Author's Note: Sorry it's been forever guys, explanation at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I only own a few things.

Dunno.....

"So, what, you're just over it? Like that?" Mary snapped her fingers, pulling me back in from my mindless state.

"Of course I'm not. I'm having to deal with it every day." I frowned, picking up my fork, and stabbing at my salad.

"I'm sorry to bring it up, but you just didn't ever seem to grieve or anything. You've just held it in. that's not healthy, Marie. You need to talk about it." She touched my hand softly.

"I know I have. I just...." I bit my lip, trying to keep the tears from coming. They seemed to come less here lately, but the thought still brought some.

"It's been a month. And you haven't spoken about it since you left the hospital." She reminded me softly.

"I know." I could taste the blood coming from my lip as I bit down harder.

"If you don't, it's going to be bad. You know that, right?" She smiled sadly, still holding my hand.

I was about to respond when our waitress appeared again beside us again, holding our food. She slightly placed them in front of us, taking our empty salad bowls and disappearing again.

"Later." I shook my head, picking at my chicken sandwich. When I ordered it, it was like the best thing since slice bread, but now, I felt nauseated.

"Okay." Mary nodded, picking up her burger.

"So, how are you and Arnie?" I asked, trying to get the conversation off me for once this entire night.

"We're fine. You know, he's the one that suggested we do this." She smiled, looking like a parent who just got their kid's report card.

"Mmm." I nodded, taking a bite so I wouldn't have to speak. It tasted delicious, my hunger coming back to me. Swallowing, I took another big bite, choking it down. I could feel the tears coming back, but I refused to acknowledge them. I didn't realize how hard I was crying until Mary said something.

"Marie. Marie. Hunny." She whispered, coming over to take me in her arms. I let the patty drop back to the plate, the tears coming harder. "Shhh." She whispered, holding me. We sat like that for a long time, until my tears turned to softened sniffs.

"Ready to go?" I asked, still sniffing. She nodded, picking up a fry, eating it.

As if on cue, our smiling waitress appeared again. "Ready for the check?"

"Yes. Could we please have two to go boxes?" I smiled up at her. She nodded, disappearing and reappearing in less then a moment, handing them to us with the check.

"Thank you." She smiled, then headed back towards the back room.

"Let's go." Mary smiled sweetly, taking my hand after placing a twenty and a five on the table, then led me out the door. I went along, not up for the fight I knew it'd be. "Why don't we go get some clothes? You're growing out of those jeans. My treat." She suggested as we pulled out the driveway.

"Okay. But could we go to the second hand shop on 2nd street? They've got cheap nice stuff there." I mumbled.

"Sure thing." She smiled, speeding down the road.

We rode most of the way in silence, the sound of air rushing by the only thing filling the car. We were about two blocks away when I saw him. It was Anthony walking down the street. My quick intake of breath made Mary look over and see him as well. Silently, she pulled over to the sidewalk beside him.

"Hey buddy, need a ride?" She leaned over me, out my open window.

"Sure." He smiled, seeing it was us, and climbed in the backseat behind me. "I was just going to Second Hand on 2nd street."

"Mmk. That's where we're headed as well." Mary nodded, turning back to the wheel and pulling back out onto the street.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What was he doing? What did he think he was doing? How dare he. I mumbled over and over in my head as I watched him laugh it up with Mary and Arnie later that night. He must think he's the best thing to happen since sliced bread, I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"What's amatter, Marie?" Mary asked, pulling me out of my dream state. I looked around, noticing now that they were all starring at me.

I shook my head, smiling. "Nothing."

She sent me one last sideways glance before returning back to their conversation. I huffed, blowing air up to mess up my hair. I didn't care, at this point. I was sick, tired, emotional and almost 4 months pregnant. I didn't wanna sit here anymore. Picking up my fork, I forced another bite down my throat, just trying to kill time.

"Alright, well, we're going to go now. Let's go Marie." Mary said finally, patting my shoulder. I nodded, following her out the door, without a glance back at them.

We walked in silence back to the car, the quiet peaceful. I was about to tell her thanks when she opened her mouth.

