Author's Note: Oh. Dear. God. I dunno now....who shall this be dedicated to:

Arod: For trying to bitch slap Arroyo and being called out and therefore losing a run? Hmm, maybe...

Bellhorn: For actually getting a hit, no...wait, a homerun that basically won the game?

No....I shall dedicate this to Schilling...my lover for the evening....

The guy had his skin folded into his tendons or something. And then he pitched while his ankle was bleeding. You rock, rock.

And to Lucie: Boys are dumb. Throw rocks at them. Unless they have Beautiful faces. Then just smack them silly. And remember, you are not goign to end up with a silly boy from your town...oh no, you will marry Jason. Oh yes, remember that. Everyone else should understand that as well.

"Ladies and gentleman, the long wait is over. Native New Yorker and heir to the Genovian throne has announced her engagement to Evan Chambers, son of Lord Vicar Chambers of Monaco. The love birds have been seen in such romantic spots as St. Tropaz, the French Riveria and most recently Mexico. The pair have not announced a wedding date, but it is expected to be sometime after the princesses twenty first birthday, after her junior year at the national university. We'll keep you updated on any wedding plans."

So my wife was engaged to another man.

"Aren't they a lovely couple?" Alex said sarcastically the next morning as he tossed the paper at me.

"Just grand," I replied easily. "And not big fans of public displays of affection I notice."

He laughed. "I cannot wait until I can kiss him in front of the whole world and tell everyone that he is the one I love. Not an unsophisticated American slob."

"I do take offense to that," I argued.

"I don't see why though!" he countered, picking up all my trash. "Couldn't you be a bit neater when you make breakfast?"

I shrugged. "Why bother when you pick it up for me?" I seriously. Mia and I once had this argument when she used to stay at my dorms. She was kind of messy and I was the neat one. She didn't see the point of making a bed when she was going to sleep again in it in twelve hours anyways. I kind of took that philosophy as my own. Everything becomes messy eventually. Maybe it was from missing her that I became like that, or maybe because I decided that no matter how much I cleaned Ella would find a way to make a mess of my things.

Mia and Evan announced that their wedding would take place on June fifteenth. Six weeks after her birthday. It would seem way too obvious if we chose the first as our new anniversary. People would think it was odd that she chose her birthday.

But she kept me up to date with the plans. She asked my opinions (like where to for the honeymoon...I wanted a bedroom anywhere. She determined that would mean Australia.), and told me I could choose the music for the reception. Ha, yeah, that'd be interesting wouldn't it? I mean, imagine playing The Clash, The Ramones, Dashboard Confessional and all the lot in front of the Queen of England? Wouldn't it be priceless to see her boogying down to the Beatle's? I mean, the Beatle's were kicked out of Genovia for being too loud. Our wedding should be interesting.

That is, if we even made it to the reception. If her grandmother didn't have me executed once I stepped out of the church. Or if she didn't have a WANTED sign for me at the airport.

I thought about her grandmother one night while Ella swung in her bouncer. I mean, Mia and I deserved one another. We had this beautiful baby girl that hardly knew her mother. So what if I broke up with Mia for what, three, MAYBE four months? That was how long ago? Now three years ago...wow, that was three years ago. I hadn't even been thinking about getting married, or having a baby. Now here I am. Twenty three and currently a single dad. It's crazy really how life can change.

And then I thought about when I said goodbye to Mia, believing I wouldn't see her again for three years. How lonely did I think I'd be? Now I have little Ella and I...I can't even imagine life without her. To her everything is new. I get to teach her about the world and she'll listen to me without questioning me. I mean, sure she'll do that in the future, but for now she really trusts me. Which is terrifying. It's one thing that keeps me up at night. I am responsible for a living breathing human being.

"So, Michael, you've been here a year now...gotten your feet wet yet?" my supervisor, Kendall asked me one afternoon over a lunch meeting.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah...I guess. I enjoy my work."

"Good. That's a good thing because I have a proposal for you."

I looked at her skeptically. "Okay, what's up?"

