A/N ~ Yay! Finally! I updated! Hope you all are as enthused as I am! I feel like this story is kinda dragging a little,
so it'll probably fast forward a little pretty soon here. I hope you like this chapter, please please review! Thanks! =)
"Oh my God," Joan moaned. "I can't believe I have to do THAT for the next eight months."
Helen smirked, taking satisfaction in her daughter's annoyance. She was going to learn quickly that having a baby is much more complicated that she could ever dream.
"Well, the doctor said you and the baby are both healthy," Helen said.
"Unfortunately for you, right?" Joan scoffed.
"That's not fair," Helen insisted. "I'm not happy about this baby, Joan, but it's my grandchild, not to mention you're my daughter, and I love you both."
Joan looked at her mom, who sat behind the steering wheel, and smiled appreciatively.
"Where are you going, Mom?" Joan asked as her mother turned down their street. "Aren't we going back to the hotel?"
Helen shook her head.
"No, we're going home. That's the best place for you right now," she said calmly.
"What!? No it's not! Dad hates me!" Joan shrieked.
"Your father does not hate you! How many times do I have to say it? He just needed some time to let it sink it. Everything will be fine, you'll see."
Helen parked in the driveway, and headed to the door. She realized that Joan was not following, and looked back to see her in the passenger seat, her arms folded over her chest, scowling.
"Joan, gr-"
She stopped. She was about to say "grow up", but she decided against it, knowing that Joan was already doing that way too fast. Instead, she continued into the house, aware that Joan was going to have to start acting like it on her own.
Finally, Joan slunk into the house, grateful that her father was still at work. She went to her room, and she had no sooner sat down on her bed than did the phone ring.
"Hello?" she said, grabbing the cordless receiver.
"Hey."
"Adam, hi, listen-"
"I told my dad."
"You what?!" Joan exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry, Jane, but I had to," Adam explained.
"Well, what happened?" Joan asked.
"He was about to sell some of my mother's things," Adam said softly. "You know, to pay for art college for me next year? I couldn't let him do it, Jane. I had to tell him that I'm not going to college...I had to tell him why."
Joan felt her heart sink -- art college. She hadn't even considered that Adam wouldn't be going to college now, or herself, for that matter. She didn't care, she had never been that interested in going to college anyway. She sure as heck didn't have her heart set on it like Adam did.
"Adam, I'm sorry you had to do that," she said quietly. "How did he take it?"
"It was weird, yo. He just seemed kind of...spaced out. Sad, almost. Disappointed."
"I have to tell you something," Joan said.
"Cha?" Adam asked tenatively, remembering the last time Joan had told him something.
"I told my parents too."
"What!? Jane, I thought we were going to tell them together!"
"We were, but they came home early, when I was talking to Kevin and Luke, and they overheard everything," Joan said.
"So know your dad and your brothers know? Man, I'm dead..." Adam muttered. "Did they take it as bad as you thought they would?"
"My dad did," Joan admitted. "But my mom and Kevin and Luke are all being pretty cool about it, actually."
"Unchallenged."
Joan continued to tell Adam about the details of the previous night, and about her doctor's visit. She was due on March 16, it seemed so far away. It was only July.
Joan and Adam sighed on the opposite ends of the line.
"Do you want to come over?" Adam asked.
Joan did want to, but she knew there was someplace else she had to go first.
"I really do, Adam," she said.
"But?"
"I have to talk to Grace first," she concluded.
"You told her?"
"Yeah," Joan responded dismally.
"What did she say?"
"Not much, really," Joan. "That's why I'm going to talk to her."
"Want me to come with?"
"No!" Joan blurted too suddenly. "I mean, I think it would be better if I talked to her one on one, you know?"
"Okay," Adam said sadly. "But I really miss you. Both of you."
"Oh, that reminds me!" Joan exclaimed. "I have something to show you. I'll come to your house after I go to Grace's, okay?"
"Cha," Adam said, brightening. "Can't wait."
They said their I love you's and goodbyes, and Joan went downstairs.
"Mom?" she asked.
"What is it, Joan?" Helen asked, tossing a salad. She was making a special dinner for Will.
"I'm going to Grace's for awhile, okay? I just don't want to be here when Dad gets home," she said.
"Sweetie, you're going to have to face him sooner or later," Helen said, turning away from the salad bowl.
"I think it's him that doesn't want to face me," Joan sighed, and headed out the door.
"What did I tell you about coming to my house?"
Grace looked less than thrilled to find Joan on the other side of her door.
"Well, hey to you, too, Grace," Joan said sarcastically.
"Come to collect on your congratulations?" Grace smirked.
"No, it's just that you rushed off so fast-"
"What did you expect me to do? Burst into tears and hug you?"
"Actually, you did do that," Joan pointed out.
Grace set her jaw in annoyance.
"We need to talk," Joan said seriously.
Grace sighed, and walked out onto the porch.
"What, having twins or something?" Grace muttered.
