"Actually, it's like this..." Janet seemed a bit hesitant, unsure how to broach the subject. "Darling, what are your thoughts on having children?"
Laila looked at her with confusion, suddenly discussing children made her think of only one reason: "Mom, are you pregnant again?"
Janet's eyes widened, "No, not me! It's you!"
"Pfft." Laila burst out laughing, "What does it have to do with me?" The idea of pregnancy seemed too distant for her, a woman who had lived her entire life without such concerns.
"No, that's not what I mean." Janet anxiously ran her fingers through her hair. She regretted bringing up the topic herself, finding it harder to discuss than she had imagined. She wished she had left it to Quentin. The problem was, that he wasn't Laila's biological father, and discussing this topic with him would be inappropriate. "What I mean is, do you like children?"
"As long as they're not little rascals, I guess." Laila still didn't understand the reason for her mother's question. Could it be that she thought Laila treated William poorly?
"Did William say something about me?"
"No! It's not that! Oh my, how do I even say this!" Janet, despite her extraordinary creativity and talent in design, was utterly inept at handling personal matters. Discussing these things with her daughter was beyond her usual comfort zone.
After taking a deep breath, she continued, "You're not getting any younger this year, right?"
"Yeah, I'll be 27 in September."
"Time flies." Janet touched her daughter's hair. "In the blink of an eye, my little angel has grown so much, and I, as a mother, haven't paid much attention."
"Don't say that, Mom. I like my life now." Laila, having lived to thirty in her previous life, didn't hold any negative views about her current age. Instead, she felt a sense of accomplishment.
Janet held Laila's hand and sat on a bench in the garden. "I gave birth to you when I was 18, after your father and I had already broken up. You had to endure a lot because of that. You were so sensible; you only mentioned the word 'dad' once in front of me. I must have acted terribly that time, which made you never bring it up again."
She knew her daughter cared for her in her own way, and that made Janet feel she had missed out on a lot.
Laila, however, had no connection to the "little Laila" of that time. Her mother's sudden mention of the past surprised her; she thought her mother would never bring up her cheap father again.
Janet continued, "I once loved your father deeply, willing to give up everything for him. After we broke up, I was on the verge of collapsing, even contemplating suicide. Your birth saved me, and I started living with gratitude. So, dear, children are pure, gifts from God, the best present given to every woman."
Laila was puzzled. What was her mother trying to say? She couldn't quite grasp the meaning, only nodding in confusion.
Coughing dryly, Janet said, "Dear, I know your career is important, but you're reaching an age where your body is in its best condition. Shouldn't you consider having a child?"
"Huh?" Laila was glad she was sitting; otherwise, she might have fallen over. Why was her mother suddenly talking about her having a child? Even though she knew that many Westerners had children before marriage, it didn't seem to be a tradition in her family.
Setting aside traditions, Laila couldn't fathom where her mother's thoughts were wandering.
Her mother's reasoning was based on the idea that at Laila's age, it would be easier to recover after childbirth, and her body would be healthier. However, Laila knew that age didn't necessarily dictate a person's ability to have children. Many women in their forties and fifties still had babies.
"Mom, do you think William is too well-behaved, and you're missing out on the joys of motherhood? If you want another child, I think it would be quicker if you have one yourself." After all, she had a ready-made candidate and an existing love product, so it shouldn't be too difficult for her to do the same.
Janet pinched Laila's cheek with a lack of patience, "I'm talking about you! Look at you, so beautiful and talented. Roy is handsome and sexy. Your baby would be the cutest in the world! For that alone, you should have more than one! Let me tell you, a few days ago, I visited a friend's granddaughter, and she was unbelievably cute! But I think if it were a baby from you and Roy, it would be a thousand times cuter!"
Laila finally understood why her mother suddenly brought up the topic of having a child. However, she was worried about how to tell her mother that she and Roy still had a pure relationship.
"There's no rush for this. I'm still young; let's talk about it later."
"How can there be no rush!" Janet held her daughter's hand, advising earnestly, "You and Roy are still young, and that's exactly why you should have a child sooner. It's easier to take care of a baby while you're young and energetic. I, at my age, find it quite challenging. If it weren't for your grandmother and Quentin helping me, I wouldn't dare imagine how William would turn out."
Laila empathized with the latter part of her mother's statement. She also felt fortunate that William had a good father and a loving grandparents. If left solely to her unreliable mother, he might not have turned out as well as he did.
"Mom, I think this is not something you should discuss with me." Laila, feeling overwhelmed, pushed the responsibility back, "Between Roy and me, it's a platonic relationship. How do you expect me to have a child in this situation?"
"What?!" Janet exclaimed, completely surprised by the unexpected answer. "You've been together for so many years, what have you been doing all this time?"
"...I also want to know." Laila was curious too. Perhaps she was more conservative, but even if her boyfriend tried various things, she couldn't bring herself to push him away. No woman could resist a lover's advances, and she was no exception!
Seeing that Laila wasn't pretending, Janet thought for a while before coming up with a possible explanation, "Could it be that Roy... he has some health issues?" Otherwise, how could he resist being intimate with such a beautiful girlfriend until now?