A Conversation with My Mother

I tell my mother hello.My mother tells me hello, how are you?I tell my mother I took the morning-after pill, because of an accident.My mother tells me I should be more careful.I tell my mother yeah, I know—I’ll be more careful.My mother tells me I’m of an age where pregnancy is an option.I tell my mother if I were to become pregnant I’d have an abortion.My mother tells me I don’t have to make a decision about an abortion just yet.I tell my mother I’m certain that if I were to become pregnant I’d have an abortion.My mother tells me I can’t know that for certain … unless I’ve already had an abortion?I tell my mother I’ve never had an abortion.My mother tells me yeah, she assumed; she’s never had an abortion either.I tell my mother I don’t see the problem with an abortion.My mother tells me she thinks women should have the right to an abortion.I tell my mother she’s the person I’d tell if I had an abortion.My mother tells me thanks—though she’s not sure she’d want to know about an abortion.I tell my mother I’d want to talk about an abortion, if I were to have one.My mother tells me thank you—she’s glad I can talk to her.I tell my mother how glad I am I can talk to her.My mother tells me I’m the woman with whom she’s closest.I tell my mother that she’s the woman with whom I’m closest. My mother tells me she wants a grandchild.I tell my mother I don’t like it when she tells me she wants a grandchild.My mother tells me she needs to tell me she wants a grandchild.I tell my mother I’m the wrong person to talk to about a grandchild.My mother tells me she’s the wrong person to talk to about an abortion.I tell my mother I need to talk about an abortion.My mother tells me she needs to talk about wanting a grandchild.I tell my mother not to tell me she wants a grandchild.My mother tells me I’d have a beautiful grandchild.I tell my mother it’s uncomfortable to know she wants a grandchild.My mother tells me it’s uncomfortable to talk about an abortion.I tell my mother I need to be free not to produce a grandchild.My mother tells me she needs to be free to want a grandchild.I tell my mother that knowing she wants a grandchild is painful.My mother tells me she needs to talk about wanting a grandchild, especially with me.I tell my mother I need to be free to talk about an abortion, especially with her.My mother tells me that talking about an abortion is too upsetting for her.I tell my mother that talking about a grandchild is too upsetting for me.My mother tells me that even though our conversation upsets her, she loves me very much.I tell my mother that I love her very much too and that I have to go.My mother tells me yeah, she also has to go.