"We are opening a west coast office. We need someone to be out there for six months or so to head it up. And interim group leader. I think you would be the best candidate."

I was struck speechless. "Oh. I see."

She laughed, "You are getting a promotion and a very nice increase in pay."

I nodded slowly. "I know, but the west coast? It's kind of..."

"I know. A big change. But I think you need one. I mean, it seems like you have ghosts around you here. Ella's mom and everything."

Everyone now assumed that Ella's mother had died and that I was now Alex's boyfriend. The gossip mill in the office is amazing.

"But you see...I get a lot of help here. My parents are here, my sister..."

"It's only for six months. You'll be back and will be getting your old job back. It's a great experience, Michael. You should take this opportunity and run."

Little did he know that I would not be coming back if I took this job. "Oh. Well, I-I don't know. I mean, my friends..."

"You are allowed to take a hand picked support staff," he offered, thinking I meant Alex.

I bit my lip. "When would I start?"

"Three weeks."

I bit my lip deeper. I could almost taste the blood. "When do I need to let you know?"

"Two days."

"T-Two days?" I asked hoarsely. "I wouldn't even have enough time to find a place to live! I'm expected to decide this in two days without even knowing-"

"You would live in the company townhouse. It's gorgeous. Right on the beach...and there is a great nursery for Ella to go to during the day."

"I dunno. I like the idea of her knowing her grandparents, and spending time with them."

"They are retired aren't they? Why couldn't they go out to see her? Or stay out there for the six months?"

"You guys really want me out there huh?"

"You are the only person we are talking to about this. No one even knows about it."

I stood up. "I'll let you know. Give me some time to think about this and to talk to my family about it."

But I didn't really have to convince them that a move would be good. "It will make you get past all your past heartache," my mom said excitedly. "And your father and I have always wanted to retire somewhere warm."

"You don't have to move out there," I replied. "I mean, it's only six months. We'll be back and you can bond then," I said, lying. I was a really shitty son wasn't I? She would hardly ever see her granddaughter that she had fallen head over heels for.

She glared at me. "No. We've talked about moving to Florida but that seems...well, for old people. California would be an adventure. What does Alex say?"

I shrugged. "He said he'd go anywhere."

She gave me a look. "Michael, I've been wanting to talk to you about him. Is this relationship with him just a way to forget Mia?"

I pretended to be surprised. "No. I don't even think about her," I lied. She was only my every thought. "Alex is different."

"I'd say so...he does have a penis and a good fashion sense," Lilly said, coming in. "Won't this be an adventure Mom? I mean, you always wanted to do something as a real family and here we are. Michael and I are adults and are moving across the country with you. Fun huh?"

"Lilly, you hated the west coast," Mom snapped.

Lilly looked stung for a minute, and that surprised me. She never let anything like that bother her. "Things are different now, Mom. I have Boris. I'm not dealing with any of those west coast assholes."

"Just a Russian one," I replied, popping a grape in my mouth.

She gave me a look. "Michael, can I talk to you?"

She pulled me into the living room. "What?" I asked.

"I left school for a good reason. And I didn't leave California because of Shameeka or anything."

Great. What now? I did not want more stress. I would much rather believe that she left because she was unhappy with school.

"Okay. That's nice," I said, trying to get away.

"Michael, please?" she said with pleading eyes. This was not like Lilly. Something was terribly wrong.

I sat down on the leather couch. "What is it Lil?"

"I'm gonna tell you the whole story. I don't know why I am telling you now...but I just think you should know. You are my big brother and you've told me everything that is going on in your life..."

"Yeah?"

"I..." she started.

"Take your time," I offered.

My mother walked by. "I'm going to the gym for a little while. I'll be home in a few hours, then maybe some dinner?"

I nodded, hoping she'd just walk out, which she did.

"What is it Lill?" Clearly this was major. It not only caused her to leave California and her dream school, but caused a huge rift between my parents and her.

"I had to leave the school," she said slowly.

"After how long?"

"Just the year," she said softly. "But I knew I was leaving well before that..."

"Um...okay."

"I had an affair with one of my professors," she said quickly.