"Okay, sit down. Are you comfy? Can I get you a coffee? Tea? Milo?" I asked.

"I'd love a Milo!" Jojo enthused.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

When I returned five minutes later, placing it on the coffee table, I turned to my mother. "Can I get you anything, Ma?"

"Yes. You can tell me what you want to say."

"You sure you don't want any water?"

"Cory, sit."

I sat in the arm chair by the couch where mum and Jojo sat.

"Now speak," she instructed.

I took in a deep breath and revealed the news.

They instantly sat forward. "She's pregnant?" mum said, while Jojo exclaimed, "Again?"

I nodded and looked at my lap, wanting to avoid eye contact, but a sigh from my mother pulled my attention back up. She placed her head in her hands.

"I thought you two learned from that experience."

"But you were okay with it then."

"Because it was an unavoidable accent that we just had to deal with. You two got a chance to restart and actually live your youths and it's been only, what, a year?"

"A little more," I mumbled.

"A little more than a year. You and Lily still don't even know if you can sustain a relationship together, let alone a child. For heaven's sake, Cory, what about university?"

I couldn't respond.

"When did you two make this decision?"

"We didn't make a decision to conceive... but we decided a couple of days ago to keep it."

"Wait... you didn't plan this?"

I shook my head. "Lily is on the pill."

"So this was an accident?"

A laugh came out of her mouth and she fell back into the couch, then laughed once more. "You two have some rotten luck."

"It's not such a bad thing..."

Mum sighed. "Yeah, it's not bad. Having children can be a pleasurable experience. I mean, you two are the best things that ever happened to me. But, at the same time, financial and emotional security is more important before bringing life into this world. I wish you and Lily got the chance to really be together, work out your kinks and create a relationship that functions, unlike your father and I. We got married after a year together because we thought we were 'in love', then Cory, you were on the way merely months after that." She shook her head. "It's fine. We will make this work. Do you two have a plan?"

"Not yet... I guess that's why we wanted to tell friends and family first—to get support. Lily was going to take a gap year to raise the child and I was going to take a gap after next semester to raise some money."

"What if you two move in here? That's the best way to save money for the baby."

"No offence, mum, but living with family is a bit of an archaic thing to do... we can't really be ourselves if the place isn't ours. Nor will it help us learn to look after things like bills, cleaning, cooking."

"That's true... Well I guess that plan is a start. We have 8 months to figure this out, right?"

"Yeah, about that."

"A grandmother at 40... who would believe this would happen."

***

"So... how'd it go?" Lily asked as I walked in the door.

"Not so well at first... but she's cool with it."

Lily stopped chopping the onion and looked at me. "Why not well? I thought your mum would be the easy one to tell."

"She thought we planned it..."

"Oh... Shit. You told her straight away though that this wasn't intentional right?"

"Well... amid the ranting, I couldn't find a chance to tell her."

"Cory!"

"What?"

"Did you let your mum believe for a while that we were that stupid to bring a child into the world when we just started university?"

I shrugged.

"She must have had a heart attack! Here she thought her son was really getting his life together and he's throwing it away for a child again." She tsked. "You need to lead with these things."

"She knows now. That's the important part."

"That's true."

"Anyway, how did your parents take it?"

Lily started chopping again. Without looking me in the eyes, she replied, "It didn't come up."

"You mean you didn't tell them?"

She put the knife down and looked at me guiltily. "I'm too scared I will disappoint her. I already slowed down my career path the first time and now... well, she will probably tell me a child will stop me from ever completing my degree."

"You need to tell her Lily."

"I will... I will..." Then she mumbled something I didn't catch.

"What was that?"

"Oh, just that I might wait until my first trimester is over."

"Why?"

"Because then there's no takesies backsies..."

"Lily!"

"What?" she heaved. "I really don't want to tell my parents, okay? I can't handle their sad eyes again."

"So you're going to hide their grandchild forever?"

"If the baby even comes out..."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I don't exactly have the best luck carrying a child, do I? Who knows, I may trip on the way out from telling my parents and the baby is gone and I've upset them for no reason."

"You still need to tell them."

"Listen, Cory. How I handle my parents is my problem. Just butt out, okay?" she snapped.

Rather than retorting, I spat, "I'm going for my shower," and stormed out of the room.