"I could lie here forever," Max whispered, as Jimmy tightened his arms around her.

"I wish we had forever," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "You're beautiful."

She smiled at him, as he ran his hand over her stomach. "I'm glad that you think so because I'm feeling kind of fat."

"You're pregnant. There is a difference."

"Yeah. Fat doesn't kick your kidneys every five minutes."

"Are you sore?"

"A little," Max admitted. "but I'm getting used to it though. I think I'm more worried about what comes next than my sore feet."

"You're going to be a fantastic mother," Jimmy argued. "As for the father . . ."

"Yeah," Max replied softly, before sighing. "I tried Jimmy. He doesn't want to found. He went out of his way, so I couldn't find him. That's what hurt most of all. I can do this though."

"You're not doing it alone," he countered. "Not anymore."

She smiled sadly at him. "I know that you're here. How is it going to look though? You're not even divorced yet. No one knows about us yet, not even your kids."

"I don't care about how it looks," he scoffed. "Move in with me, Max. There is plenty of room for you and the baby."

"Whoa," she replied, sitting up slightly. "Jimmy. What? Are you insane? No way."

"Why not?"

"Why not? Have you lost your mind completely? This thing between us . . . it's only been a few days. It's too fast, and everything is so raw. You and Jill, me and Kenny. I don't want to rush into anything."

"Rush? What do you think that we've been doing?"

She shook her head, her heart racing. "I don't know! Get your divorce, let me have this baby, and we can go from there. A lot of people are going to be hurt."

"Who? Jill? Kenny? They've done their share lately."

"Think about your family," Max countered, wrapping the blanket tightly around herself. "How are they going to react? The department? We have to take this slowly if it's going to work."

"Do you still love him?"

Max paused, as she picked at the blanket threads. "That isn't fair."

"Do you?"

She shook her head. "I . . . I'm getting over him. It's going to take time though. What about you?"

"I thought Jill was my soul mate," he admitted, "And as mad as I am at her . . . I'm not over yet either. I'm falling in love with someone else though."

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"Why do you have to leave?" Zach demanded. "Mom! Why can't you stay?"

"I can't stay here," Jill replied. "Not with your father in the same town. It wouldn't work, and people would talk in this town. I've gotten a position at a hospital in San Francisco, and a house."

"With him?" Kimberly asked.

"That's what we need to talk about, and I haven't told anyone else yet. Not even Jimmy," Jill replied quietly. "It's not a him, it's a her."

"Excuse me?" Kim sputtered after a moment of total silence. "What?"

"Are you a lesbian?" Matthew blurted out.

Jill nodded. "We just fell in love. No one planned on it, and it just happened."

"How can you do this?" Kimberly asked. "Mom!"

"You're leaving Dad for a woman?" Zach cried. "Don't!"

"I'm so sorry," Jill whispered. "I know it's hard. I have to tell your father too, and I've put it off for long enough."

"Don't bother," Kimberly spit. "Just go. Come on Zach, Matthew. We're going home."

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"Everything is looking good," Joey said, "See the head, and that curve is the body."

"I still can't believe that there is a little person inside of me," Max admitted, as she looked at the wiggling image on the screen. "Wow. And that it's going to be coming out of me."

"Do you want to know the sex? I know I've asked before, but I thought you might have changed your mind."

"It would make it easier for all of those people who are bringing gifts to my baby shower," Max mused. "Sure."

Joey smiled down at her patient, and was glad to see that the pain and despair were gone from her eyes. "Congratulations, it's a girl."

"I'm having a girl?"

Joey nodded. "Congratulations."

"It makes it seem that much more real," Max admitted, sitting up. "And it's getting closer."

"How are you doing? Really. With everything?"

Max shook her head. "The idea of being a mother . . . it's still so foreign to me. I never thought I'd be one, especially a single one."

"I'm sorry about that."

She shook her head. "Part of me is so mad at him Joey. He gave up on us, our relationship, me. I know he's sick, and it changes things. I would have waited it out with him, been there. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, no matter what. He took that choice away."

Joey paused. "I shouldn't tell you this. I talked to his doctor a few days ago Max. They're doing an experimental surgery on him."

