It feels so weird not to be writing two stories at the same time, so, I am currently trying to think of ANOTHER full story to start. It's like...if I don't have my plate full, I can't get anything done. I'm hoping to think of one to start by the middle of the week. In the meantime, enjoy!

I don't wanna spend my life jaded
Waiting to wake up one day and find
That I've let all these years go by
Wasted

"Wasted"-Carrie Underwood

"Happy Birthday, Sophie!" The cries rang out in miscalculation, and were most definitely not in unison. Both Amber and Corny had already stopped attempting to control the horde of eight year olds, and Amber crossed her arms over her chest, chewing on her bottom lip as Sophie blew out her eight candles, sending an inevitable spray of spittle over the entire cake. The corners of Amber's mouth turned slightly up into a sneer, and she shook her head slowly, making her way to the table wielding a kitchen knife.

"Who wants cake?" Sophie yelled out senselessly, and the children seated at the table began to cry out simultaneously, all of them reaching their little hands towards the round cake that Amber had ordered from the bakery for this occasion. Amber let the knife slide into the vanilla frosting, pushing it to its hilt before drawing it back slowly and repeating her action, pulling it out with the blade and her fingers and sliding it onto a paper plate. "That's mine!" Sophie squealed as the plate hit the table, and she grabbed it greedily, sinking her fork into it without hesitation. "Birthday girl gets the first piece," she chided Amber softly through a mouthful of chocolate. Amber nodded noncommittally and went through the monotonous action over and over again, until each child's mouth was stuffed with the desert, and Amber couldn't help but think that this, slicing cake and standing by as children stuffed themselves, was what the rest of her life would be like.

And now, it wouldn't simply be Sophie's adolescent years; her ninth, tenth, eleventh birthday party. It would be first birthdays, first Christmases, first everything. First step, first word, first full night's sleep. Amber realized with a certain unexplainable sullenness, that the rest of her life would be nothing but a celebration of firsts, if only for this baby. Amber herself was through with firsts. No more first kisses (unless Link counted) no more first dates, no more anything. The thought seemed somewhat damning.

Corny slipped up behind her suddenly, sliding his arms around her slender waist, his fingers gently brushing her ever-growing bump of a belly, resting his chin against the nape of her neck.

"You should have been a party planner," he smiled softly into her skin, and she turned to look at him, her eyebrows arching, "or maybe you're just better at being a mother than you thought you were." He kissed the skin on her neck softly, his fingers now linked protectively over the bump, stroking it softly.

There was a sudden rap on the door and Sophie jumped up from her chair, crumbs dangling in the corners of her lips, her feet carrying her quickly to the front door and pulling it open.

"Link!" She greeted him excitedly, and both Amber and Corny turned to look at him quickly. He was holding a small box wrapped in pink paper with a white ribbon tied neatly around it, and he knelt quickly, kissing her cheek.

"You didn't think I'd miss my favorite girl's birthday party, did you?" He grinned at her, and she took the gift from him graciously, grabbing his hand with her free fingers.

"Come on in, we're eating the cake now!" She led him into the house happily, and Amber and Corny watched in sudden amazement. Sophie was still a fan of Link's, and though she didn't speak of him as much as she had at first, there was still an unmistakable blush in her cheeks when anyone mentioned him. Amber wasn't completely sure that Sophie realized that the ill-fated kiss he had bestowed upon her had nearly ended Amber's relationship with Corny, and most certainly was not aware of the fact that Corny was beginning to despise Link. If her child's mind would have been able to comprehend the distance that Link was driving between the three of them, Amber was quite sure Sophie wouldn't have been so enthusiastic to see him all the time.

"Did you invite him to Sophie's party?" Corny's voice had a harsh edge to it as he pulled away from her. Amber narrowed her eyes, suddenly defensive.

"No! I mean, I-I mentioned it was this Saturday, but I didn't ask him to come or anything."

Link smiled almost apologetically at them as he came to stand beside them and Sophie climbed back into her chair, speaking quickly and quietly to all of the children seated at the table.

