My Boyfriend's Plan Disappointed Me

My dad was frowning, and it looked like my mom was softening up a bit.

Brian kept going, "Look, Jenny, you're already 25. Wait a few more years, and you'll be in the zone where it's tougher to bounce back after having a baby. Makes sense, right?"

Inside, I smirked; it was the same old line, now recycled for my parents.

I met Brian's gaze squarely, "So, you're talking marriage? What's the deal with the dowry? How much are we talking?"

Brian was momentarily speechless.

In the past life, he'd sweet-talked me into having the baby first, promising a dowry and a wedding later, which obviously never materialized.

This time, with my parents watching, I figured he'd want to save face and wouldn't be as direct.

"We'll sort all that out, Jenny. We need to sit down with our parents and hash out the details."

My mom, thinking I was on board, tried to smooth things over, "A bigger or smaller dowry isn't a big deal. After all, we only have one daughter, and eventually, it's going back to you as a fund for raising the child."

"I get it, Mr. and Mrs. Kidwall are practical folks, not ones to get hung up on these things."

"Jenny and I haven't even graduated yet; all this formal stuff is really just going through the motions."

I could almost predict his next move would be to suggest we table this discussion for later.

But before he could get another word out, his mom Barbara was already at the door knocking.

My mom welcomed her in, and she strode in with her disposable shoe covers, plopping down on our couch like she owned the place.

"Oh, in-laws, I heard Jenny was pregnant and I just had to come right over."

"These kids aren't getting any younger, and since the baby's on the way, we might as well get them married off quickly."

She smiled in a way that crinkled her eyes, seeming friendly on the surface, but my parents looked visibly uncomfortable.

My mom shifted uneasily, trying to detach from her grasp, "We're actually still talking it over."

"What's there to talk over?"

Barbara waved her hand dismissively, "There's a baby coming; what's there to even deliberate?"

My dad frowned deeper, "Even if they decide to get married, there are a lot of preparations to be made. It's not something we can just rush into."

Barbara's smile stiffened slightly, "The kids aren't even out of school yet, I think we should keep it simple."

"The most important thing is that the kids really care about each other; everything else is just for appearances."

My dad nodded, "That's true, but a wedding isn't something to take lightly, and we only have one daughter. We don't want to feel like we're shortchanging her."

Barbara dropped the friendly act, "I understand where you're coming from, but it hasn't been easy raising my boy and girl by myself. Thankfully, Brian's done well, he's young and already pursuing his PhD. He's got a bright future ahead, and plenty of young women are noticing him at school."

"Your Jenny is lucky; she got in early and got pregnant first."

My parents were almost amused by her reasoning. My dad retorted, "Can you really say this pregnancy was solely my daughter's decision?"

"That's debatable."

Barbara glanced at my belly, "My son's quite the catch, so it wouldn't surprise me if your daughter made the first move."

"Now that she's pregnant, my son is willing to step up and marry her. Isn't that enough?"

My dad's face turned red with anger, while Brian also looked uncomfortable.

He stepped forward and tugged at Barbara's arm, hinting that she should stop talking.

Barbara, however, continued unabated, "I've never heard of someone demanding a dowry for an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Asking for one just shows a lack of self-respect. We're already being more than generous by accepting her into our family under these circumstances."

Brian had had enough and snapped, "Mom!"

My mom squeezed my hand, her eyes full of concern for me.

Reflecting on Barbara's past behavior, her initial warmth was probably all an act, just because I had agreed to forego the dowry temporarily and was eager to rush the marriage certificate with Brian.