The List by Sherri L. Lewis Read Free Book Online Page A

I’m trying to be realistic. I’m thirty-five years old. I’m not sure of the likelihood of me finding a man without kids.”
    â€œYeah, but you’re supposed to be putting what you want, not what you’d put up with because you think you’d have to.”
    I thought for a minute. “I love kids, though. I feel crazy that I don’t already have some. So, if he has some, that would be okay with me.”
    Lisa shook her head and gave me a look of pity. “Clearly you’ve never dated a man with kids. You wouldn’t be saying that if you’d ever dealt with some crazy baby mama drama.” She looked around the table for someone to agree with her.
    Angela was her usual quiet self, and sat munching on one of the funny-looking appetizers from the tray. Vanessa shrugged like she had no idea what Lisa was talking about.
    Nicole shrugged too. “I’ve dated men with kids. Let me remember.” She scrunched her eyebrows and thought for a moment. “None of them had full custody. One of them had a cool relationship with his child’s mother, so it was never an issue. Wait a minute—they were too cool, and it was an issue, because they ended up getting back together.” Nicole frowned. “And the other, his ex-wife had moved out to California, so he didn’t get to see his kids often.”
    Lisa grabbed a couple of appetizers from the tray. “All I’m saying is I’ve dealt with enough baby mama drama and bad Bebe kids that my list requires that a man have no children.”
    We all looked at Lisa like she was crazy.
    â€œNo children? As in, kids are a deal-breaker?” Vanessa asked.
    She nodded.
    â€œUmmm, Lisa, you’re thirty-eight years old,” I said. “What are the chances?”
    â€œIt’s possible. Look, I believe in telling God what I want, then trusting Him to bring it.” She folded her arms resolutely, as if there were no further discussion on the issue.
    Nicole rolled her eyes. “I thought Michelle had a disconnect with reality. Anyway, Michelle, how many kids would you put up with?”
    Vanessa frowned.
    I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m guessing no more than two. Or if they’re grown and gone, he can have as many children as he wants. Or if he’s a great guy with three well-behaved children, I could see dealing with that. It depends on the situation.”
    â€œOkay, that’s fair. What else?” Vanessa asked.
    I had tried to wait, but I was starving. I picked up an appetizer—a weird, triangle-shaped, breaded thing with some type of filling. “He has to be intelligent, so we can have great engaging conversations.” I took a bite. Wasn’t bad. Tasted like teriyaki something.
    â€œCollege-educated, professional degree?” Angela finally joined in the conversation.
    â€œUh, I guess. I mean, I would think he would need a college degree to be intelligent enough to keep up with me.”
    â€œWhat if he didn’t, though? What if he never went to college, but is a smart guy who reads books all the time, and learned everything in the school of hard knocks?” Angela leaned forward, as if challenging me with the question.
    â€œI never thought of that,” I said. “I guess I wouldn’t require a college degree, if he was smart enough.”
    â€œAre you sure about that? Like, would you date a bus driver or a cook or construction worker?”
    I always wondered what made Angela decide to talk. She’d sit silent for up to an hour sometimes then, suddenly, something would interest her and she’d come from that private little world of hers and become totally engaged.
    â€œSure. As long as he’s intelligent, well-rounded, and godly.”
    â€œYeah, right.” Lisa gave me that look of hers again. “You would date a construction worker? You would date a man that makes less money than you?”
    All of us stared at Lisa. I