As he didn't have any immediate family, Gus was sent to the local orphanage.

Gus had thought he'd be happier in the orphanage, but from the very first day, it was like his parents were still alive.

The other children adored the orphanage owner, Sarah Blake, but she always went out of her way to make Gus miserable. She would give extra treats and toys to the other orphans, particularly a girl about Gus's age named Elizabeth, but Gus was never given ANY treats or toys.

"Not fair . . . why don't people like me?" he wondered out loud one day.

Elizabeth, a red-haired girl with big blue eyes, sauntered over to him.

"Um, hello, Gus . . ." she said, shyly.

"What do you want?"

This was said in a rather cross tone, but Elizabeth managed to ignore it.

"Maybe you need to smile more. I've never seen you smile once."

Gus rolled his eyes. "A smile. Sure." He had never met somebody so ridiculous as Elizabeth.

"Well, I like you. Wanna be friends?"

Gus nearly did a double take. " 'Wanna be WHAT?'"

"Friends."

Gus took a deep breath, and then, as if his voice box had a mind of its own, slowly said, "Yes."

**************************

Gus and Elizabeth were inseparable after that. They ate together, read together, even napped together (Not like that! You pervert.)

The years went by, and soon both Gus and Elizabeth were un-adopted seventeen year olds . . .

. . . and faced with a slight problem.

"Gus?" Elizabeth said worriedly, "We've napped together every day since we were five."

"Yeah, so?"

"I think this time we went a little overboard."

Gus's heart sank.

"I think I'm pregnant."

. . .OK, so maybe it WAS like that.