Maria had been a mess after Michael's visit. She didn't know what to do with her life anymore. She loved Michael and she now knew he loved her too but she also knew he had a pregnant wife and he would never leave her. She also had Kyle, another man who loved her but she wasn't in love with him. She didn't want to hurt Kyle but she couldn't make herself love him back.

It had been two weeks since Michael's visit to her house and Maria had finally made her mind up to leave town once and for all. She had nothing to keep her here. She could easily find a job in another town and she wouldn't have to live with seeing Michael and his wife on the street knowing sooner or later they would run into each other. She had given her two weeks notice to her boss and today was her last day. Liz was heart broken at the thought of losing Maria as a friend but Maria promised to write once she got settled in a new place.

Maria walked into the back room when she saw a woman sitting on the couch. "Maria," the woman said standing up to meet her.

"Do I know you?" Maria asked.

"I'm Jenny, Michael's wife. I recognized you from college but now I see you don't even remember me. We had Physiology class together."

"I knew Michael was married to a Jenny but I didn't know who you were."

"You mean you wreck my life and you don't even take the time to find out who I am or what I look like?"

"What are you talking about?" Maria asked scared of where this conversation was heading.

"I know you love Michael but I love him more. I am going to give him the child he always wanted and I will make him happy. Why can't you leave him alone?"

"I'm not bothering him. I'm leaving town in fact."

"And you think that will change everything? My god do you know how sick it makes me to hear my own husband, the father of my child say another woman's name in his sleep. He dreams about you and says your name. Do you know how hard it is to lay down next to the man you love more than anything and know he's thinking of somebody else when we make love? Do you know how much that hurts? Do you know how that kills me inside everyday?" Jenny said crying with tears streaming down her face.

Maria was stunned at the things Jenny had just confessed to her. Part of her was happy and exited that Michael loved her that much. But then she felt ashamed for feeling that way after seeing how much Jenny was hurting. She was having his child and all she could think about was herself. She couldn't wreck the child's life because of her own selfishness and love for Michael. She wanted the child to have both of its parents. "I'm sorry. I'm leaving," Maria said walking up the stairs to the dressing room to gather her things.

Jenny chased Maria up the stairs. "Don't walk away from me!" Jenny cried grabbing Maria by the arm. When Maria went to turn around she accidentally knocked Jenny off balance sending her down the stairs knocking Jenny unconscious.

Maria ran down the stairs and kneeled beside Jenny "Oh God! Please don't let this be happening! Jenny please be okay! Help! Somebody help!" she screamed through her tears. "I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry," she continued crying.

"What happened!?" Liz said running into the backroom with a crowd behind her.

"Call 911! Please somebody help her! The baby can't die!" Maria continued to scream.

"Calm down Maria, What happened?" Liz asked taking her friend in her arms.

"She was upset with me. She asked me to leave Michael alone and when I tried to leave she grabbed a hold of my arms. We were on the stairs and I tried to get away from her. I didn't want her to fall. I didn't mean to Liz."

"I know."

"Is she alright?" Maria asked a woman who was kneeling next to Jenny.

"She's still breathing but she's unconscious. We need to get her to the hospital. I'm a nurse but I can't do anything for her here."

"Will the baby be alright?" Maria asked still holding onto Liz.

"She's pregnant?" Maria and Liz nodded. "The sooner we get her to the hospital the better her chances will be."

Jenny was soon rushed to the emergency room. Maria wanted to follow in her car but Liz stopped her. "You're in no condition to drive. You can't go."

"I need to apologize."

"Maria you should stay away from there. Go home and I call you with any news."

"I can't just go home Liz. I have to know what happens to the baby. If anything happens I will never forgive myself and no one else will either."

"Maria it's not your fault. Please go home."

"No."

"Fine then I'll drive you," Liz said giving in.

Liz and Maria arrived at the hospital. Liz had called Michael on his cell phone and he was on his way. Maria made her way up to the front desk.

"I need to know how Jenny Guerin is? Is the baby alright?" Maria asked the woman.

"Are you a relative?"

"No," Liz answered for Maria.

"Well then I'm sorry miss I can't give out any information about her condition to you," the lady told them.

"But please I have to know," Maria begged.

"I'm sorry."

Liz led Maria to the waiting area. "Maria calm down. Michael will be here and he will take care of it."

Just then Maria saw Michael running through the doors. Her and Liz stood up

Michael glanced at Maria and Liz and then made his way to the front desk. "Where's my wife Jenny Guerin?!" Michael shouted.

"She's being examined as we speak."

"I have to see her," Michael said rushing to the back.

"Wait sir!" the woman cried.