"Why is this bothering you so much?" Joan blurted finally as the two sat on the steps.
"As if you and Rove were lovey-dovey enough already, now you get to stroll down the street with your baby in it's pram!" Grace mocked, rolling her eyes.
"Pram?"
"Shut up."
Joan paused, trying to plot out a strategy. Then she just said it.
"Grace, are you in love with Adam?"
Grace didn't look at Joan - she kept her head down.
"Grace?"
"What are you talking about, Girardi? I mean, where the hell did that come from?"
Grace seemed slightly panicked, and pissed at the same time.
"You got so upset when I told you I was pregnant! What was I supposed to think?" Joan exclaimed.
"I don't know!"
"Well, maybe I thought-" Joan began.
"No," Grace interrupted. "I meant, I don't know if I'm in love with Adam."
Adam. She'd called him Adam. Not Rove. Whoa.
Joan swallowed, her throat suddenly dry, and tried to think of something to say to that.
"It's just that we've known each other forever, you know? We know everything about each other. Well, almost everything...but, we only had each other for so long, I just got used to it being the two of us. I thought that's how it would always be. That we'd just never have anyone else and end up together by default. And then you came along," Grace rambled.
"I-I..." Joan mumbled incoherently.
"And I'm glad, Girardi, don't get me wrong. I mean, you're a great friend and all, but then when you and Adam coupled, I just got jealous. You know, he got somebody and I didn't."
"What about Luke?"
"Luke will find some science-geek soulmate before I know it. He only wants me because I'm all he thinks he can get," Grace said.
"That's not true and you know it," Joan said defensively. "You're just using that as a way out, because you're only with Luke because you can't be with Adam."
"Can't be, because of you!" Grace shouted, her gruff voice straining to keep intact. "Especially now! Rove was stupid enough about you before, but now that you're pregnant, you'll probably run off and get married and have a picket fence life and I'll stay here and never have anyone!"
Joan's eyes glistened with tears as she gaped at Grace, who now paced on the sidewalk that led to her porch.
"Grace," Joan began.
"Joan, I really can't afford to upset you right now, I'm sorry. Please, just go, okay? If I make anymore of an ass out of myself tonight, I'll have to charge you. Please," Grace said.
"Okay,fine," Joan said with a choked voice. She stood up and walked to her car. She wasn't sure what this terrible feeling the the pit of her stomach was: the baby, knowing that Grace really did have feelings for Adam, or feeling guilty because of it.
A/N - You know, it's the strangest thing...I am able to write so much better after reading reviews. Huh. =)
so it'll probably fast forward a little pretty soon here. I hope you like this chapter, please please review! Thanks! =)
"Oh my God," Joan moaned. "I can't believe I have to do THAT for the next eight months."
Helen smirked, taking satisfaction in her daughter's annoyance. She was going to learn quickly that having a baby is much more complicated that she could ever dream.
"Well, the doctor said you and the baby are both healthy," Helen said.
"Unfortunately for you, right?" Joan scoffed.
"That's not fair," Helen insisted. "I'm not happy about this baby, Joan, but it's my grandchild, not to mention you're my daughter, and I love you both."
Joan looked at her mom, who sat behind the steering wheel, and smiled appreciatively.
"Where are you going, Mom?" Joan asked as her mother turned down their street. "Aren't we going back to the hotel?"
Helen shook her head.
"No, we're going home. That's the best place for you right now," she said calmly.
"What!? No it's not! Dad hates me!" Joan shrieked.
"Your father does not hate you! How many times do I have to say it? He just needed some time to let it sink it. Everything will be fine, you'll see."
Helen parked in the driveway, and headed to the door. She realized that Joan was not following, and looked back to see her in the passenger seat, her arms folded over her chest, scowling.
"Joan, gr-"
She stopped. She was about to say "grow up", but she decided against it, knowing that Joan was already doing that way too fast. Instead, she continued into the house, aware that Joan was going to have to start acting like it on her own.
Finally, Joan slunk into the house, grateful that her father was still at work. She went to her room, and she had no sooner sat down on her bed than did the phone ring.
"Hello?" she said, grabbing the cordless receiver.
"Hey."
"Adam, hi, listen-"
"I told my dad."
"You what?!" Joan exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry, Jane, but I had to," Adam explained.
"Well, what happened?" Joan asked.
"He was about to sell some of my mother's things," Adam said softly. "You know, to pay for art college for me next year? I couldn't let him do it, Jane. I had to tell him that I'm not going to college...I had to tell him why."
Joan felt her heart sink -- art college. She hadn't even considered that Adam wouldn't be going to college now, or herself, for that matter. She didn't care, she had never been that interested in going to college anyway. She sure as heck didn't have her heart set on it like Adam did.
"Adam, I'm sorry you had to do that," she said quietly. "How did he take it?"
"It was weird, yo. He just seemed kind of...spaced out. Sad, almost. Disappointed."
"I have to tell you something," Joan said.
