Hello all! Sorry for the late update, but again, like I've said many times, my life's been a little hectic. Also, I will be traveling to South Africa within the next few weeks, so I'll keep writing, but please don't expect an update until mid March. Thanks!

Love,

Lauren(;

I woke up with the sun shining directly into my eyes. I groaned and rolled over, not wanting to move from my bed. I had been working at the diner for a good week straight, and it was one of the hardest things I had ever done. But I was going to have to get used to the concept working.

Suddenly, the smell of my small, cramped hotel room became nauseating.

But it did the trick.

I stood up, ran towards the bathroom, and vomited right into the toilet. I groaned again and flushed, suddenly very tired of this whole sickness. Every morning it happened. Every time I smelled something funny, which was happening more and more often now, and every time someone got too close. It was disgusting.

I walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind me so the terrible smell wouldn't escape, and looked at the clock, realizing it was time for me to get dressed for work.

I slipped on my work uniform, which consisted of a blue dress and a white apron, threw on a pair of shoes that Mrs. Calvert had given me, and pulled my hair up into a loose bun, smoothing down any fly a ways.

I had already gotten paid – barely – but it was enough to get me two outfits. One lilac dress and a white coat, and a navy button down dress with a gray pull over sweater. For now, I used my dress from the sinking as my night gown.

But it gave me chills at night.

I walked down the stairs into the lobby, hoping the smile on my face deluded the fact that I was as pale as a ghost.

"Miss, you're looking pale. Are you feeling alright?"

Dammnit.

"Rose, Henry, please call me Rose," I said with a laugh. "And I'm alright, really." He smiled and nodded, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Just checking," he said. I smiled, patted his hand, and headed towards the door.

I walked out into the chilly April morning, shivered a little, pulled my coat sleeves towards my hands, and continued towards the diner.

When I was about half way there, I heard a familiar voice.

"Morning," it said. I turned around.

"Good morning, yourself," I replied. Jack smiled and walked up alongside of me, running his fingers through his hair. We walked silently for a bit, but I could feel his eyes burning into my stomach.

"Would you please stop staring," I said. "It's making me uncomfortable." Jack looked away, and back again.

"I'm just trying to see if they're getting any bigger-"

"If who's getting any bigger?" I snapped. "Jack, I don't even know if I'm pregnant! You need to stop getting our hopes up."

"Our?"

I stopped.

I didn't mean that. I didn't want to be pregnant. Not without the father of my child being around, at least.

Or was that it?

Maybe I did want to be pregnant because Jack was dead. Maybe I wanted a little part of him with me…

No, that was absurd.

"Your," I said quickly. "I said your hopes up." Jack smirked, an understanding coming between us; an understanding that we both knew that that was a lie.

He knew me better than I knew myself.

"Alright," he said. I nodded, and continued walking in the direction of the diner. But something hit me then. Not so much, hit me, but… came across me.

"Jack," I began. "I'd rather not have you follow me into work." He looked at me oddly.

"It's just that I don't want to walk in and have it appear that I'm talking to myself. They would think I'm crazy." I laughed weakly, trying to sound happy about this, but I knew I wanted him with me at work.

"Sure," he said abruptly. I nodded, smiled, looked away, and continued towards the diner. I grasped the door handle tightly, and looked back at him.

I love you, I thought to myself.

But he heard me.

I love you too, he thought back to me.

By the end of my third shift, I was about as tired as ever. I leaned against the counter, wiped a dirty rag across my forehead, and sighed.

"You look beat!" Will cried. I smiled and threw the rag into sink.

"You could say that again," I replied. He chuckled, and leant back against the counter as well. But suddenly, and surprisingly, our hands brushed against each others.

I looked up at him, and he looked down at me, and just quickly as it happened, I pulled my hand off of his, but I didn't pull my eyes away from his.

"What's going on?" Eric asked, snapping both Will and I out of our gaze.

"Eh, nothing," Will said, clearing his throat. "Just chatting." I nodded in agreement, and watched as Eric's eyebrow rose.

"Chatting?" he questioned. "I think you mispronounced flirting." Will and I both stared at him for a moment, but I couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly, Will did too, before messing with Eric's hair.

"Get lost, mutt," he said. Eric pushed his hands away in annoyance, but a smile cracked threw his tough demeanor.

"Ugh, that kid," he said. I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Oh you love him," I replied. He smiled and scratched his forehead.

"Yeah, I do."

"I wish I had siblings," I said. "I grew up an only child." He nodded and looked out the window.

"Were you always like this?" he asked.

"Like what?"

"Poor?"

That struck me hard; right where it hurt.

I had to think of something. I couldn't tell him that was some rich socialite that gave up everything for some… some…

Gutter rat…

But he was my gutter rat.

"Yes," I said, trying to steady my shaky voice. "Yeah, it was always like this. I grew up in Wisconsin, Chippewa Falls, actually. My parents died when I was fifteen and I didn't have any close relatives our kin nearby, so I headed off. I guess you could call me a tumbleweed blowing in the wind."

He chuckled and looked back at me.

"I like that. You're a 'go get 'em' kind of girl. That's," it took him a moment to find the right word. "refreshing."

Refreshing.

The word rang in my ear.

It's funny, or more so, ironic.

That's exactly what I thought when Jack had told me the same thing.

I thought that he was refreshing.

"Well, I should probably get working again," Will said, rattling my head a little. I coughed, looked at him again, and smiled.

"Right." I said. He smiled and walked around the corner, as I walked towards the back of the dining room, seeing someone raising their hand for the check.

I walked towards them, when a call came from behind me.

"Hey Rose," Will called. I turned around and smiled.

"Yes, Will?"

He looked down, took a deep breath, and smiled back up at me.

"Would you like to go and talk for a little while? I mean, not in the restaurant?"

I thought about this for a moment.

Was this a date? Was Will Calvert asking me on a date? No, no he wasn't asking me on a date. He was asking to talk, to get to know me, the real me.

"That would be… refreshing," I replied. He smiled broadly, trying to contain his excitement, and stumbled into the kitchen. I smiled, a little excited as well, when my eyes trailed towards the window.

A familiar figure stood there, staring at me. His eyes were sad, hurt, upset. I did that. I had hurt him. I never, ever thought I would be the one to hurt him. I mean, I'm sure I had. I ignored him for a while, denied my love for him for a while, and now I was taking it a step further;

I was beginning to form a relationship with Will. It wasn't anything much and besides, I hardly knew him,

But something,

Something,

Was there.

You won't forget me, right? He asked, tapping into my thoughts. I stared at him fondly, ready to cry, and shook my head shakily.

Never.

Okay guys, I won't be updating WNEMS until after my vacation. Sorry!