Author's note / disclaimer / etc. : nope, nothing is mine. At all. What-so-ever! Thank you to everyone for your WONDERFUL reviews, have I told ya'll that I love you yet? I have? Well…let me do it again! I love all of you! Remember that the review button really is your friend! And, I hope that your back-to-school experiences are going well so far =)

Chapter 7: Thinking it Over

"Since when do babies need so much stuff?" Gordo asked as he browsed through a Babies "R" Us in Sacramento. About month after finding out the news of his mother's pregnancy, he was just starting to get use to the idea that he was about to become an older brother. But, it was the fact that Ted was the father that he still needed to accustom himself to.

Alongside with him, Miranda and her eight month old brother Carlos were accompanying him. It was actually her who dragged him there to try to show him that a baby can't be all that bad.

"Are you kidding me?" Miranda asked rhetorically, letting out a laugh. "Babies need lots of stuff, all the time. And you always have to keep buying them more because they are constantly growing. I don't think you could even begin to imagine the amount of things that Carlos here has gone through already! And he's a boy…so we were a little limited on hand-me-downs for him!"

"Sounds like a lot of work."

"You're telling me? I do a lot of taking care of with this little guy," Miranda told Gordo, as she bounced Carlos on her hip. "And I'm only the older sister! So I recommend you…watch out!" They both laughed. "Oh…but they are so cute though!" She then made faces at her little brother who then laughed himself.

"So, what has you stuck babysitting today?"

"I'm not stuck babysitting, Gordo. I actually enjoy spending time with my baby brother."

"Okay then, what has you enjoying this beautiful day with your baby brother?" he asked sarcastically.

She chuckled. "Well…mom took Rocio for a check-up, and dad is out doing the job-hunting-thing today."

"Has he been having any luck?"

"Nope," she replied, shaking her head. "But I hope he finds something…soon, because I don't think I can keep this diner job thing any longer. It's getting to the point where I want to rip my hair out."

"That bad?"

"At first the job was cool, you know? 'Cause it was all new and I was actually having some fun. But now, I've had it, and I hate the customers. Especially the men!"

"Still giving you trouble?"

"Yes!" Miranda cried. "They swear that having me serve them gives them a right to try to grab and grope me. And it's not like I haven't said anything about it to the manger, but it's like he doesn't care! He just tells me, 'it's part of the job Miranda. If you can't take it, you can go find work somewhere else'."

"Miranda, why don't you just quit?" he asked sympathetically.

She shook her head furiously. "No Gordo, I'm not going to find another job that pays as well as the diner, especially with those tips! Plus, the extra money really helps a lot. And I really don't want my parents to have to cancel their wedding next month because of 'money issues' or whatever. I want them to be able to have at least one day, that's just for them. Them, renewing their vows, is perfect."

"Okay, okay." He sighed. "But promise me, if it gets to be too much, you'll quit. Okay?"

"Yes daddy," she said teasingly. "I promise."

"Thank you."

"Now, can you please help me pick something out for this this one to wear for my parent's wedding?" Miranda asked him.

He nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah." He began sorting through the racks of summery baby boy apparel. "So, what are we looking for here? A little penguin-suit for the 'lil man?"

"Um, no," she laughed. "More like a little shirt, because it's going to be hot. Something nice though…I want to dress up my little brother in something nice for the big day."

"How about, this shirt?" asked Gordo as he pulled out a tiny white shirt from the racks, and showing it to Miranda.

"'I poopied'…Gordo, are you kidding me?" Miranda let out a laugh. "I wish this new baby luck. He or she will need it."

"Okay, okay," he chuckled. Both continued to sort through the racks until Gordo once again stumbled upon something. "How about this?" he asked, handing over a blue shirt to Miranda.

"Oh, wow."

"What? It's not like the other one. It doesn't even say anything!"

