A/N: I don't own anything. You know it, and appart from the odd psychotic episode, I know it too. I'm sorry for being a bad writer and not updating for so long. I had writers block and then went on vacation for two weeks. Anyway, here goes nothing...
Chapter Five
Like every other break from school, Winter Break went far to fast. It was Sunday afternoon, and school started again the next morning. Joan was at the mall, just looking around. She needed a new dress for the spring formal. So it was two months away, but Joan had decided to get a head start and see if there were any dresses reduced in price. So far though, she hadn't had any luck.
Once she had checked in the two department stores that Arcadia's pretty small mall had to offer, Joan decided to check a few other stores. But on her way, something caught here eye.
Arcadia Mall had one of the most amazing jewelry stores that Joan had ever seen, and something made her go take a look. When she looked around, Joan was drawn to one particular area, the engagement rings. They were in a display case under the counter, and they were all beautiful.
Joan bent down to take a closer look and was amazed. There were so many different styles, most with diamonds, but with other gems too. She quickly decided that she preferred the less ostentatious rings, with smaller stones. She liked the silver rings better than the gold ones, but after about 10 minutes of looking, she found her ideal ring. It was white gold with a small square cut diamond in the middle and two small ruby chips on each side. It was perfect, but it was also $895.
"I guess I don't get a ring then," Joan said to herself as she stood up.
"It's not about the ring Joan," the clerk, a tall white man in his early 30's, said.
"It's you? Great. I like the new look by the way."
"It's about knowing that you'll love each other, forsaking all others, until death parts you."
"Quoting the wedding service now? Appropriate. And I know it's not about the ring. I guess I just want something normal for once. Like when a guy gets down on one knee and gives you a ring like in the movies. But no, he asks me in the middle of the night when I'm not sure if he actually said it or if I dreamt it."
"You like doing that don't you?"
"Doing what?"
"Complaining to the world about what you think you should be mad about. I know you think what Adam did was romantic and beautiful. You forget I know everything."
"Fine, you know it all. Then you know I really want this ring, any ring. Normalcy. But if you keep popping up like an unwanted pimple how much chance of that do I have?"
"An unwanted pimple, I think I like that."
"You're twisted. So is there anything else you wanted, or was it just a simple case of torture?"
"I have a small suggestion. Enter the science fair."
"The science fair? Oh, c'mon. There are far easier ways of guaranteeing my humiliation than that. I'll rejoin chess club, debate, I'll try out for the cheerleaders again. But please not that. I'll make a total ass out of myself in front of my friends, and my brother, not to mention the teachers."
"Experimentation is the only real way to discover the truth. Try it Joan, you might just enjoy it."
Joan just turned and walked away muttering to herself. She couldn't resist doing her own imitation of the departing God wave though.
"Great, more humiliation. Just what I need." Joan gave up her search in disgust and headed back to her car. But on her way out of the mall another store caught her eye, the maternity clothes store. Joan saw a couple of formal dresses in the window and realized that by the formal, Grace would be 26 weeks pregnant and have to wear a dress like that. "I guess the science fair wouldn't be to bad."
Her parents and Kevin were out when Joan got home. They had gone to see the apartment that Kevin and Rebecca had decided to rent together. It had been a bit of a shock on New Year's when they had announced that they had found somewhere and would be moving as soon as they could make a couple of adjustments for Kevin's chair.
Luke was at home though, and on the phone. He didn't look happy at all.
"You promised we'd do this together, and now you're bailing. C'mon Grace!"
Joan didn't exactly want to eavesdrop on her brother, but she just happened to head into the kitchen where he was standing.
"Grace, it's only 4 weeks away. I have to submit the application tomorrow. Now you tell me that you not only don't want to work with me, but you want the project? Where am I going to find another partner and another project in a month?"
The science fair, thought Joan. Interesting.
"I know we came up with something in two days, but if you remember correctly it destroyed everyone else's work. Ok, fine, work with Adam. I don't care."
Luke hung up the phone, and turned around to glare at Joan.
"Trouble in paradise?" Joan asked.
"Your best friend just ditched me for your boyfriend."
"It's just for the science fair Rocket-Boy. And what's with the 'your best friend' thing? She's your girlfriend, and she's carrying your baby."
