After her divorce, Kate Kindred decided that she would live her life without children. But then she fell in love with Jim, a handsome, caring man who had custody of his two-year-old son, Michael. And she fell in love with the boy, too. During the six years they all lived together, Kate learned the deep joys of motherhood—that was the gift that Michael gave her. But when her relationship with Jim ended, he denied her any contact with Michael.And her heart was broken.An Accidental Mother beautifully describes the joys of mothering a young boy through complicated times. With sweet simple anecdotes and complex emotions, Kate Kindred marks every page with tears, including those that the most loving laughter can bring to any parent.
Оглавление
Katherine Anne Kindred. An Accidental Mother
An Accidental Mother
AN ACCIDENTAL MOTHER
Michael Age Five, Elizabeth Age Three
GOD
THE CURE FOR A STOMACHACHE
THE TOOTH FAIRY
THE SCHOOL OF REPETITION
Michael Age Six, Elizabeth Age Four
EXISTENCE
I WILL NOT LIE
POLITICS 101
LEFT OUT
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
Michael Age Seven, Elizabeth Age Five
RITUALS
THE MORE THE MERRIER
WORRY HAS ITS REWARDS
Michael Age Eight, Elizabeth Age Six
A BAD EMPLOYEE
RESURRECTION
EXCUSES
WHO IS IN CHARGE?
Michael Age Nine, Elizabeth Age Seven
BREAKING UP
THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME
LIES
THE LAST WORD
LIFE PATHS
LETTERS
Отрывок из книги
AN ACCIDENTAL MOTHER
Near or far, I will love you always.
.....
I cautiously embraced these developing bonds, but before I recognized the potential demands, I became aware that my extracurricular interests required modifications. Dating a man with children meant that some nights there were no babysitters—no dining out, no dancing, no overnight Vegas turnarounds. Some nights the date consisted of macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, and a bedtime story after a bath. To some this might be cause to turn and run. But to my surprise, for me it became a toehold in a secret world, an exclusive club called “parenting,” a world into which I had thought I would never be granted a pass. At the time, I didn’t realize that it is also something like a cult—easier to get into than out of.
And therein lies the beauty of it—the tie that had never bound me before. The fact that Michael’s mother is not present leaves me in a position where I cannot just break up, blame all the problems on the other person, and bail whenever I feel like it. That’s no option when there is a little person in the other room waiting for me to tuck him in and read Hop on Pop. Furthermore, the sound of my voice as I rattle off a long list of complaints begins to sound a little ridiculous when I realize that the pile of dirty clothes on the floor is not nearly as scary as a monster hiding in a little boy’s room three nights in a row.