"Hey," he greeted them almost sheepishly, "Sorry. I hope you guys don't mind me dropping in like this. I just thought-" he paused, as if he were expecting one of them to interrupt him with a sudden surge of hospitality, "I just thought I'd come give Sophie her present. You don't…you don't mind, do you?"

Amber knew without even looking at Corny that he did mind, but she shook her head.

"No, of course not; the party's almost over, anyway." She let the corners of her mouth turn into a smile, and directed it at him. "Would you like a piece of cake?"

"Sure." He smiled back at her, and Amber cut a slice, dropping it onto a paper plate and pushing it into his hands. He took a bite, nodded, and made a small, satisfied noise. "It's good."

Amber nodded, and stepped back to stand beside Corny again, more out of loyalty than anything else. She felt his hand brush the small of her back, and stayed close to him, her blue eyes still focused on Link's.

"Milk!" The children began a chant around the table, chocolate crumbs falling from their lips, and Sophie pulled herself from her chair.

"I'll get milk, you guys." She started toward the kitchen and Amber caught her shoulders quickly as the vision of broken shards of glass scattered over the kitchen floor flashed through her mind.

"I'll get it," she corrected her suddenly, "stay here and entertain your friends, Soph."

Sophie shrugged nonchalantly and Amber made her way into the kitchen, pulling the refrigerator door open. She grabbed the milk and slid it onto the counter, pulling glasses down from the cabinet. She felt someone standing beside her suddenly and turned, sucking her breath in as her eyes met Link's face.

"Oh," she laughed softly, "you scared me."

"Sorry," he grinned crookedly, "do you need any help?"

"Uh," she hesitated for a moment, studying the glasses in front of her, "No…I think I'm good. Thanks, though."

She expected him to leave, or even take a step back from her, but he remained in place. She could feel his eyes watching her, but pretended not to.

"Listen, Amber…" he cleared his throat, "I think we need to talk about that…thing that happened between us."

Although the situation was growing extremely discomforting by the moment, she was somewhat relieved that he didn't use the actual word; kiss. If he had, that would have meant it was real, and that it happened. Amber was still having trouble accepting it as truth, even if it had been two weeks ago. She kept her eyes on the counter, attempting to steady her hand as she poured the white liquid.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "It wasn't right, and I guess I shouldn't have done it. You just...you looked so…" she prepared herself for his inevitable words. She looked what? Beautiful? Ravishing? "You looked so lost," he said the words finally, and Amber looked up at him.

"What?"

"Lost," he said it again quickly, "I mean, after you told me about the baby and everything, you just looked so beaten down." He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and chewed on it for a moment, "I just thought…you just looked like you needed something."

"And that something was what?" She found herself speaking back to him, "You?"

He looked caught off-guard for a moment, and then laughed nervously.

"No, not me, necessarily. Just…a break."

"A break from what?" She was still pouring the milk, trying to keep her eyes anywhere but his face.

"From all of this," he motioned around him with his hands, "From this house, from Corny, and Sophie. From pouring milk into glasses for eight-year-olds. A break from pretending to be a mother, and a wife. A break from this life that I'm assuming you never meant to fall into."

His words hit her hard and her hand trembled, causing the milk to drop from her hand, its glass container shattering on the floor and its contents billowing over the floor in a smooth white pool. She glared up at him suddenly, her face flushing deeply. He was beside her in another instant, mopping the spill up with a towel, his eyes still watching her.

"Tell me I'm wrong, Amber." His voice was deep, and serious. She swallowed hard, her eyes locked on his face. Her lips began to tremble, and she opened her mouth to speak. To say what, she wasn't completely sure.

"Amber?" Corny appeared in the doorway of the kitchen suddenly, his eyes dark and concerned. His eyes brushed over Link, who was running the towel over the floor. He pushed the kitchen door open, standing tall suddenly. "What's going on in here?"

"Nothing," Link replied smoothly, standing up. "I knocked the milk over, is all. You got a broom, man?" His hard eyes met Corny's.