"That's probably why she's acting so irrationally."
"Luke, if you value your life, please do not say that to Grace. Besides chill, I'll work with you. I was going to enter the science fair anyway."
"Please tell me this is some kind of joke. You want to enter the science fair?"
"Hey! I'm in the same science class as you. In fact my semester grade so far is better than yours."
"Because I didn't turn in two assignments, that's all. But fine, I'll work with you. The bigger problem is that we have no project. Grace and I were going to study gas chromatography."
"Oh right, like they use on CSI."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Forensic science is one use for a gas chromatograph, but that doesn't matter now. She's doing that project with Adam and I have nothing."
"Chill Luke. Lets build something."
"As ever Joan, that's an insightful suggestion. Fine, we can build something. Got any suggestions as to what?"
Joan looked around the kitchen for inspiration, her eyes falling on the fridge. She got up and walked over to where their mom had used a magnet to put Grace's sonogram up. Joan held up the picture.
"Can we build one of these?"
Luke looked at her. "A sonogram machine? I guess in theory, but they're pretty complicated."
"No way? They're complicated?" Joan asked sarcastically. "Can we make one?"
"I guess so. Well, a basic ultrasound scanner I think."
"Then lets do it. It'll be so cool. Then after the science fair you can give it to Grace as a gift and you'll be able to see the baby whenever you want."
Joan was not pleased when her alarm rang the next morning. Not only was it the first day back at school after a two-week break, which always sucked, but Luke had kept her up until after midnight working on their science fair project. She had been told to figure out where they could get what they needed. This wasn't a bad job, but it was after 10 when Luke finally finished the list of the 30 or so things he thought they needed. So Joan was tired, which was nothing new.
Breakfast was actually pretty normal, with everyone being in much better spirits than they had been two weeks previously.
"Kevin sweetie. I'm going to go to Wal-Mart after school, so I'll get you those boxes and I'll help you start to pack."
"Thanks Mom. I'll probably be back late this evening. Rebecca and I are getting the keys to the apartment and we're going to check that everything's ok to move in. She wants to do the big move on Saturday."
Helen's eyes teared up a little. "I can't believe you're moving out. You're still my little boy."
"Mom! I'm 21. You should have lost me to college 3 years ago, and I'm only moving 12 blocks away. Don't think about it. Think about your youngest son and his pregnant girlfriend."
"No Mom," Luke butted in. "Don't think about that. Think about Joan going far, far away to college."
"Luke!" Joan elbowed her brother in the side.
"No, you're right, you're right. You're all adults now, and that's fine." Helen still had a few tears in her eyes, but she was smiling at her children, who by this time had stopped listening to her and were arguing amongst themselves.
"Ok," Kevin said, pushing himself back from the table. "I have to get to work. My boss gets mad when I'm late."
"Kevin, you're moving in with your boss," said Joan.
"Which gives her plenty more time to yell at me. I'm trying to stay on her good side at least until the move is done.
"Do you guys need a ride to school?" Kevin asked Luke and Joan.
"Yeah, that would be great. I just have to go get my backpack." Joan ran to find her things.
"Sure, thanks," Luke added.
"You two are getting to school this early?" Helen was surprised.
Joan, who had just re-entered the room, backpack included, replied. "We're meeting Adam and Grace."
"Oh," Helen smiled.
Luke and Grace were sitting in the Library, totally alone. It was early enough that nobody else was likely to disturb them for at least a half hour. As of about a week ago, Grace was totally over the morning sickness stage. Not that she'd suffered badly. Luke's mom had told her that when she was pregnant with Kevin she'd been so sick that she'd barely moved from the couch for six weeks and had only managed to eat oranges. Grace had just felt lousy in the mornings.
Now though she felt well enough to make out with Luke this early in the morning, which as far as Grace was concerned was a good thing.
"Go on. Do it," Luke pestered.
"No."
"C'mon Grace."
"No."
"Please?"
"Uh, fine. Whatever." Grace lifted up the bottom of her baggy sweatshirt and revealed her stomach. The bump that contained their child had grown in the last two weeks and even though Luke was in awe of her, Grace was starting to feel a little self-conscious.
Luke reached over and put both his hands on her stomach. Grace jumped.
