Late June
Jean Possible came out of the bathroom and crawled into bed, snuggling up to her husband. She felt exhausted these days. It wasn’t like her job was brain surgery… Well, actually it was exactly like her job was brain surgery. But home had become even more stressful than opening craniums. Was Kim really carrying some little monster? Kim seemed convinced she was carrying Shego's child, and was defiant she would have the baby even though she was angry with Shego at the moment.
“What are we going to do about Kim? It’s like we’ve lost our daughter this last year.”
“I don't know. I've felt out of the loop even since she brought Shego home for supper the first time. What has happened to her, to us?”
“Maybe I could have accepted Shego. I'm not sure, but I'd like to think so. But this? How could she have worked so hard to take such a risk? Does she really love Shego that much? And what are we going to do?”
“I just don't know,” James said. “Can we see what we agree in? I want to see Kim finish college. She had some problems last year. She was starting to get on track. I don't want to see a baby derail that.”
“I can agree on that. We don't want her to end up like Tara. But she has no idea how much work a baby is. Do you remember how hard it was for us, both trying to get our careers going when she was born?”
“Well, we didn't have parents who lived close to us.”
“Yes, but I don't think either one of us wants to quit our job so we can be full-time stay-at-home grandparent.”
“We have enough money. Would hiring a nanny be a solution?”
“It might be, but there isn't room in this house for a baby and a nanny. And I want to make sure Kim takes responsibility in this. I don't want us to raise another child. Maybe she needs a place of her own.”
“Well, there really isn't room here for a nanny and a baby,” James agreed. “But is a place of her own the solution?”
“Do you have another idea?”
He shook his head, “Would you like for me to start checking around on what's available?”
“No, let's wait until… I don't even want to say it. Until we know what Kim has inside her. What I would really like is for Shego to be out and with Kim. God, that sounds strange to me -- they spent so many years fighting each other. Sometimes I still hate her, I blame her for Kim acting wild. And other times I agree with Shego, it's our fault for letting her run around the world for years. I think Shego would be a calming influence on her. And a baby needs two parents.”
August 1
Despite the gynecologist's concerns they went ahead with the genetic testing. Jean wasn't sure whether to feel relief or not when they were given the results. The news had eliminated one worry, and confirmed another. Kim insisted that she would have the baby.
Jean relayed Shego's message. “She said she loved you, and was sorry for what she said.”
That night Jean and James had another talk. “I think you need to start looking for a place big enough for Kim, a baby, and a nanny.”
“You haven't come up with a better idea either?”
“Afraid not.”
Late September
“Dr. Possible? You asked me to come to the hospital and talk with you?”
“Yes, Bonnie. Have a chair, please. James and I have been trying to decide what to do for Kim. I have an idea I want to run past you. We aren't completely sure what we want to do, but I wanted to talk with you, at least hypothetically, about one idea. Is that okay?”
“I guess so, but terribly vague.”
“We are very grateful to you for helping Kim a year ago. We wonder if you might be interested in doing another job for us?”
“You need to give me a lot more details.”
Jean took a deep breath and began. “We want Kim to stay in school. The only way we see to make that possible is to hire a nanny. Our house just doesn't have space for everyone. We need to find a place for Kim. This semester you arranged to take a couple classes at the same time as Kim. If you arrange your schedule next semester so that your classes are always at different times from Kim it would be possible for you to help her. We'll pay you. And, of course, we are looking for a three bedroom apartment near the campus.”
“So I'd get paid not to live at home?”
“Yes. I thought you might be interested in that proposition.”
“It would be a lot of work.”
“You don't have to decide right now.”
“Does Kim know about this? Can I talk it over with her?”
“No, Kim doesn't know -- at least not specifically. We asked her to try and think about ideas, but she hasn't been able to come up with any plans of her own. We told her that we had an idea or two we were working on -- so she knows that at least. But we don't want to get her mind fixed on an idea that we aren't even sure will work. We want to be able to present her with a plan that makes sense. Remember, this is just an idea we are running past you. James is still looking for places near the University. We are not asking you for a commitment at the moment, all we want to know is if you might be interested.”
Bonnie thought for a minute. “My own bedroom?”
“Absolutely. And remember. We don't want you to assume all the work. Kim made her own decisions, but we want her to stay in school and the only way that is going to be practical for her is with some help. Because you’re a student also she can't expect you to do all the work -- she will have to do her share.”
“I think I am interested. When will you decide for certain?”
“It depends on what James finds. We will probably make you a firm offer, and ask you for a commitment in couple weeks. We are hoping you and Kim can move in January -- before second semester.”
“Before the birth?”
“It will probably be easier to get moved in before rather than after. They may need to stay with us for a couple weeks after the birth -- but we'll have you in the apartment and the nursery set up. She'll be back in with you when she is able.”
October 1
“How is the apartment search going?” The question had become something of a ritual when Jean got into bed.
“Still going badly. The nice places have all been rented for the entire school year. And the prices! When we were in school rents weren't --”
“Yes, and that was more than twenty years ago. And if you remember we didn't have much money back then. Get back to the apartment question.”
“It looks like we have two imperfect choices. First, we could have everyone stay here until next summer -- we should have better luck finding a good apartment at the end of the school year.”
“I don't like that one. Bonnie in the guest room and Kim's room for the nursery? What's the other poor choice?”
“Well, the realtor had an odd idea for me today. I was going to run it past you tonight.”
“What is it?”
“Well, there is a neighborhood on the south-west corner of the campus --”
“Oh, James, not that area!”
“Don't be hasty. He says gentrification has started in the neighborhood, but prices are still low. There are some older homes there. That used to be an exclusive area before the campus grew. When Middleton U. reached that far a lot of the houses were bought up as the old owners moved away or died. The new owners divided the old mansions up and rented them out to hordes of college students -- just trying to make a fast buck. Do you remember when the legislature passed that law against more than five un-related people living in a rented building a few years ago?”
“Yes, didn't they call it a move against slum lords?”
“That's right. Well, some of those big houses became unprofitable -- too much upkeep needed with too few renters. I went to look at one today, we could buy it for a little more than back taxes. Repairs will cost more than the purchase price. We'd have to put a lot of money in it at first to bring it up to code --”
“You're talking about putting my babies into a slum?”
“I'm talking about giving them a place to live that will be a lot nicer than most of the apartments I've seen. We modernize the place. In the long run paying for repairs won't be any more expensive than the rent on most of the places I've been looking at. And in the end we have a building in a gentrified neighborhood whose value will be far more than we paid.”
“Getting a house restored can take years!”
“Well, we wouldn't have to do it all at once. In three months we could easily have a good kitchen and the master bedroom, along with a nursery ready. Contractors could keep working while they lived there. The place has a boudoir right off the master bedroom which would make a perfect nursery.”
“You're sounding way too sure about this idea. You've already been out looking at the place without taking me along?”
“I just wanted to see if the idea might make sense.”
“Okay, where is it?”
“Have you heard of the Kringle mansion?”
“Oh, James, that place is supposed to be haunted.”
“You don't believe in that.”
“No, but the place is run down.”
“And cheap. But the structure is still good -- the roof and foundation are in great shape -- they built that place right. Like I said, in the long run we would probably spend less to repair it than rent for Kim for the next two or three years. And we have tax breaks and end up with a house we can sell when she's done at the University. Can you take a couple hours off work tomorrow and look at the place with me?”
“I suppose. At least I know where Kim gets her crazy streak.”
“Well, if we are going to talk about my crazy streak, can I tell you how good you look in that night gown?”
“James, stop that!” she laughed.
“Oh, and you'll look even better out of it.”