgage. And besides, I wouldn’t trade one of our kids for a pinball machine or pool table.” Then he rolled his eyes upward. “Well, I’d probably trade Clint for a boat and an RV….”
    â€œWe haven’t planned one single baby,” she whimpered.
    â€œApparently we don’t have to.”
    â€œReally, I’m very upset about this,” she said, pursing her lips, trying for control.
    â€œOkay, I’m not going to let you get me all stirred up, because you’re…well, you know what you are,” he said. “We try our best to keep from getting pregnant, but we’ve had a surprise or two and we take what we get. Not because we wanted another one right now, but because it’s on the way, it’s ours and we can .”
    â€œWell, don’t get all hooked on the idea. This would be an IUD pregnancy and there’s no telling…”
    â€œYou take the home-test thing?” he asked.
    She shook her head.
    â€œAh. You already threw up.”
    She nodded pathetically. “You know, it might not make it….”
    He leaned over her more closely, slipping his bighands under her short nightie. “Jules, this is you and me—the baby factory. It’ll make it. And we might not have a boat, but we’ve been so goddamn lucky. Look at those kids, huh? They’re smart! Healthy. And damn good-looking.”
    â€œClint’s hyperactive. I can’t keep up with him. I’m at the end of my rope…”
    â€œHe’ll settle down. Jeffy was kind of like that. Listen, I could get a few more hours a week…”
    â€œYou’re never here as it is.”
    â€œI’ll work as hard as I have to, baby. I’ll do whatever it takes. And I swear, I’ll get that vasectomy before this one even gets here.”
    â€œIf one swims through that, I’ll kill you in your sleep!”
    He laughed and put his hands over her breasts. He jostled her a little, rubbing against her thigh. “One good thing—you don’t have to worry about getting pregnant for a while.”
    â€œThat’s not exactly an incentive,” she told him, sniffing back a tear.
    â€œYou can eat like a pig. Everything you want,” he said.
    â€œI get postpartum depression,” she said.
    â€œNo, you don’t. You get early pregnancy depression, but when you have a new baby in your arms, you’re alive