"Cha?" Adam asked tenatively, remembering the last time Joan had told him something.
"I told my parents too."
"What!? Jane, I thought we were going to tell them together!"
"We were, but they came home early, when I was talking to Kevin and Luke, and they overheard everything," Joan said.
"So know your dad and your brothers know? Man, I'm dead..." Adam muttered. "Did they take it as bad as you thought they would?"
"My dad did," Joan admitted. "But my mom and Kevin and Luke are all being pretty cool about it, actually."
"Unchallenged."
Joan continued to tell Adam about the details of the previous night, and about her doctor's visit. She was due on March 16, it seemed so far away. It was only July.
Joan and Adam sighed on the opposite ends of the line.
"Do you want to come over?" Adam asked.
Joan did want to, but she knew there was someplace else she had to go first.
"I really do, Adam," she said.
"But?"
"I have to talk to Grace first," she concluded.
"You told her?"
"Yeah," Joan responded dismally.
"What did she say?"
"Not much, really," Joan. "That's why I'm going to talk to her."
"Want me to come with?"
"No!" Joan blurted too suddenly. "I mean, I think it would be better if I talked to her one on one, you know?"
"Okay," Adam said sadly. "But I really miss you. Both of you."
"Oh, that reminds me!" Joan exclaimed. "I have something to show you. I'll come to your house after I go to Grace's, okay?"
"Cha," Adam said, brightening. "Can't wait."
They said their I love you's and goodbyes, and Joan went downstairs.
"Mom?" she asked.
"What is it, Joan?" Helen asked, tossing a salad. She was making a special dinner for Will.
"I'm going to Grace's for awhile, okay? I just don't want to be here when Dad gets home," she said.
"Sweetie, you're going to have to face him sooner or later," Helen said, turning away from the salad bowl.
"I think it's him that doesn't want to face me," Joan sighed, and headed out the door.
"What did I tell you about coming to my house?"
Grace looked less than thrilled to find Joan on the other side of her door.
"Well, hey to you, too, Grace," Joan said sarcastically.
"Come to collect on your congratulations?" Grace smirked.
"No, it's just that you rushed off so fast-"
"What did you expect me to do? Burst into tears and hug you?"
"Actually, you did do that," Joan pointed out.
Grace set her jaw in annoyance.
"We need to talk," Joan said seriously.
Grace sighed, and walked out onto the porch.
"What, having twins or something?" Grace muttered.
"Why is this bothering you so much?" Joan blurted finally as the two sat on the steps.
"As if you and Rove were lovey-dovey enough already, now you get to stroll down the street with your baby in it's pram!" Grace mocked, rolling her eyes.
"Pram?"
"Shut up."
Joan paused, trying to plot out a strategy. Then she just said it.
"Grace, are you in love with Adam?"
Grace didn't look at Joan - she kept her head down.
"Grace?"
"What are you talking about, Girardi? I mean, where the hell did that come from?"
Grace seemed slightly panicked, and pissed at the same time.
"You got so upset when I told you I was pregnant! What was I supposed to think?" Joan exclaimed.
"I don't know!"
"Well, maybe I thought-" Joan began.
"No," Grace interrupted. "I meant, I don't know if I'm in love with Adam."
Adam. She'd called him Adam. Not Rove. Whoa.
Joan swallowed, her throat suddenly dry, and tried to think of something to say to that.
"It's just that we've known each other forever, you know? We know everything about each other. Well, almost everything...but, we only had each other for so long, I just got used to it being the two of us. I thought that's how it would always be. That we'd just never have anyone else and end up together by default. And then you came along," Grace rambled.
"I-I..." Joan mumbled incoherently.
"And I'm glad, Girardi, don't get me wrong. I mean, you're a great friend and all, but then when you and Adam coupled, I just got jealous. You know, he got somebody and I didn't."
"What about Luke?"
"Luke will find some science-geek soulmate before I know it. He only wants me because I'm all he thinks he can get," Grace said.
"That's not true and you know it," Joan said defensively. "You're just using that as a way out, because you're only with Luke because you can't be with Adam."
"Can't be, because of you!" Grace shouted, her gruff voice straining to keep intact. "Especially now! Rove was stupid enough about you before, but now that you're pregnant, you'll probably run off and get married and have a picket fence life and I'll stay here and never have anyone!"
Joan's eyes glistened with tears as she gaped at Grace, who now paced on the sidewalk that led to her porch.
"Grace," Joan began.
"Joan, I really can't afford to upset you right now, I'm sorry. Please, just go, okay? If I make anymore of an ass out of myself tonight, I'll have to charge you. Please," Grace said.
"Okay,fine," Joan said with a choked voice. She stood up and walked to her car. She wasn't sure what this terrible feeling the the pit of her stomach was: the baby, knowing that Grace really did have feelings for Adam, or feeling guilty because of it.
A/N - You know, it's the strangest thing...I am able to write so much better after reading reviews. Huh. =)