"I'll get it," Amber was desperate to get out of there; out of that situation, and hurried through the kitchen and into the supply closet, retrieving the broom and dustpan. When she came back, Link and Corny were still glaring at each other; Link took the broom from her and knelt, sweeping the shards of glass into the dustpan.

"Amber, I think you should come back into the party now." Corny's voice was firm, and she knew better than to question him. "I'll get the milk." He held the door open for her to slip out and back into the living room and Corny let the door shut behind him, leaving him alone in the kitchen with Link.

It seemed to take hours, and finally the two men emerged. She tried to read them for signs of what may have transpired between them, but Link simply regarded her with a soft smile and left a short time after, before any of the children's parents had come.

By the time Sophie had opened her presents (simple, meaningless toys from the other children, a bike from Corny and Amber, and a teddy bear from Link) she was exhausted and crawled into Corny's lap as he sat on the couch that evening, holding the bear protectively under her arm.

"Did you have a good birthday?" He stroked her hair affectionately, and she nodded, pulling her feet up under her.

"Yeah, thanks for the bike." She smiled up at him, "Can I ride it tomorrow?"

"Of course you can," his fingers stroked her soft cheek.

"Hey, Dad?" She wondered from her place on his lap, "When the new baby gets here, I'm still gonna be your little girl, right? I mean, even if it is another girl?" She had taken well to the news that she would soon become a big sister, but both Corny and Amber feared there was a somewhat resentful side to her joy that had yet to show.

"Always," he answered her softly, placing a kiss on her small nose, "Always and forever, baby."

Amber entered the room at the tail-end of their conversation, joining them wordlessly on the couch. Sophie stretched her legs, letting her bare feet rest on Amber's legs. The conversation lulled for a few moments, and only the hum of the television hung in the air between them. Sophie's eyes began to flutter close and Corny shifted carefully out of his place, whispered the word 'shower' to Amber, and left the two of them alone.

Sophie stirred slightly in her sleep after a moment, but Amber's mind was on Link; on his words, and the seeds of doubt that he'd planted in her head. She let her eyes stare blankly at the television, sighing softly.

"Amber," Sophie murmured her name so softly that for a moment, she assumed the child was sleeping. When she pulled herself up slightly, her dark hair falling into her eyes, Amber looked down at her, meeting her gaze. "Does Link make you feel uncomfortable?"

"Why would you think that?" She attempted to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Cause you look at him funny," she observed casually, "Like you're scared he's going to kiss you again or something."

Amber felt the blush rising in her cheeks, and narrowed her eyes.

"How in the world would you know what that looks like?"

Sophie studied her incredulously.

"Cause that's how you used to look at Daddy, before you guys were boyfriend and girlfriend," she said the words softly, resting against the cushion again. "But you said you don't like Link like that, right?"

"Right," Amber replied quietly. No matter how lost Link thought she looked, or no matter how much of a break he deemed necessary for her, she didn't have feelings for him. She couldn't. She wouldn't. God, she had Corny. Why on earth would she want Link?

"Oh, I almost forgot," Sophie added sleepily after a long silence, "Remember that big dance recital I have coming up?"

Truthfully, Amber didn't, but she nodded in spite of herself.

"Sure. What about it?"

"Well," she yawned, "I just wanted to make sure you're gonna be there. 'Cause all the other girls have their mamas there, and it's gonna be embarrassing if Daddy has to go alone."

"Okay, I'll go." She wasn't exactly sure why, but didn't feel like pressing the matter, and let her head rest against the back of the couch.

"Thanks," Sophie nearly whispered the word, scooting almost inconspicuously closer to Amber. "And when you have the baby, if it's a girl, she can be in dance class, too." She said the words dreamily, "Yeah. If it's a girl, she can be just like you, and if it's a boy, he can be just like Daddy."

"It doesn't have to be just like either of us," Amber informed her quickly, desperate to make a point, but it was too late; Sophie's eyelids had drooped and she was already asleep. Amber let the matter drop, squeezing her eyes shut.

Sophie would one day come to realize that not every child's dream was the same as their parents'. And that, Amber feared, was an issue that all of them would clash over many times in the future.