Over the next week, Sydney avoided her house as much as possible. Will and
Francie suspected she wasn't really working late at the bank, but they
really didn't know what to think anymore. So when came home and night and
went straight to bed, they said nothing.
Several evenings she went baby shopping. Looking at the miniature clothes delighted Sydney. She spent hours picking out outfits and toys she was going to buy for baby Vaughn, as she had taken to calling it. She wasn't showing yet, but she still found herself looking at the maternity clothes, catching envious glares from all the other customers.
One evening she was wandering through the store, again looking at the maternity clothes and counting down the months until the world would know her baby was on the way.
Suddenly she heard a familiar voice.
"You think SD-6 makes a blue rubber maternity dress?"
Sydney turned, surprised to see Vaughn pretending to look through the rattles and pacifiers. She laughed softly. "I hope not! What are you doing here?"
He flushed a bit, embarassed. "Confession...this is the third time this week I've come to one of these stoors."
Sydney had to stifle a giggle as she pictured Vaughn shopping for the baby. Her heart swelled with love as she realized what a perfect dad he was going to make.
"I can top that...it's my fourth."
Now it was Vaughn who had to contain his laughter.
"Actually, I umm...bout something the other day," he said quietly, continuing their non-conversation.
"No you didn't!" she laughed. "What did you get?"
"Nope. It's a surprise."
Sydney caught a glint of mischief in his eyes and smiled.
"Are things better with Will and Francie?"
"I haven't really been home much," she confessed, albeit a bit sheepishly.
"You can't hide forever Syd."
"I know, I know," she hesitated a moment. "A-Are you sure you're ok with me saying it's Noah's?"
The teasing glint in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a hint of sadness and utter seriousness.
"I'm not thrilled, no, but I know it's the only way."
He discreetly grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Sydney ignored protocol for a fleeting instant and looked into his eyes. Their gazes locked for a moment, eyes speaking the words mouth were not allowed to form.
When Sydney found the strength to break away, she dropped her head. "I umm...I should probably go."
He nodded reluctantly. "Be careful tomorrow."
"Always," she whispered. With one final squeeze of his hand she forced herself to once again walk away, leaving Vaughn alone in the store, his heart filled with a range of bittersweet emotions.
******************
Sydney arrived home, finding Will's car in the driveway.
Now or never
It was still relatively early when she walked in the door, and Will and Francie looked up in surprise.
"Hey guys," she smiled brightly.
They ignored her and went back to the TV.
Frustrated, Sydney reached for the remote and shut it off.
"Look Will, Francie...I need to explain."
Francie looked up hopefully, but Will's face registered something a bit more like disgust.
"More lies Syd?"
Francie smacked his arm. "Let's at least give her a chance Will."
"Will, Francie, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you the truth about this. Noah came back to LA a few months ago. I didn't want to get involved again, but it just happeend. Francie, I thought you would disapprove if I told you waht happened between us. It was completely a mistake. He dumped me right after. And I really did meet another guy...from the bank. And he doesn't even mind about the baby. I really think I love him. No, no I don't think. I know I love him. I'm so sorry, I hope you'll forgive me."
Francie was the first to respond. She leapt from her place on the couch and enfolded Sydney in a huge hug.
"Of course I forgive you sweetie! I'm sorry I got so mad at you. Oh Syd! I'm so happy for you!"
Tears of happiness and relief began to escape Sydney's eyes.
"Oh Syd, you're crying!"
Sydney laughed and wiped away the tears. "I know, I'm just...thank you Fran." They hugged once more.
Will stood up now, feeling a bit awkward.
"I'm sorry too Syd. I was really a jerk."
Sydney smiled. "No, I was."
"Well yeah, but we're used to it."
Sydney laughed and punched his arm playfulled. He smiled and hugged her.
"Congratulations Sydney."
This time, he really sounded like he meant it.
Several evenings she went baby shopping. Looking at the miniature clothes delighted Sydney. She spent hours picking out outfits and toys she was going to buy for baby Vaughn, as she had taken to calling it. She wasn't showing yet, but she still found herself looking at the maternity clothes, catching envious glares from all the other customers.
One evening she was wandering through the store, again looking at the maternity clothes and counting down the months until the world would know her baby was on the way.
Suddenly she heard a familiar voice.
"You think SD-6 makes a blue rubber maternity dress?"
Sydney turned, surprised to see Vaughn pretending to look through the rattles and pacifiers. She laughed softly. "I hope not! What are you doing here?"
He flushed a bit, embarassed. "Confession...this is the third time this week I've come to one of these stoors."
Sydney had to stifle a giggle as she pictured Vaughn shopping for the baby. Her heart swelled with love as she realized what a perfect dad he was going to make.
"I can top that...it's my fourth."
Now it was Vaughn who had to contain his laughter.
"Actually, I umm...bout something the other day," he said quietly, continuing their non-conversation.
"No you didn't!" she laughed. "What did you get?"
"Nope. It's a surprise."
Sydney caught a glint of mischief in his eyes and smiled.
"Are things better with Will and Francie?"
"I haven't really been home much," she confessed, albeit a bit sheepishly.
"You can't hide forever Syd."
"I know, I know," she hesitated a moment. "A-Are you sure you're ok with me saying it's Noah's?"
The teasing glint in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a hint of sadness and utter seriousness.
"I'm not thrilled, no, but I know it's the only way."
He discreetly grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Sydney ignored protocol for a fleeting instant and looked into his eyes. Their gazes locked for a moment, eyes speaking the words mouth were not allowed to form.
When Sydney found the strength to break away, she dropped her head. "I umm...I should probably go."
He nodded reluctantly. "Be careful tomorrow."
"Always," she whispered. With one final squeeze of his hand she forced herself to once again walk away, leaving Vaughn alone in the store, his heart filled with a range of bittersweet emotions.
******************
Sydney arrived home, finding Will's car in the driveway.
Now or never
It was still relatively early when she walked in the door, and Will and Francie looked up in surprise.
"Hey guys," she smiled brightly.
They ignored her and went back to the TV.
Frustrated, Sydney reached for the remote and shut it off.
"Look Will, Francie...I need to explain."
Francie looked up hopefully, but Will's face registered something a bit more like disgust.
"More lies Syd?"
Francie smacked his arm. "Let's at least give her a chance Will."
"Will, Francie, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you the truth about this. Noah came back to LA a few months ago. I didn't want to get involved again, but it just happeend. Francie, I thought you would disapprove if I told you waht happened between us. It was completely a mistake. He dumped me right after. And I really did meet another guy...from the bank. And he doesn't even mind about the baby. I really think I love him. No, no I don't think. I know I love him. I'm so sorry, I hope you'll forgive me."
Francie was the first to respond. She leapt from her place on the couch and enfolded Sydney in a huge hug.
"Of course I forgive you sweetie! I'm sorry I got so mad at you. Oh Syd! I'm so happy for you!"
Tears of happiness and relief began to escape Sydney's eyes.
"Oh Syd, you're crying!"
Sydney laughed and wiped away the tears. "I know, I'm just...thank you Fran." They hugged once more.
Will stood up now, feeling a bit awkward.
"I'm sorry too Syd. I was really a jerk."
Sydney smiled. "No, I was."
"Well yeah, but we're used to it."
Sydney laughed and punched his arm playfulled. He smiled and hugged her.
"Congratulations Sydney."
This time, he really sounded like he meant it.