The next six days go by very quickly for Mary before she knows it; everyone is bustling around getting ready for her 18th birthday party. Lucy and Simon went to pick up the last of the decorations, Eric the birthday cake, and Annie and Ruthie were setting up for dinner- buffet style. Matt and Mary were making the run to the airport with the minivan. Even though it was her birthday, she still had to do her part. Her parents urged both sets of grandparents to fly out for her special day, in light of everything that has happened. All of them agreed, and showed up to celebrate. First to arrive were Grandpa and Ginger.

"So Mary how is everything?"

"Its ok I guess."

"And how about you Matt? How's pre-med treating you?"

"Ok. I'm really starting to get a feel for the material."

"That's good."

They both go to get their bags, followed by Mary. Matt told her earlier that getting her off the hook with the Colonel and Grandma Ruth for a while would be considered part of her present.

Eventually, everyone has gotten their baggage. All 7 of them get into the car, and ride back to the house. Mary is afraid of seeing her grandparents and George. She sits in the front seat tapping her feet, slightly shaking uncontrollably.

"Are you ok Mary?" Matt asks her. She nods, and he rolls his eyes. The silence in the car gives the Colonel his queue.

"So Mary, are you finally back in school?"

"Yes. I went back a week ago."

"Are the kids mean to you?"

"A little."

"Well, I think they have every reason to be." Ruth interjects.

Mary's head whips around to face her grandmother sitting in the seat behind her.

"What? They do. You shouldn't have gone out with that criminal in the first place. Don't you have any common sense in the head of yours?"

Mary turns back around and absorbs Ruth's blows. Her anger builds inside her, but she struggles to keep her cool.

"Don't you think your being a little hard on her?" Matt asks, appalled by her actions.

"No. I thought about it for a while and that is the conclusion I've come to."

"It wasn't her fault." Charles says, trying to stick up for his "grandbaby".

"Yes it was. It's all part of her immature decisions."

You could cut the tension in the car right now with a knife. Mary sits there, staring out the window at the scenery passing by. I can't believe this. Why? Why me? Why now? God, please, help me. I don't know what to do anymore. They pull up to the house and Mary tries to storm out of the car, but Matt grabs her arm. "Stay. I want to talk to you. I'm going to take their bags inside and then I'll come back out. Don't move." Mary lets out a heavy sigh, then sits back down in her seat. I'd go inside but I have nowhere to go.

A few minutes later, Matt returns. He gets back into the car and turns towards Mary.

"She had no right to say what she did. You know it's not your fault, right?"

"Yeah."

"Are you OK?"

"No."

"Well, I wouldn't be either. That was harsh."

"Why does she have to be so mean, though? She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you."

"Yes she does. She hates me and she wants nothing to do with me."

"I don't know Mary. But look at it this way, they are leaving Monday morning Until then, try to avoid her. Or hopefully someone will rescue you. Dad won't let her talk to you like that."

"I hope not. Thanks for trying to stick up for me."

"I just wish I could have done more. But, you know, they're our grandparents. I didn't want to scream at them."

"I know. So, is it safe to go inside?"

"That depends on your definition of safe. I don't think you could hide out here much longer though."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, but maybe I could sneak up into my room."

"I doubt it but it's worth a try."

Mary nods sadly, and opens the car door.

"Mary?"

"Yeah?" she says, turning back around.

"I love you."

"I love you too Matt. Can you do me a favor though? Don't tell them about this until they have to know, OK?"

"Why don't you want them to know?"

"I just don't OK? I can't handle all of this. Its bad enough that Mom forced all of them to come out here, now there's even more drama."

"Like I said, they'll be gone soon and everything will go back to normal."

"You don't understand. No one does. Things will never be normal for me again. I'm just trying to adjust to all of this and no one will let me. I have to live my life running from everyone, avoiding the lectures, keeping everything inside of me. I can't take it anymore! I wish they never came."

            Mary walks into the house and tries to sneak up into her room, but has no luck. Her mother spots her.

"There you are. I was wondering what was taking you so long. I wanted to ask you what time Wilson was coming."

Mary looks down at her watch, then back up at her mother.

"I'm not sure. Probably in about an hour or so."

She runs upstairs to her room, and locks the door. She turns around to find Ruthie sitting there.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Well I am."

"C'mon, be happy. It's your birthday. You're 18 now, an adult. You can run away and join the circus if you want and they can't stop you."

Mary smiles at her younger sister's attempt to cheer her up.

"Don't worry. I'm only in here until Monday. Then you'll get your privacy back."

"I like having you in here with me. I just didn't have a very good day today, or any day for that matter."

"Well maybe it will get better."

"I know just the way to make it get better."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Mary picks up the phone and calls Wilson.

"When are you planning on coming over here?"

"In about a half hour. Why?"

"Could you come now?"

"Um, I guess so. Why, what happened?"

"My grandparents happened, or should I say grandparent. It's a long story. I'll tell you when you get here."

"OK. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

Wilson arrives, and Mary is ecstatic to see him. She tries to take him upstairs, but she remembers that Ruthie is up there. Instead, they decide to stay downstairs and play with Billy. While they sit and roll around toy cars on the floor, Mary barely speaks. Wilson realizes that she is holding something back, and tries to get it out of her.

"Mare, what's wrong? Why were you in such a rush to get me here?"