"Damn, your hands are cold. Next time, warn them up before you do that."
'Oh, hey sorry. You want to help me warm them up."
"I could be persuaded."
Luke slid his hands around to the small of her back, pulled her closer and kissed her soundly. After a few moments, the couple broke apart.
"Not a bad way to start a morning." Luke grinned.
"Not bad, but remember the rules. No PDA's, ok?"
"Except in front of Price."
"Except in front of Price. Which will of course become school gossip immediately."
"You don't mind that?"
"Naa," Grace answered. "If they already have that to gossip about then they're not going to be looking for anything else and notice my stomach."
"Grace, you're wearing a sweatshirt approximately three sizes too big. Nobody can see your stomach."
"In case you forgot, braniac, we have gym class today."
Gym class was one of the rare classes that Luke and Grace shared, the only other one being AP Biology. But unlike that class, neither Joan nor Adam shared it. However Friedman did.
"Should you be doing gym class? I mean in..."
Grace cut Luke off. "If you say 'in my condition' I'll," Grace paused for a moment. "Well, actually I'm not exactly sure what I'll do, but it'll be bad."
"Point taken. It's just your gym clothes kind of show your figure. Someone's going to see."
"Dude, I think we can safely assume that you are the only one that looks at my figure in gym class. And even if they do, it's not big enough for them to assume I've done anything other than put on a little weight." Grace suddenly looked a little vulnerable. "Is it?"
"No, of course not. I guess I'm just a little paranoid."
"Nobody's going to notice Geek-Boy, and even if by a minor miracle someone does figure it out, why should you care. It's not like I have a note on my stomach that says 'property of Luke Girardi.'"
"Actually, that would be kind of cute."
Grace looked at Luke incredulously.
"I know nobody's going to notice," he continued. "I mean look at that cheerleader. No one had any idea she was pregnant. It's just; I know we have to tell people eventually. I just wish we had a little more time."
"I give us six weeks. I think that's about how long I have until I start sporting the oh-so-attractive basketball under the shirt look. If the whole school doesn't know by then I'll let you tell Friedman. After that, I'd give us around eight hours until the whole town knows."
"Fine. But do you think Joan can keep her mouth shut that long?"
"She can if she knows what's good for her." Grace looked at her watch, and then stood up. "Price should be arriving right about now. Want to go start some gossip?"
Luke just smiled.
They quickly made their way from the library to Grace's locker, situated in the schools main corridor. Price had to walk right by them to get to his office. It wasn't long before Price's telltale fast footsteps could be heard. Luke pressed Grace against her locker and kissed her soundly.
The footsteps stopped.
"This kind of behavior is not appropriate on school property."
Luke and Grace broke off their kiss and turned to look at Price. Price did a kind of double take.
"Mr. Girardi? Miss Polk?" Price sounded incredulous, but quickly recovered his composure. "I'd like to see the both of you in my office at lunch."
Mr. Polk walked away as fast as he could, not quite believing what he had just seen. His first stop was in the faculty lounge, where he spotted Helen.
"Helen, did you know what I just caught your son doing?"
Helen shrugged. "Something bad I guess, or you wouldn't be telling me." Actually Helen had a good idea what Luke would have been doing, thanks to Joan telling her who they were meeting.
"He was just kissing Grace Polk in the hallway."
"Oh." Helen turned away from Mr. Price nonchalantly. Then smiled.
Luke had AP Calculus first period. Like most of his classes, he sat with Glynis and Friedman. Even though he'd once dated Glynis, she and Luke were really good friends. She had a steady boyfriend, a senior who played guitar in a local band, so there was no longer any awkwardness between them.
Glynis and Friedman were already there when Luke arrived.
"Dude, tell me it's not true. And if it is, how did I not know? I mean you and Polk? I know you've been in lust with her forever, but c'mon."
"I think it's sweet," twittered Glynis in her usual birdlike way. "You and Grace make an interesting couple."
"Interesting? Plain weird is more like it. I always thought she'd be into S&M or something."
"Well, you were wrong. Besides, aren't you the one with the latex fetish?"
"That's strictly scientific interest. And it is true then? I always thought she had a thing for your sister."
Luke smacked his friend in the back of the head. "Shut up, Friedman."
"Dude, you've been spending to much time with her."