"I thought it was inoperable."

"It is, or it was," Joey replied. "He's gotten worse Max, a lot worse. The seizures, the pain, and he is slowly slipping away from reality. He's been in a coma like state for the last few weeks. It was either surgery or death. If it's successful, he could lead a normal life again."

"And if it isn't?"

"He'll be a vegetable."

"When are they doing it?"

Joey looked up at the clock. "Soon. I thought you should know."

"Where?"

"Max. No, I can't."

"Joey, I'm begging you," Max replied quietly. "You've told me so much already. Please."

"You're eight months pregnant, and there is no way I'm letting you go to," Joey trailed off, looking at the woman in front of her. "Philadelphia. Not alone that is."

"Philadelphia," Max repeated. "I won't go alone."

"Your unborn child doesn't count as an escort."

"Do you have an address? A phone number? Please."

"Come to my office."

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"Hi Jimmy," Jill said quietly. "How have you been?"

"How have I been? How do you think I've been Jill? The kids ran upstairs as soon as they came home. What did you say to them?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "Can we sit? We really do need to talk. I brought the papers with me."

"Very thoughtful of you. Are you going to tell me who your boyfriend is now?"

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Jill started. "I want you to know that. I never wanted to hurt you Jimmy, or the kids. It just happened, and accusing you of having an affair while I was, I am sorry."

"Who is he? One of you doctor friends?"

"No. We've been friends for a long time, and one night while you were working . . . We were having dinner. We were so close Jimmy, talking about everything . . . then she kissed me. It opened up a side of me that I didn't know existed. It was like I was on fire, and it was all I wanted ever since."

"She?" he whispered. "She?"

"She," Jill confirmed.

"Who?"

"It's Rachel," Jill replied quietly. "Rachel Harris."

"Are you fucking insane?" he yelled. "Jill! This is ridiculous! You're not gay! We've been married for seventeen years!"

"I'm bisexual," she admitted. "I know that this is hurting you Jimmy."

"You know nothing! You're just going to move out there with her, and what? Live like a lesbian? Whatever the hell that is like? Do you have any idea what this will do to the kids? Is this why they were all in tears when they got home? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing! I didn't expect you to be so narrow minded about this! This is who I am, Jimmy, whether you like it or not. I don't want the kids to have to suffer, and that's why I'm moving. People in this town like to talk, and I don't want gossip about me and Rachel effecting them."

"Get the hell out," he barked, as he scribbled his name on the papers in front of him. "I don't ever want to see you again."

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"Hello?"

"Carol Lacos?"

"Yes?"

"Hi, it's Maxine Stewart," Max said quietly. "Please don't hang up."

"I've wanted to call you," Carol replied quietly. "How did you get this number?"

"I'm very resourceful," Max replied, not wanting to get Joey in trouble. "Um, yeah."

"Do you know about the surgery?"

"Yeah. Has he gone in yet?"

"Not yet," Carol replied, squeezing Kenny's hand in hers. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"Does he want to talk to me? We didn't really part on good terms."

"He's kind of out of it Max. He's been calling out for you a lot lately. Maybe hearing your voice will bring him around. Give him something to fight for."

"Okay," Max agreed softly, tracing her stomach. "I'm not sure what I should say though."

"Hold on," Carol said, as she held the phone up to Kenny's ear. "Kenny? There is someone on the phone for you."

"Not here, not here," he groaned. "No one is here."

"Kenny," Max said softly, fighting back tears at his mangled and slurred speech. "Kenny, it's Max."

"Not here. Not real."

"Ssh, listen to me. It's Max," she repeated, overjoyed that he was alive. "Do you remember me?"

"Max. Max. Love you. Gone."

"Not gone," she sobbed. "Oh, Kenny, you're going to fine. You have to be strong through this."

"Love Max. Want Max."

Something to fight for, she thought. "I have to tell you something."

"Max. Love."

"You're going to be a Dad. Soon. We're having a baby Kenny. I don't know if you can understand me or not, but we're having a baby. A daughter."

"Max, don't go. Don't leave."

