A/N: Hey everyone, I'm sorry that this update is so late, but I've had a nasty cold for the past week, and I felt too run down to update. vicky: lol I'm glad you like the story and about Madison not telling Ephram....what's the fun in him never knowing? ;) He'll have to find out, sooner or later. Bleeding: If you don't like how I'm writing my story and you don't like how I have the characters, then I suggest you stop reading my fanfic. I have other people who think I'm doing a good job and I will continue writing just the way I have been, because they want me to and I like where this story is going. freakygirl: lol I wrote this, thinking it would be an interesting plot. I do watch "One Tree Hill", but when I wrote this, I wasn't even thinking about the similarities. lol I realized it later on and was like, "This would have made a good 'One Tree Hill' fic if Peyton and Brooke were in Amy and Madison's positions and Lucas was in Ephram's position." Alixandra: Thanks for the compliment. I'm really glad that you feel I capture the characters' personalities really well. Harold is pretty fun to write for, he can be so sarcastic and angry, but yet he still has a soft spot somewhere in there. Also, thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep in mind that you'd like to see Amy with a little more emotion, when I'm writing. :) To everyone else, thank you bunches for reviewing and I really hope you enjoy "episode" 8!

[3.08] How The Times Change

----August 23, 2004----

Amy drove quietly through the streets, a blast of hot sun burst through her car windows. This Monday had been extremely hot and just as mentally torturing. School had been in session for only 2 weeks and 1 day, but ever since the news of her pregnancy had leaked into the community, everyday was hell. Rumors, insults, and lies about Amy Abbott and Ephram Brown had spread through Everwood like a wild fire. She'd applied for so many jobs, but nobody would hire her. She'd finally gotten a job of flipping burgers at a small burger joint, called Barney's Burgers. It was the worst place in the world, with awful conditions, especially for someone who was pregnant. But she and Ephram needed the money. It only paid $5.50 an hour though and she could only work 5 hours a day, for 5 days a week. That was only $137.50 each payday, which was Friday, and it was barely a drop in the bucket. She was very happy that her Mother, against her Father's will, had offered to help with the baby and it's needs. Her Grandmother and Step-Grandfather, on her Father's side, had also offered to help. It had been hell at her own house for the past few weeks too. Her and her Father couldn't stop fighting. Her Mother and Father couldn't stop fighting and Bright had to continually fight with her as well. She decided she would go to her Grandmother's house today, before she had to go to work. "Maybe I'll get a little rest there." She muttered, as she turned the corner.

----

Ephrum walked into his room, shutting and locking the door behind him. He threw his backpack onto his head and then pulled out a large binder, then shoved the backpack away. He opened the binder up and pulled out a stack of papers. "Homework, homework, homework, homework, application, homework, application, application, application, homework." He said, then set down two piles of paper on his bed. He'd already applied for about 4 different jobs, within the past 2 weeks, but hadn't heard anything from any of them. Ephram grabbed a pencil off his night stand and grabbed the 'homework' pile and began to work. He knew that without school, he couldn't get a good job to support his child in the future.

----

Delia was sitting on the couch, flipping through channels when she finally came to a stop on Nickelodeon and began to watch, 'Rugrats All Grown Up'. "Dad." She said, as she watched a repeat episode.

Andy was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why aren't Ephram and Bright hanging out anymore?"

Andy set down his book. "Well....it has to do with Amy's baby."

"Shouldn't he be happy? After all, he's gonna be 'Uncle Bright'. So..." Delia said, keeping her eyes glued on the T.V.

"Well, Bright is very....protective of Amy and he thinks that she is too young to have a baby." Andy said.

"But lotsa people have babies at sixteen, right? I hear about it all the time, especially when we lived in New York." Delia said. The 11-year-old faced her Father now. "And back in the older days, when people still worked on farms a lot, even more people got married and had kids. That is why the driving age is sixteen-years-old. Right? At least, that is what my teacher told me." Delia said. She sat cross-legged on the couch now.

"Well, you're right. People did marry and have kids at sixteen, back in those days. But it isn't the right thing to do now. You know things change, Delia. Besides, people were usually married when they had kids."

"Well, why can't Amy and Ephram get married?" Delia asked. "Because, then it would be okay, right?"

Andy put his finger to his chin and tried to think of a way of explaining things to the child. "Like I said, the times have changed and it isn't proper for people to get married that young and especially not right for people to have kids that young."

"Then why do so many people have kids that young?" Delia questioned.

Andy shook his head. He couldn't answer that one. "I'm sorry Delia, I don't know what the answer to that one would be."

----

"Thanks, Grandma." Amy said, as she gave her Grandmother a hug. She grabbed a large box of old baby clothes from Harold and Linda's baby days and headed to her car. She didn't know if she'd have a girl or boy yet, so her Grandmother had given her all of the baby clothes she had stored away. Amy lugged the box into the back seat and then climbed into the driver's seat, started the car, and drove away. Her shift at Barney's Burgers started in less than 30 minutes and she didn't want to be late; she needed that money. She glanced at the passenger seat and was glad to see that she hadn't forgot her uniform, again. Barney, the owner, would have docked her pay again. What a stupid thing. To dock someone's pay, just because they forgot to wear some stupid uniform. Amy thought, as she stopped at a red light. She turned on the radio and glanced out her window. She spotted a woman with long, blonde hair sitting in a car next to her. "She looks familiar." Amy muttered. But she couldn't place the figure with anyone. As the light turned green, she saw the woman look her way and she instantly remembered who it was. "Madison!" She gasped, as she drove away. She was the one who made it so hard for herself and Ephram to be together, after she'd broken up with Tommy. Amy shook her head and turned the corner, only to stop at another red light. She placed her hand over her stomach. "Well at least we know Madison won't be a factor in Ephram and my relationship anymore, will she?" She asked, aloud. The green light changed and she drove off again.

----

Madison changed roads, to the one that lead to Green Pines. "Was that Amy Abbott?" She asked, aloud. Sometimes she drove through Everwood on nice days like today, just to be there, but she never stopped. She sighed as she made a quick glance at her pregnant belly. "I wonder if Ephram's still dating her? Well whatever is going on in his life, I hope he's happy. If he can't know about us, then he better damn well be happy!" Madison said, as she turned into the driveway where her small apartment was.