He paused again, and she could hear a faint exhalation, as if he was gathering his thoughts before continuing. "It's not a big deal for us to parent together if that's what you want. I can marry you legally so my… our son can be legitimate," he said, the word son hanging in the air as though he were testing its weight for the first time. "But if you'd rather not take that step, we can raise the child together as co-parents. It's your choice, and I'll support whatever you decide."