"Max?" Carol said quietly. "The doctors are going to take him down for pre-surgery examination now. I know he'd love to see you when he wakes up. Whether he'll admit to it or not."

"I'd like that too," Max replied.

"We don't know if he'll wake up though. It's such a slim chance," Carol replied. "Will you come? If he wakes up?"

"When," Max corrected. "Yes."

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"Where have you been?" Jimmy asked, as Max pushed her front door open. "You don't answer your cell phone anymore?"

"I was having a sonogram," Max replied, still reeling from the events of her day. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Jill's a lesbian. She's moving to California with Rachel Harris."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Oh Jimmy," Max sighed, joining him on the couch. "I don't know what to say. Do the kids know?"

"They know," he replied. "How could she be a lesbian, and not know it until now?"

"It sometimes happens that way."

"Come here," he said, as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sick of talking about Jill. We signed the papers today. It's started."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm over it. Believe me."

Max shook her head. "You were married for a long time. I don't think you get over it this quickly."

"I want to start over. With you and this baby. You know that. Max, I'm crazy about you. I want everyone to know it."

"It's too soon. Think about your kids," Max countered, not sure exactly what she should tell him. "How are they going to react to us? They just lost their mother, and I doubt they want a replacement anytime soon. Go, be with them. They need you right now, Jimmy. Work through this, and they'll be time for us later."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"I'm trying to do what's right for everybody. Besides I have to change, and go to my baby shower."

"I'll go on one condition. Tomorrow, while they're at school, we spend the day together. Work out whatever is going on between us. I want you in my life, Max."

"And I want you in mine."

"I have to pick the boys up at hockey practice anyway," he admitted, kissing her. "I'll see you later?"

"Later."

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"You look gorgeous," Linda said. "How are you feeling? Your due date is getting close."

"One more month," Max replied. "I'm feeling good, a little tired though."

"Sit, sit, sit," she replied. "Take a load off."

"Okay," Max agreed, as she gratefully sank into the chair cushions. "Thanks for this, Linda. It really is too much."

"You've earned it," Joey interjected, giving Max a once over. "How are you doing?"

She shook her head, as Linda went back into the kitchen. "How do you think? I can't even think straight Joey. What am I doing here, while he . . . I'm so confused."

"You still love him," Joey whispered. "Admit it. There isn't anything wrong with it."

"I'm a terrible person," Max said quietly. "You just don't know. I need to get some air."

"For what? For admitting to it?"

"No . . . for something else. Joey, I can't talk about this. Not now."

"Okay, but we will," Joey countered, not liking the dark look in her eyes, as the other guests arrived.

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"I feel like a teenager again," Max admitted. "I haven't done this since then."

"It's about the only place we can be alone. This is a small town, and people talk. I know that you're worried about that."

"I'm worried about a lot of things," Max replied distantly, as she settled into Jimmy's arms. "How are you holding up?"

"Better. So are the boys, but Kim's having some trouble adjusting to it all."

Max nodded. "Have you heard from her since she left?"

"Not yet," Jimmy replied. "Don't worry about Jill. Here, lean back."

"Hmm, this feels nice," Max admitted, as he massaged her shoulders. "I can't wait to have her out of me. I'm tired of having my internal organs kicked around."

"Her?'

"It's a girl. I found out yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were a little preoccupied."

"A girl," Jimmy mused, lying down on the blanket next to her, and placing his hand on her stomach. "Any names in mind? I always liked Katherine."

"I'm thinking about it," Max said softly, laying her hand over his. "There is something else I have to tell you. Um, I found Kenny. Actually Joey did."

"What?"

"He's having surgery. Today."

"What?"

"I talked to him . . . His mind is rotting away Jimmy. He knew me though, or at least he remembered me. He kept saying my name."

"Did you tell him about the baby?"

Max nodded. "Yeah . . . I don't know if he understood though."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. He probably isn't going to make it through the surgery. It's about a 20% chance."

"Come here," Jimmy whispered, pulling her tightly against him and kissing her quickly. "It'll be okay. I love you, Max. It'll be okay."

"Holy shit," a voice said behind them. "What the hell is going on?"