Two weeks later, Scott got a taste of what Lauren and Helen Davis could do with a day planner and a check book. Two Saturdays after he went to Concord to meet the Davis' he was seeing them again at Capadora's Restaurant in East Boston. They'd invited a few friends, mainly Winslow High staff as well as George and Janice Guber, Daniel and Laura Davis, and Lauren's other brother, Edward. It was the perfect evening. It was all right, it all had meaning.

The food was terrific, and the DJ Lauren hired played one great song after another.

Lauren was a vision. It was only April, early April, so she was not yet revealing her condition fully, although she'd complained about gaining ten pounds and she did say she thought she looked fat in the red sheath dress she had chosen for the occasion. He didn't share that thought, he thought she looked delectable.

Scott stood back and watched the group when he saw Lauren appear at his side.

"Dance with me," she said close to his ear.

"Lauren, I..."

"Oh, come on. It's a slow song."

Lauren led him out onto the dance floor and they gently swayed to the romantic strains of Faith Hill's Breathe. Lauren didn't know why Scott had been fussing over dancing with her, he did so quite well.

"You're a good dancer," she told him.

"I know. It's not the dancing, it's, I've never liked a lot of people looking at me."

"Well, I think you better get used to it. A whole church full of them will be on our wedding day."

"Church? We've never discussed a church."

"Well, I just assumed that we'd be married in a church. We're both Catholics."

"Being Catholic has nothing to do with it. I just don't want to plan a religious ceremony, especially in your condition."

The music stopped, and someone clinked a glass. It was Daniel.

"Ladies and gentleman, as the brother of the bride-to-be, I have something that I would like to say. To my little sister, Lauren Elizabeth Davis and her fiancé, Scott Anthony Guber, many years of happiness, success, and love. Lauren, you are the best little sister anyone could ask for. I'm glad you found someone to make you happy. I also know that if you ever do anything to hurt her, I'll kill you. Life. Love. And Happiness to you both. To Scott and Lauren."

"To Scott and Lauren," everyone chorused, some still giggling at Daniel's "I'll kill you," line.

"Now, let's here from the bride and groom."

Scott blushed a deep shade of red, as did Lauren. Shyly, she turned her face into his chest.

The hole room, however, was all ready chanting, "Speech, speech!"

"I'll go first," Scott whispered to her.

"Well," he said, "First of all, I would like to thank you all of you for coming to celebrate with us. I suppose you all want me to make a toast, so here it goes. To Lauren, you are the one woman, the only woman I've ever wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I love no one thing in this world as much as I love you, and I promise that I will protect you and take care of you as long as I live."

"Oh, Scott," she whispered, through her tears, "To Scott, I know you've never been one to share your feelings, and it's true that we've been through a lot since December, more bad than good, but I love you and I look forward to spending my life with you and having more good times. I look forward to knowing that when times are hard, I will have you to lean on, and I want you to know that when times are hard, you have me to lean on. This is to you Scott and to our life together."

"To Scott and Lauren," Steven bellowed.

"To Scott and Lauren."

The music resumed, as did the eating and the dancing. Lauren and Scott danced together, dance after dance. Little did they know, the perfect evening was going to end up far from perfect.

Lauren was asleep by the time Scott drove home and parked the car. Poor thing was exhausted from her night out, her pregnancy taking its toll on her energy. Her hair was gently draped over her shoulders. She looked angelic and peaceful that he was reluctant to wake her, but he had to.

Gently he laid his hand on her shoulder and whispered softly, "Lauren? Lauren, wake up, honey?"

She stirred slightly and opened her eyes, "Mmmm, where are we?"

"Outside, my apartment. You fell asleep."

"I'm so tired," she said, closing her eyes again.

"I know, sweetie, I'm pretty tired, too. Let's go inside and get some rest."

Lauren nodded. Scott got out of the car and walked to Lauren's side of the car to help her out.

As they approached his door, Scott saw a figure in the darkness. It seemed to be in close proximity to his apartment, but he kept silent, not wishing to alarm to figure or Lauren.

Slowly, they walked toward the apartment. As they got closer, Lauren noticed the figure too.

"Scott?" she whispered.

"Hush. Stay close," he whispered back. Then in a louder, more autocratic voice he called out to the figure, "Excuse me, sir, may I help you?"

Slowly the figure approached and removed his hat. Nothing, even after all of the surprises he'd received over the last few months, could have prepared Scott for what he saw.

"Hello, son," the man said in a voice that sounded exactly like Scott's. Lauren's breath caught at the similarity in the voice, the stanz. "Scott?" she asked, searching his face for some recognition, some reaction to the man, who had called him son.

It was a second later that she saw it. The look on Scott's overly expressive face went from fear at the initial mystery, to surprise when the man spoke, to pure hatred when his identity was revealed fully sank in. Through clenched teeth he grated out, "What are you doing here?"

The man answered in a steady, expressionless voice, "I'm here to see you."

"How did you know where I lived?"

"Your brother. I wrote you both a few months ago. When George wrote back, he told me a little about you. That you moved and that you were getting married."

"Well, he shouldn't have, and you shouldn't have come here. Let's go, Lauren."

"Scott, what's going on?" she asked in a no nonsense voice.

"You're Lauren?" the man asked extending his hand. "I'm Lt. Colonel George Guber. Scott's father."

"His father?"

"Go inside, Lauren."

"Scott... I"

"I said go inside!" he snapped.

Lauren had never heard Scott speak to her like that, so, out of fear and partly out of love, she obeyed.

After Lauren closed the door, Scott spoke to his father in a low, venomous tone, entirely different from the harsh one he'd just used on Lauren.

"You've got some nerve coming here. After everything you've done to me, to George, to Mother."

"I know, I know, Scott. Just hear me out."

"I don't want to hear you out. I don't want to have anything to do with you. What I want is for you to get away from me."

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry, Scott. I'm sorry I left when I did I'm sorry about what happened to your mother. I regret the turn out relationship took. That's why I'm here."

"Fine, you're sorry, you've said it. I've heard it all before Dad. You've done this ever since we were kids. You leave, you destroy, you devastate, then you come back and say I'm sorry, and we let you do it again, and again, and again. After a while I opened my eyes and George opened his, but we couldn't get Mother to open hers. Even in the hospital, while she lay dying of cancer, the pain overtaking her, crushing her spirit. She loved you and day after day she called for you. Finally, even she gave up, her last wish never fulfilled. That day I made a vow. I would never allow you into my life again. I would never let you hurt me again, or anyone I loved, and I would never, ever forgive you for what you did to our family. I don't, not even now, twenty years later, intend to break that vow. That is the most solemn vow I've ever made. I take it to heart. That vow, I will harbor even more than my marriage vows, because no amount of love can replace the years of hate I carry for you."

"Scott, I'm your father."

"No. My father's dead. I have no father."

Without waiting for a reply, Scott wordlessly turned and entered his apartment. It was only then that he remembers Lauren, then, when he saw her sitting there on the sofa in a pair of his old boxers and an old white tee-shirt, thumbing through What to Expect When You're Expecting. When she heard the door close, she put the book aside, and looked up at him. He hated the emotion she saw in her eyes, it was fear, fear of him, he'd put that look there. He needed to talk to her, only he didn't really feel like talking. He felt like doing something else.

Slowly, he moved toward her, and lifted her. Even though she was pregnant, she was still light, he could still carry her. And carry her he did straight to the bed where they had made their child, and sealed their love. Silently, he made love to her, and she, by accepting his wordless apology, showed him the love he needed to go on.