"I think you should get together with Anthony." I felt my mouth open with an audible pop. "What?" She asked, hearing my quick intake of breath. "You are pregnant with his kid, after all." She shrugged.

"I know, but look at him Mary! He's a lier and a cheat!" I practically yelled.

"Yes, I know. But he's really trying to change."

"How? Isn't he married to miss Barbie still?"

She shot me a death glance. "Yes, but they're in the process of getting a divorce. He really wants to be there for you and your kid." She pated my hand gently.

I pulled it away quickly, placing it in my lap. "I don't care. If he cared that much, why didn't he visit me in the hospital? Or at least call when he found out?" She didn't respond. "And further more, if he cared that much, why does he treat me so bad? You should have seen the way he kept grabbing me today at the store." I crossed my arms in front of me, in triumph.

"Look. I know he's not the greatest. But he is the baby's father."

"I know." I sighed, picking at my finger nails.

"Stop that." She smacked my hand playfully.

"Sorry." I mumbled. "Thanks for everything." I whispered as I climbed out at the front door, pulling my bag out of the back.

"No problem. Be careful." She waved and disappeared around the corner.

I waited until I saw that she was gone for good before I turned and started up the stairs. I was getting my keys out when I heard my house phone ringing. Trying to find my keys, I raced to the door, and pushed it open, reaching for the phone.

"Hello?" I asked breathlessly into the phone. I sighed as I heard the dial tone at the other end. Damnit. Just missed them. What are you going to do with yourself, Isabella? I asked as I looked into the mirror. The bags under my eyes were growing, no matter how much sleep I got the night before. I sighed, stuff my new, well, new to me, clothes in my closet and walked into the baby's room. Arnie and Jeremy had done an awesome job, taking the time to do the stencils of teddy bears around the room. Wiping away a tear, I ran my fingers over one of them. They were amazing, and so detailed. I've gotta go thank them. I reached for the phone, thoughtlessly dialing Arnie's number. Come on, come on. Answer. I whispered to myself as I heard the usual 'You have reached number....' of an answering machine click on.

"Hey, Arnie. It's Marie. I just wanted to call and thank you for the awesome job you and Jeremy did on the baby's room. It looked amazing. Anyways, thanks again." sighing, I hung up and dialed Jeremy's number.

"Hello?" Esme's voice called through the other end of the phone. I quickly hung up, not wanting to deal with the ice queen today.

Huh. I wonder who I could hang out with.... Jeremy's out of the question. No doubt Mary and Arnie are off somewhere together....Hrm. Oh yeah. I can hang out with Kasey. Do I still have her number? I bit my lip, rummaging threw my purse, pulling out the piece of paper and dialed the number.

"Hello?" A groggy voice asked, after a few rings.

"Hi, is this Kasey?"

"Yeah. Who's this?" she asked, yawning.

"This is Marie. I was wondering if you wanted to ya know, hang out or something." I shrugged, biting down harder on my lip.

"Yeah, sure. Do you wanna come over?"

"Sure. Where do you live?" I grabbed a pen and a piece of notebook paper and quickly wrote down the directions to get to her house. "Alright, what do you say, about sixish? I'll bring dinner." I smiled.

"Sure. Bye." I waited until the operator's automatic message came on, asking me to hang up, before I finally pressed end on the phone. I glanced at the clock, and sighed. Only four hours til six....

End Chapter.

A/N: sorry guys, I was planning on updating the next weekend after posting the note, but then there was a freak snow storm, so I couldn't. Then the next weekend I had the ACT, plus I got a horrible head cold that lasted until the following Saturday, and then I went to a friends house, so I couldn't. And I had to go play "bff – shoulder to cry on" this weekend. But I did manage to get this small small chapter out. So enjoy! I don't know when I'll be able to update again. Next weekend, said friend is having her bday party, which means no writing then, and then I'm headed to AL for my grandmother's college graduation and then GA for a hometown visit. I'll try to get at least a chapter out then, if not more, but I don't know if I'll have Internet access to post them, so if I don't, I'll just post them all when I get back. Sorry, loves. And plus, writer's block is a bitch. :( tell me what you think of this short chapter!

-Me

PS – REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! haha