Expecting
I stand outside the bathroom, nervously tapping my feet. She's been in there for what feels like an eternity. I try to distract myself by examining the pattern on the tiles, tracing the lines with my eyes until they blur.
Finally, the door creaks open. She steps out, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and a small, hopeful smile tugging at her lips. She's holding a pregnancy test. The result is clear, even from where I stand. We're going to have a baby!
As I stand there stunned, a debate rages in my mind. "Language, definitely early on," I think. "Their brain is more plastic then, they'll pick it up easily." The vision of a polyglot child forms in my mind, seamlessly switching between languages, a citizen of the world.
But what about their career path? Science or commerce? The internal discussion intensifies. "Science is the key to the future," I assert to myself. "With science, they can really make a difference, tackle the world’s most pressing problems head-on.” I imagine them in a lab coat, peering into a microscope, or standing on a stage, presenting groundbreaking research.
Then commerce whispers its siren call. "But commerce offers stability, financial success," another part of me argues. "They could be a leader in business, allocating the world’s resources and shaping economies." The image of a confident, sharp-suited individual negotiating deals flashes before me.
I bounce between these futures, as this barely multicellular organism, not yet fully formed, already carries the weight of his father's expectations, perhaps even the world's.