Michael pushed his way into the cubicle Jenny was being held. "Jenny!" Michael yelled seeing her lifeless body lying on the table.

"Sir I need you to wait outside," the doctor said. When Michael refused the doctor lead him outside.

"She's my wife I need to be with her. The baby's alright isn't it?"

"Sir please wait out here. I just started examining your wife. You say she's pregnant?"

"Yes."

"Well then I need to get back in there. She's still unconscious so that might mean we have trouble. I need for you to wait outside the room so I can examine her."

Michael finally gave in and let the doctor go inside. Michael paced outside the room for what seemed like an eternity when the doctor finally came out of her room.

"How are Jenny and the baby?" Michael asked anxiously.

"Jenny should be fine. She just needs some rest. We're going to keep her overnight for observation. She has a concussion and since she was unconscious for such a long time we just want to make sure she doesn't suffer any permanent damage."

"What about the baby?" Michael asked the doctor.

"Sir I would like to discuss this somewhere private."

"Why? So you can break it to me gently that the baby's dead? No you tell me now! How is my child?" Michael demanded.

"Your child's not dead. Now please come with me into another room." Michael reluctantly agreed.

"Sit down Michael," after a long pause he continued. "When Jenny woke up she was pretty confused so she might not understand what's going on. Do you know what doctor told her she was pregnant?"

"She said it was Dr. Martin. I don't remember his first name why?"

"Do you know what hospital he is associated with?" the doctor asked ignoring Michael's question.

"He works in this hospital."

The doctor sat there confused. "We don't have a Dr. Martin here."

"What are you getting at?" Michael asked getting frustrated.

"You're wife's not pregnant. Whatever doctor she saw must have made an error."

"You don't understand. She's had a miscarriage before. Did she lose this baby?"

"I have Jenny's file. She has never been pregnant before and I'm absolutely positive she's not pregnant now."

"But you told me my child wasn't dead. So there was a child?"

"No, I meant your child didn't die because she was never pregnant to begin with."

Michael didn't know what to think. He was so overcome with anger and grief at losing a child he never had. "I have to talk to her," Michael said walking to her room. Michael was convinced this doctor was mistaken.

Meanwhile Liz and Maria were nervously waiting for news about Jenny and the baby. "I can't take it Liz. It's been over two hours since anyone's said anything. I need to see them. I need to apologize."

"Maria no," but before she finished Maria had taken off.

_____________________

Michael arrived at the room and saw Jenny lying in the bed. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," Jenny said sitting up in bed. "Michael how's the baby? They won't tell me anything?"

Michael looked at Jenny and was utterly confused. He could tell by the way she was talking she was still kind of out of it. "Jenny were you ever really pregnant?"

"Of course Michael. Did I lose the baby?"

"The doctor told me you were never pregnant."

Jenny's eyes teared up. "No, Michael I was pregnant. I must have lost the baby."

Michael thought for a moment. Then he walked up to Jenny's bed and held her hand. "Jenny I don't know when it happened but I fell completely in love with you. I want you be the mother of my children more than anything. You know how much I've always wanted a family. But you're my family no matter what. I love you no matter what. You can tell me anything," Michael said kissing Jenny softly on the lips.

Maria couldn't believe her ears. She arrived at the door planning on begging for forgiveness. But what she heard made her know her presence was not needed or wanted. *He loves her.*

Maria turned and ran toward the entrance of the emergency room. Liz saw Maria leaving and caught up with her. "Maria how's the baby?" Liz asked thinking it couldn't be good since Maria was crying.

"You were right Liz. I shouldn't be here. It's not my place. Tell Michael and Jenny I'm sorry." Maria started to leave.

"Where are you going Maria?"

"I'm leaving town just like I planned."

"Don't go!"

"I have to. Please don't stop me."

Liz watched her go. Maria ran out of the emergency room in tears. She ran as fast as she could. She finally arrived at Louise's, which was a few blocks away from the hospital. She got in her car and drove home for the last time. She was leaving town and not looking back anymore.

Jenny looked up into Michael's eyes and saw his love for her. "Michael I'm sorry. I wanted to be pregnant so much. I wanted to have children so desperately for you Michael. I tried so hard to get pregnant for you. I didn't mean the things I did, but I know you wanted a family."

"What do you mean you tried so hard to get pregnant?"

"I wanted to give you children so bad Michael, but you never wanted me. That was the first night we were together in months and I knew I could never get pregnant."

"So what did you do?"

"I'm sorry Michael. I had an affair." By now she was bawling. "I know it was stupid but I thought if I got pregnant it wouldn't matter who the biological father was. You would raise the child and it would be yours."

"Who did you have an affair with?"

"What does it matter?"

"I need to know."

