fic: The Mommy Problem (Friday Night Lights; Tami; pg)
The Mommy Problem
Friday Night Lights; Tami Taylor; spoilers through "I Can't"; pg; warning: discussion of abortion; 378 words
Tami knows how to handle this.
Written for halfamoon, and also the West Wing title project. Thanks to angelgazing for looking it over.
~*~
The Mommy Problem
Tami knows how to handle this. She's trained for it, she's good at it, it's why Tim brought Becky to her in the first place. She's helped kids through all sorts of sticky situations, but when Becky says, "I can't have this baby," she freezes for a second, mind seizing up with the memory of saying those words herself when she was about Becky's age. She was lucky--she had a guidance counselor who took her to Planned Parenthood, so her mother never had to know. Still, Tami read reproach in her mother's eyes for years, even though there was no way her mother could have ever found out.
As much as Tami would like to do the same for Becky--as much as she'd like to take the girl to Corrina Williams at Planned Parenthood (Corinna would know just what to say, and she'd do it in that no-nonsense way that makes her good both at her job and with her kids)--she can't do that. Things are different now, and she's bound by the requirements of her job.
She doesn't bring it up, talks about adoption like it's the only possible choice, but when Becky says no, Tami allows that abortion is an option. She can't recommend it, but she wants to, wants Becky to know she understands, but she can't even give the girl that.
Tami lies awake afterwards, remembering the way she'd cried for days; she'd let her mother think it was breaking up with whichever boy she'd been dating at the time--she'd always had two or three on the string in those days--that had her so distraught. She remembers the fumbling way she'd questioned the doctor when she didn't get pregnant again after Julie, trying to cover up her shame even though it was the right decision, the only decision, for her at the time.
She prays that Julie and Gracie never find themselves in that position.
The doctor told her it wasn't her fault, but she never quite believed him.
Tami loves her daughters, her husband, and her life. She's trained herself not to wonder what would be different if she'd had that baby at seventeen instead of going off to college.
She hopes that Becky can do the same.
~*~
Feedback is always welcome.
~*~
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/128380.html.
people have commented there.
Friday Night Lights; Tami Taylor; spoilers through "I Can't"; pg; warning: discussion of abortion; 378 words
Tami knows how to handle this.
Written for halfamoon, and also the West Wing title project. Thanks to angelgazing for looking it over.
~*~
The Mommy Problem
Tami knows how to handle this. She's trained for it, she's good at it, it's why Tim brought Becky to her in the first place. She's helped kids through all sorts of sticky situations, but when Becky says, "I can't have this baby," she freezes for a second, mind seizing up with the memory of saying those words herself when she was about Becky's age. She was lucky--she had a guidance counselor who took her to Planned Parenthood, so her mother never had to know. Still, Tami read reproach in her mother's eyes for years, even though there was no way her mother could have ever found out.
As much as Tami would like to do the same for Becky--as much as she'd like to take the girl to Corrina Williams at Planned Parenthood (Corinna would know just what to say, and she'd do it in that no-nonsense way that makes her good both at her job and with her kids)--she can't do that. Things are different now, and she's bound by the requirements of her job.
She doesn't bring it up, talks about adoption like it's the only possible choice, but when Becky says no, Tami allows that abortion is an option. She can't recommend it, but she wants to, wants Becky to know she understands, but she can't even give the girl that.
Tami lies awake afterwards, remembering the way she'd cried for days; she'd let her mother think it was breaking up with whichever boy she'd been dating at the time--she'd always had two or three on the string in those days--that had her so distraught. She remembers the fumbling way she'd questioned the doctor when she didn't get pregnant again after Julie, trying to cover up her shame even though it was the right decision, the only decision, for her at the time.
She prays that Julie and Gracie never find themselves in that position.
The doctor told her it wasn't her fault, but she never quite believed him.
Tami loves her daughters, her husband, and her life. She's trained herself not to wonder what would be different if she'd had that baby at seventeen instead of going off to college.
She hopes that Becky can do the same.
~*~
Feedback is always welcome.
~*~
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/128380.html.
people have commented there.