Miranda giggled. "No, no. That's not it. It's just, you actually picked out something pretty nice. I'm very proud." She held the shirt up to baby Carlos, and he let out a giggle. "You like it? You like it?" He started trying to grab for it, but couldn't quite grasp it. "Even Carlos likes it. I think you picked a winner Gordo."

"Hmm, maybe this big brother thing won't be that bad," Gordo said while smiling at himself.

"Don't get ahead of yourself there. You've never even held a baby," she reminded him.

"Well, it can't be that hard."

"Here," she told him, as she held Carlos in front of Gordo.

"W-What? You want me to…hold him?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that's the idea."

"Are you sure? I mean, you don't want to…I mean, he seems to…" Gordo couldn't quite come up with the words.

"Gordo--here," Miranda said firmly, handing him over to her best friend. "You're going to have to learn sometime."

"Don't I have like, what, six--seven months to learn this stuff?" he asked as he took her little brother into his arms. She didn't answer, seeming a bit distracted. "Hello! Earth to Miranda…"

"I don't quite think that you're the only one that needs to start learning some things…"

He looked confused and asked, "what?"

Miranda pointed over behind him with her chin. "Look over there."

Gordo turned his head and noticed what he was talking about. About a yard away from them stood their fellow ex-classmate Kate with her mother, Katherine. Neither of them looked too excited to be there. "Ah, Kate. Guess her mother's pregnant too, or something."

"Or something…" Miranda sighed. "She's Lizzie's friend, not mine. So do I still have to say 'hi'?" she asked.

Gordo shock his head. "No, but it wouldn't be a bad idea. I mean, she's no longer Satan's spawn Miranda. I think she got fired. She can actually be tolerated now. Lizzie does it."

"Ugh. I'll say hi." She sighed. "If she sees us," she added.

"Miranda! Gordo! Hi!" Kate called out as she walked over to them.

"Shit. Too late," Miranda noted under her breath. "Hi Kate."

"Hey Kate. What's up?" Gordo greeted her.

"Oh, um. Nothing really. Just doing some shopping with my mom," she explained, hesitantly. "Is this your baby brother Miranda?"

Miranda nodded and said, "yeah."

"He's so precious! Can I hold him?" Kate asked. Gordo looked over at Miranda, and she shrugged, while nodding her head. Kate took him into her arms and cradled his head onto her shoulder. "Oh my god…oh my god…he's just so sweet. I can't believe how precious he is…" She took a deep sigh and then handed him over to Gordo once again. "He's wonderful."

"Is your mom having another baby Kate?" Gordo asked.

Kate began, "oh, um…well--" But was cut off.

Her mother was yelling for her, "Kate! You get your butt back here! I was not dragged here so I can shop for your baby!"

With that, Kate's expression turned blank and she turned pale. "I…got to go…" She then quickly left the two without saying goodbye.

"Wow…" Miranda remarked, in shock, finally saying something.

"Kate, pregnant?" Gordo asked in a bit of shock himself.

"That was just…weird," she began. "I've never seen her so…vulnerable. I actually felt, sorry for her…"

He sighed. "I guess it just goes to show you that life always has its unexpected turns…"

"Just like, you're about to become a big brother." They both smiled at each other until Miranda pointed with her head over to the cashier. "Let me go pay for this."

"Actually," he began, "let me pay for this one."

"Awe, you're going to buy it for me?" she asked jokingly.

He chuckled. "Miranda, don't be so egocentric. I'm not buying it for you. I'm buying it for Carlos."

"Whatever." She pretended to be mad.

"C'mon…let's go," he said to her, laughing.

After paying and exiting the store, they found themselves sitting at a bench in front of a bookstore, taking a short break before they were to be on the road again.

"You ready to go?" asked Miranda.

"Um, yeah. Sure."

"Okay, but hold on for just one sec, I'll be right back," she told him before disappearing into the bookstore. Gordo wasn't too sure what she was up too. But she reappeared five minutes later with a book in hand. "Here," she told him, handing him the newly purchased item.

He laughed. "'What to expect when mommy's having a baby'…Thanks Miranda."