"A man from work. Alex Whitman. I don't think you know him. Michael I didn't want you to leave me. If only I knew you loved me."

"So what made you think I was going to leave you?"

"Kyle told me about that night when you took Maria home. Michael I don't care what happened that night. I still love you."

"So Kyle knew you weren't pregnant?"

"No. Kyle was just upset about you and Maria. He really loves her and was afraid he was going to lose her to you."

"Jenny I need to know, where you pregnant when we got married?"

"I know what I did was wrong Michael," she cried.

"So you weren't pregnant."

She nodded her head no. "I just loved you so much Michael. I wanted you to love me like you loved Maria. We both we're drunk that night. We didn't even sleep together. You we're too drunk. Anyway you assumed we did and I didn't say anything. When you didn't ask me out I lied and said I was pregnant. I couldn't take it back even when I wanted to later."

Michael finally let his outrage show. "So you've been lying to me for our entire marriage? I can't believe I trusted you. How could you say you love me and then lie to me about a child?" Michael took off his wedding band and threw it at her. He started to walk away.

"Michael you said you loved me and that you wouldn't leave me," Jenny cried.

"I lied. I learned it from you."

"Wait! Tell Maria I'm sorry." Michael continued walking but stopped when he heard her say Maria's name.

"What did you do to Maria?" Michael asked.

"I said some horrible things to her. Michael I'm so sorry. I never should have interfered. I never should have tried to make you love me but I just wanted you so much."

Michael took one last look at Jenny and walked out the door. He saw Liz standing there and walked up to her.

"How's the baby?" Liz asked.

"I'll explain later. Where's Maria?"

"She's gone."

"You mean she went home?"

"No, she left town."

"How long ago did she leave?"

"An hour, why?" Liz asked but Michael was racing out the door before he answered.

Michael raced to Maria's apartment. He saw Maria putting some luggage in her car. He parked his car in front of hers blocking her in. Maria saw Michael but went back inside to get more of her luggage. If Michael was here to blame her she didn't want to hear how much he hated her.

"Maria!" Michael called out following her into her house. He followed her into her bedroom where she was packing another bag still ignoring him "Maria."

Maria finally stopped packing and looked up at Michael. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I'm sorry about the baby. I know you hate me. Just let me leave town please."

"No, we need to talk," Michael told her.

"Michael please don't say it. I can't bear to hear how much you hate me. I know what I did was horrible but I never meant for her to get hurt. Please don't say anything," Maria said picking up her bag and walking to her front door.

"Maria stop!"

Maria turned around and looked at him. "Let me say it for you Michael. Maria how could you take my child away? How much do you hate me? You make me sick! Is that what you want to say to me Michael?" Maria cried.

"I'm a complete idiot Maria. I've been doing everything wrong. I'm the one who's sorry."

Maria just stared at Michael not understanding what he was saying.

Michael went up to Maria and took the suitcase from her hand. "There's no baby." Michael told her.

"Oh God!" Maria cried. "I'm sorry."

"No Maria you don't understand. There wasn't a baby. She's never been pregnant."

"What?"

"Come sit down Maria, I have a lot I need to say to you," He said leading her to the sofa. They both sat down facing each other.

"Maria I made a lot of stupid mistakes in my life. I don't know why I was such a fool in high school. Maria I knew I had feelings for you the first time I saw you. After a while I fell in love with you but I was sure you only wanted me as a friend. Maria I was so stupid and selfish. There were so many guys that wanted to go out with you Maria but they didn't because they thought we had something going on and I didn't tell them otherwise. I let them believe you were mine. I was such a bastard but I was so in love with you but I was too afraid to tell you how I felt. I was afraid you would leave me and I wouldn't even have you as a friend and I couldn't take that. When we ended up going to the same college together things got worse. My feelings deepened and when you graduated and left things all fell apart on me. I felt like I was dying because I didn't have you. I went to a stupid sorority party and got drunk. That's where I saw Jenny and not thinking clearly we ended up in a bedroom."

Maria turned her face not wanting to hear about Jenny and Michael's first night together. Michael wouldn't let her look away. He moved her face so she would look him in the eye again.

"Nothing happened between us. Jenny confessed to me tonight that we had never slept together. I was so drunk and she lied to me and said we had made love. A few months later she told me she was pregnant."

"But why would she lie about it Michael?"

"She says she loved me. She knew how I felt about you and that was the only way I would be with her. She said she was pregnant and that's why I married her."

"Why did she lie about being pregnant this time?" Maria asked.

"She knew I was going to leave her and she knew I wouldn't if she was pregnant."

"Why are you telling me this Michael?"