Gym class was right before lunch, but Grace had study hall right before it. As it was only the first day back, and as of yet she had no homework, Grace was changed and ready in the gym a little early. Luke arrived soon after though. He had a habit of changing as fast as possible, developed after years of abuse from jocks.
Luke took a seat on the bleachers next to Grace.
"Hey."
Grace smiled. "I hear our display has passed into infamy."
"Well, Friedman knows, so I guess everyone does by now."
"That was the point." Grace stood up. She tugged her t-shirt straight. "So? Is it noticeable."
"No. You look fine. Well, maybe like you've put on a couple of pounds, but nothing more."
"Gee, you really know how to flatter a girl."
Luke tugged Grace back to sit down next to him.
"Would you rather I said you looked like you were pregnant? In front of them?" Luke pointed at the other students who had just started to enter the gym and were looking with interest at their conversation.
"Point taken. It looks like we're the hot gossip among the student body."
"Well as long as they don't look to closely at your student body."
"Hey," Grace backhanded Luke in the stomach.
The other students tried to look like they weren't watching, but this was too good. Fortunately the teacher arrived.
"Right, lets get you people moving. You've had two weeks of sitting about, now you're going to give me 10 laps around the gym. Get moving all of you. That means you two lovebirds too," she called to Luke and Grace who were making their way down from the bleachers.
"Looks like we're the gossip for the faculty too. I wonder how Mom's taking it?"
"She's had a few weeks to get used to it. She'll be fine."
They started to jog around the gym pretty fast so they could hear other people's conversations as they passed. As expected, the works making out, locker and Price were a feature of a lot of the conversations, but thankfully no one said pregnant or baby that they could hear.
After the first five or so laps, they both slowed down. They didn't exactly mean to run together, but it just seemed to work out that way. Unfortunately their companionable silence was broken by Friedman. He jogged up behind them and put his arms around their shoulders.
"Hey, congratulations people."
Grace pushed his arm off violently and stopped. "What the hell do you mean by that, Friedman?"
"Chill. I just meant that you two seem to be the school's new 'it'couple. You've given the whole sub-defective nation a boost. It seems you've been classed as utterly romantic. You know, love across the grade divide and religions, blah blah. What did you think I meant?"
"Nothing! I just wanted you to get you hands off me. Touch me again, and I'll severely limit your chances of ever having children!"
At the word children, Luke shot Grace a dirty look, but no one seemed to notice.
"Ok people. Enough running. As I'm still feeling in a holiday mood, I think we'll have a nice soccer tournament. Five on a team, five teams and six-minute matches. I'll let you guys pick your teams."
I was by default that Grace, Luke, Friedman and Glynis ended up on a team together. Their fifth member was a senior girl named Cathy. Fortunately they weren't too bad. Cathy was ok in goal, Grace was aggressive so she played defense, and Luke wasn't bad at soccer having played with Joan and their dad when he was young. Glynis and Friedman were terrible, but it wasn't a total disaster.
They drew their first match 0-0 after six minutes, with Grace's aggressive defense and Cathy's ability to block the ball helping them. Their second match was tough, but in the end they won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Glynis of all people. But it was the third match that caused the problems. Their opponents were the most athletic in the class. As the other team proved their skill, Grace got madder and madder. She got more aggressive in defense until a she got tangled in a particular aggressive tackle that sent her sprawling to the ground, and hitting her head pretty hard in the process.
An instant later Luke was by her side.
"Oh God, Grace are you ok?" He checked her head to see if there were any cuts.
The gym teacher pushed Luke out of the way. "Miss Polk?" she asked. "You ok? That was a pretty nasty tackle."
Grace pushed herself up to a sitting position. "I'm fine."
"I think a visit to the nurse would be appropriate. Mr. Girardi, would you mind playing escort?"
Luke nodded and helped Grace up, then walked after her towards the nurse's office.
Once they cleared the gym, Luke laid into Grace.
"See this is why I thought gym might be a bad idea. You get so aggressive, and then you act stupid."
"Chill, Geek-Boy, I'm fine. I fell on my side and hit my head, no big deal."
"What if you fell on your front?"
"Look, I'm sorry ok? I didn't think. Happy now. So lets go see the nurse and get out of here."