Recap:
"I've always liked you, Amy. And unlike with Madison, these feelings just won't go away. I mean, they haven't yet, and it's been two years."
"Are you saying you're over her?" Amy asked.
"Would you want someone keeping the fact that you had another son or daughter out there from you?"
Andy was silent as he thought about the dream incident he'd had with Delia the night before. "No," he said truthfully.
Chapter 2:
One week later.
"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?" Ephram asked Amy sadly as they walked hand-in-hand into the restaurant.
"Yes," She said tediously. "I wouldn't want to distract you while you're studying. This is huge, Ephram. I want you to make it count, okay?"
"You know I will."
"Yeah, I do know."
The hostess seated them. "Wow, I think this is the nicest place we've eaten at all week," Amy commented.
"Yes, it is," Ephram said. "I wanted tonight to be special. I won't be able to see you for another eight weeks."
"That's a long time," Amy said wistfully.
"But not too long," Ephram tried to comfort, more for himself than for Amy. "Do you want me to come over to Nonni's tonight and help you pack or anything?"
"Sure, that would be really helpful."
Ephram reached under the table for her hand as they both studied the menu.
"The office looks great, Dad," Bright said as he and his mother took a tour of Dr. Harold Abbott's new space.
"Thank you, I owe it all to Louise, really, though. She thought the thin black border along the top of the walls would be calming," Harold said.
"Well, I say we should go out to celebrate," Rose announced. "Why don't we have dinner at Mama Joy's?"
"Aww, come on, Mom, you know we'll be going there tomorrow anyway, with Amy coming h—"
"I think that's a TERRIFIC idea, Rose," Harold said, interrupting his son.
"Maybe we should invite Andy along," Rose said as they started walking out the door.
Harold rolled his eyes ever so slightly. "Oh, why the hell not?"
---
"Bye," Amy said softly while hugging Ephram. She was about to board her plane. "It's only eight weeks, right?" She said while letting go of his hand.
"Amy," Ephram shouted after her.
She turned around.
"Wait for me," he said intently.
She nodded, turned, and left.
Somehow, few people were finding out about Madison's pregnancy, even though two weeks had gone by since Madison had told Andy. Edna, Irv, Nina, and some other workers around town knew, but they were keeping the secret contained fairly well. Luckily, Andy still had six more weeks before he had to decide whether or not to tell Ephram. Well, at least whether he should as soon as he saw him or not.
"Andy? Andy?"
"Oh, thank you, Nina," Andy said, waking back up to the reality that was Mama Joy's, taking his plate of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
Nina smiled knowingly. "It's on the house. You look particularly troubled today."
Andy sighed. "If only you knew."
"Well, maybe I can. Wanna talk about it?"
Before Andy could say anything else, Harold came bursting through the door. Andy shut his mouth abruptly. "Hello, Andy," he said good-naturedly. "Nina."
Nina smiled and leaned towards Andy before heading back into the kitchen. "We can just talk later, okay?"
Andy nodded and turned back to Harold, who was taking the seat next to him. "So, Harold, why are you so chipper today?"
"Can't a man enjoy the sunshine? And a good…" A waitress approached him. "Oh, I'll have a slice of that delightful-looking dutch apple pie, please," he ordered, pointing inside the case of desserts.
Andy just smiled and took a bite of his potatoes. Why is it that everything is right in the world to everyone except me? He thought.
"You've got to be kidding me," Amy said as she folded laundry. She and Bright were talking in her room.
"No, I'm not," he said. "Maybe the bagel shop wasn't such a bad idea. All we need is a little more advertising and some extra stuff to spice it up. It'll be perfect! Come on, Amy, please don't ruin this for me. This could be the only chance I've got."
"I'm not trying to ruin it for you, Bright. Aren't you going to ECC this year?"
"Yeah, probably, but if I do this then I might not have to go full-time. I know I can do this. It'll be huge, I'm telling you."
Bright's idea to try to reopen the bagel shop and turn it into a café geared towards teenagers sounded great to Amy, she just didn't know if he was up to it.
"Well, you need to at least talk to Dad."
Bright gave her a look that said "duh." "Of course I will."
"Okay, whatever. Good luck with that. Now get out of here so I can get some work done."
"Sure… oh, wait, have you talked to Ephram recently?"
"No, I haven't talked to him since I left New York. I told myself I wasn't even going to try to reach him. These weeks of playing are going to be stressful enough for him as it is."
"You're not stressful for him," Bright said with subtlety.
"Whatever, just… go away, okay?"
"Have you talked to Madison any more recently?" Nina questioned Andy that night on his front porch. In the warm summer night air was their favorite place to be whenever they wanted to talk.
"No, it's a little strange, actually. I mean, I sort of expected her to show up for another check-up, or something."
"Maybe she actually took your advice and left."
"Maybe. Or maybe she's just avoiding me."
Nina felt horrible for Andy. The sad, regretful look in his eyes broke her heart every time she saw him.
"Andy," she said. He looked at her. "Will you promise me something?"
"Anything."
"If you do end up getting to know your first grandchild within the next year, promise me that… that you'll let me help you raise it. You and Ephram, together, because we both know he can't handle this on his own."
Andy took her hand. Nina inspired him. He knew he had to tell Ephram as soon as he came home. And he knew that this child, if carried to full term, was going to become a big part of his life in some way or another.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
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Aww, Andy/Nina cuteness. I hope you all love it as much as I do. lol