"Uh, I want to ask you something."

"Ok."

"Um, did things ever get to be too hard for you?"
            "Things were tough, but I never thought they were too hard."

"Oh. Then never mind."

"What? Tell me."

"OK, but you have to promise me you wont tell anyone, ever."

"OK."

"I was thinking about suicide."

Wilson eyes widen in disbelief and his mouth drops.

"I was only thinking. I would never actually act on it, I swear. It just keeps popping into my head more and more often, especially today. God, I have such a headache from all of this. I just want this day to be over with."

"Mare, that's serious stuff. I don't know what to say to you."

They sit for 5 minutes, to saying a word to each other.

"I love you, your family loves you, and we would all miss you if you decided to do something that stupid and selfish. I know you're only thinking about it, but thinking about things like that isn't good either. I-what am I supposed to do now?"

"Nothing. Don't do or say anything."

"I don't know if I can do that Mary."

"Wilson, I trusted you!"

"I know, and I wont go around telling everyone, but I'm not going to say that I'm not going to tell at all. But promise me that you'll talk to me when things get to be too much, or at least talk to someone. You shouldn't feel this overwhelmed."

"I know I shouldn't. I just think that it's all the stress."

"OK. What happened between you and your grandmother?"

"Well, she basically told me that this was all my fault and that I brought this all on myself."

"Wow. That's not right. You know that isn't true, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know. She just made me feel so awful. Then when we got home, Matt told me to wait in the car for him, and while I was waiting was when I started to think about suicide. I know that isn't the answer to anything, but I can't take this anymore. I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to, you know, but right now I feel like it the only way out of this."

"I understand what you're saying, but your right, that isn't the answer."

"I feel like I've been putting on a show for everyone for 2 weeks now. I need a break from it all- from them, from what happened, from people at school. I don't have anywhere to go though, or any reason for them to trust me enough to let me go anywhere."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. But if you really are feeling this awful, maybe you should go into counseling."

"There is no way I am telling anyone everything, or anything at this point. You're the only person I talk to at all anymore, and you don't even know it all. I mean, you know my whole life story, but there's just some things you don't know, or wouldn't understand if I tried to tell them to you. Not things, more like feelings. I know we kind of have some stuff in common with our, uh…misfortunes, but we didn't go through the same stuff. If you didn't go through it all you wouldn't understand."

"I get it. You don't have to tell me everything either. But whatever you do want to tell me, I'm here to listen."

"I know; that's what I like about you."

They sit for a while, just enjoying each other's company. Lucy comes in, and tells them it's time to eat. She smiles when she sees the two of them together, and how happy they seem. Mary gets up and walks into the kitchen, followed by Wilson carrying Billy. While they are serving themselves dinner, Wilson steals Lucy for a second.

"I want to do something special for Mary. Do you think you could watch Billy for me for like 20 minutes while we talk later?"

"Sure, no problem. What are you going to do?"

"Well, has she talked to you about me and her?"

"A little. Don't tell her I said anything, but I think she's fallen for you again."

"I know. That's what our talks going to be about."

"Oh." Lucy nods. "Wait, good or bad?"

"Don't worry, its good. Don't say anything though. I want to kind of surprise her a little."

Wilson explains his plain to Lucy, and she approves. Wilson sits down next to Mary, and they hold hands under the table as they eat. He watches what a struggle it is for her to just sit with her family for even one meal. Everyone is good though, and tries to steer clear of the topic of Mary's life throughout dinner. After they finish, Annie brings out the cake.

"Why does the cake have 19 candles? I thought Mary was only eighteen." Ruthie asks her mother.

 "18 for her age and one for good luck." She explains.

"I could use at least two or three." Mary whispers to Wilson.

He smiles and softly touches her hair. Mary blushes, and gets and suddenly becomes filled with happiness inside of her. As she blows out her candles she makes her wish. I wish everything works out for Wilson and me. Annie cuts the cake and everyone gets a piece. After cake, Mary opens presents. She receives the usual, a new basketball, some t-shirts, and homemade cards from her brothers and sisters. She is hurt that she did not get a present from Wilson. He notices this and walks over to Lucy. He whispers something to her and walks out of the room. Lucy picks up Billy and walks over towards Mary.

"Wilson said he wants to see you in the living room."

"Ok."

Mary walks out to the living room and slides apart the doors. Inside she sees Wilson, standing there with a big red bow on his head. Mary laughs uncontrollably, and then Wilson joins her. After they calm down, Wilson grabs her in his arms. He leans down and kisses Mary softly on the lips. Once the break the kiss, they both linger inches from the other's face, eyes closed, enjoying the sensations of sheer joy they are both experiencing.

"So what exactly does this mean?"

"I've thought about this a lot, and if this is what you still want, then I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to give it a try."

"You mean us?"

"Yes, us. Is that what you want?"

"Yes, definitely."

They kiss again, this time a little more passionate then before.

"Before, when you said you loved me, did you mean it?"

"With all my heart."

"I love you, too Wilson." Tears form in Mary's eyes, and Wilson get worried.

"No, I'm ok. I'm just happy."

"Good."

They kiss again, this time more passionate than the last. They break the kiss in need of air and sit down on the couch. They kiss once more, and then Mary lays her head on Wilson's chest.

"I like this. I've been waiting to do this again for a while now."

"Me too."