Keeping mum

We discussed it for ages. Both of us wanted to have a child. Both of us were getting on and both of us were on our own.

A month later, Jared rang. ‘I’ve thought about it carefully and if you’re sure, I’ll do it,’ he told me.

‘I’m sure,’ I said.

So we booked into a fertility clinic and swung the process into action.

And after the very rst try, my pregnancy test result was positive.

‘We did it!’ I said to Jared, who was there with me, excited to see the result. ‘We’re going to be parents!’

‘That’s amazing!’ he said, grabbing me in a hug.

I didn’t breathe a word to anyone. I knew my parents wouldn’t approve of what

I’d done. They always envisaged I’d marry Matt and have children the conventional way.

So, when the pregnancy began to show, I told them that it was Matt’s baby but, sadly, we’d split up.

‘But you can’t possibly raise a baby by yourself!’

Mum cried.

‘I won’t be alone, Mum,’ I told her. ‘Jared’s going to move in and help me.’ ‘You mean your gay friend?’ she exclaimed, stunned.

‘Yes, Jared’s so sweet. He’s moved in to my place and he’s helping me out for a while,’ I replied.

When baby Lucas was born, Jared was there to help welcome our little one into the world.

Lucas was healthy and feeding well so we were sent home after a few days.

Mum was our rst visitor.

‘He’s beautiful,’ she said, giving Lucas a hug.

‘Yes, he’s absolutely gorgeous,’ Jared smiled.

Then, he disappeared into the kitchen to prepare the baby’s bottle.

‘Well, this isn’t what I imagined for you,’ Mum said. ‘But I have to say, Jared seems very loving.

It’s almost as if Lucas was his own child.’

‘I know,’ I smiled.

Lucas is now two. Jared still lives with me and we dote on our son.

We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know Lucas will always be loved and wanted by us both.

Lucas calls Jared ‘Daddy’ which, after an initial shock, Mum now thinks is cute.

‘But you’ll have to tell Lucas the truth about his daddy one day,’ she always says to me.

‘I guess so,’ I mumble. What she doesn’t realise is, the one I’ll have to tell the truth to is actually her. ●

‘You can’t raise a baby by yourself!’