"Because I don't want you to leave. Maria I've wasted over eight years of my life dreaming of a life with you and I never did anything about it. Maria I need you. I know you don't remember that night I drove you home but you told me you loved me and I'm hoping that it wasn't the alcohol talking. Maria I never should have married Jenny when the only person I ever wanted was you. Please don't leave. I don't want to lose you again," Michael said with a tears falling from his eyes.

"I do remember that night Michael. I didn't at first but I do now." Maria then got up and walked to the front door getting her suitcase.

Michael's heart hit the floor. He had just made a fool out of himself and she was leaving. It was his worst nightmare.

Michael watched Maria grab her suitcase and then move it out of the doorway. She then walked to her car and grabbed her other bags bringing them in and locking her car door.

Michael's face lit up when he saw the suitcases. "What's going on?" Michael asked looking up at her through his tear stained face.

Maria's tears had now dried from her face and she walked over to Michael. She sat down next to him and wiped his tears away with her fingers like he had done for her so many times.

"I never wanted to leave town. I've loved you forever Michael and I've been dying inside ever since I found out you were married."

"What about Kyle?" Michael asked. He had to know how she felt about him.

"Stupid Michael. How can you doubt how I feel about you? I never wanted Kyle. I was just trying to move on because I couldn't have you but I failed. I've only ever wanted you." Maria said leaning in to give Michael their first real kiss. Maria could hear her heart pound and she placed her right hand over Michael's heart to feel if it was pounding too and it was.

"So you really love me?" Maria asked pulling away from the kiss.

"More than anything."

"What about Jenny?"

"We're over. We have been since the first day. I gave her the wedding ring back," Michael said showing her his hand.

"You know I feel kind of sorry for Jenny."

"Why would you possibly feel sorry for her?"

"Because I've lived all these years thinking you didn't love me and you didn't want me and it was the worst kind of hell imaginable. And now Jenny knows it's true. You love me," Maria said throwing herself back in Michael's arms kissing him passionately.

After the kiss Maria was positively glowing and she couldn't stop smiling but then she stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just I know you wanted children and I know how much it must have hurt you when you found out it was a lie. And now I feel really bad for feeling so happy. I mean I have you now but I wouldn't if Jenny really was pregnant. I'm a horrible person for feeling this way but I'm glad she wasn't pregnant. I'm sorry Michael," She said pulling away from him afraid to look into his eyes.

"Maria, I was upset that Jenny wasn't pregnant because I do want children. But part of me was relieved because I always dreamed you would be the one give me a child."

Maria blushed then smiled.

"Now come back here Maria," Michael said pulling her back into his arms. "I don't want any more regret clouding our moment. I love you and we're going to be together."

Maria looked up into his eyes. "Michael you've made all my dreams come true for me tonight and maybe it's not the right time and I shouldn't be asking this but I need you Michael."

"What are you saying?"

"Michael please make love to me. You told me you loved me but I need to feel it."

"Are you sure?"

"More than anything."

Michael swooped Maria into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.


One year later Michael had finally gotten his divorce from Jenny, and Michael and Maria had been practically living together since the day they reunited. It was Michael's birthday and Maria had a special evening planned for him. She had been taking cooking lessons and had prepared a special meal for him. She had candles lit all over the table and was wearing a red evening gown with tiny straps and a small plunging neckline. The dress had a slit up the right side and showed off her legs. She heard a knock at the door and ran to get it knowing it would be Michael. She was shocked to see him standing there in a suit and tie. He still took her breath away.

"My god you look incredible," Michael said wiping the drool off his chin. He reached over and grabbed her into an intense kiss.

"Wow. If I would have know I was going to get this kind of reaction I would have bought this dress a lot sooner," she smiled.

"You always look beautiful. It just stuns me sometimes that you're with me. So you cooked dinner?"

"Yes but I kind of wanted to give you your present before we eat."

"Hoping we'll work up an appetite?" Michael smirked. "But if we start now I might never want to eat again."

"Michael you're terrible."

"Really?"

"No. But seriously here's your gift." Maria went to grab a small box but before she could hand it to him he stopped her.

"Before I open your gift I wanted to give you something."

"It's your birthday why would you give me something?" Maria asked confused.

"Because it's something that would make me happy and it would be the best gift you could give to me."

Maria looked at Michael even more confused. She started to gasp when he got down on his knee.

Michael was quiet for a long time. "Uh Michael. Are you going to say something?"

"Uh sorry. It's just I can see up your dress from down here and you're not wearing any underwear."

"Just one of my many surprises for you tonight. Now will you get on with the proposal."

"And what makes you think I'm proposing to you?"

"Then why are you on your knees?"

"Maria you're ruining this moment."

"Hey I'm not the one who was looking up my dress. Sorry, please continue," Maria smirked.

TBC...