I don't own any of the Higher Ground characters except Dani and any other offspring.
Peter's response was slightly subdued. "You want to have the funeral here?" he asked slowly.
"Yeah," Shelby said, shifting Dani in her arms. Ezra took Dani from her and Shelby looped her arm through his. "Jess really didn't have any friends at home. No reason to stay there. And since I'm her legal guardian now, I think it would be better to have it here. All her friends are here. Her life is here. Do you mind if we have it here?"
"No, not at all," Peter said. "I just thought you would want it at home."
"No, not really," Shelby said. "Jess spent the last couple years of her of life hating that place."
By that time they had reached the Administration building. The two went to Peter's office to talk, while Sophie helped Ezra put Dani down for a nap.
"So you have a baby?" Peter asked. He was still in shock about the whole thing. And he was more surprised that it was Ezra's.
Shelby beamed. "Yeah, I do. Isn't she precious?" Peter almost laughed. If anyone had told him three years ago that Shelby would be a beaming mother, he would have told them to see a therapist.
"Yeah, she's gorgeous, Shel. You and Ezra are together, huh?" He just couldn't resist asking.
"Oh, no! You've totally barked up the wrong tree," she laughed. "But you wouldn't be the first."
"So you and Ez aren't together?" Peter asked. Shelby shook her head. "But you have a baby..."
"I went to a wedding and had a little too much to drink," Shelby said. Peter gave her a look. "I know, I shouldn't be drinking," she said. "Turns out, the best man was in the same boat I was. We slept together. I never told him I was pregnant. The man would be a lousy father."
Peter shook his head. Shelby seemed to read his disapproval, for she added, "Hey, I used a designated driver!" Peter chuckled at this.
"OK, let's forget this," he said. "Let's work on these arrangements."
"Hello, Cabot residence. Katherine speaking," was the voice that answered the phone.
"Kat, it's Shelby," Shelby said into the phone.
Kat squealed with delight. "Shel, it's been so long! How's Dani?"
"She's fine," Shelby said, hating to rain on their conversation. "But that's not why I called."
"Something's wrong," Kat said, shifting back to the Kat Shelby remembered from years prior.
"Yeah, David's brother Derek killed Jess with a drug overdose," Shelby said bitterly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kat said. "I'm so sorry, Shelby. I know how close you and Jess were."
Shelby swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "We're having a service for her at Horizon next week. It'd be great if you could make it."
"Yeah, Hank and I will be there," Kat said. "Um, are you going to invite Scott?"
"I hadn't thought about it," Shelby said. "I probably will. Why?"
"Oh, just wondering," Kat said. Shelby could tell there was something Kat wasn't telling her.
"What aren't you telling me, Kat?" Shelby asked her pointedly.
"Nothing. I was just going to say that you should invite him. But since you already plan to, there was no need to say it."
Shelby decided to drop it. "So are you and Hank married yet?" she wanted to know.
"Nope, but we're making plans. Promise you'll show up, though," Kat said. "And bring Dani. I'd love to see her. The picture you sent me was so great."
"I promise I'll be there," Shelby said. "Dani's here with me at Horizon, so you'll see her when you come." The girls said their good-byes and hung up. Shelby decided to call the number Peter had given her for Scott next.
The phone was answered on the third ring. "Barringer residence," said a perky voice. Shelby was so stunned to hear a female voice that she didn't say anything. "Hello?" the voice said again.
Shelby cleared her throat. "Yes, may I speak to Scott please?"
The woman sounded suspicious. "May I asked who's calling, please?"
"Just tell Scott it's an old friend," Shelby said. "He'll know who it is."
The woman put her on hold and went to get Scott. Shelby's heart fluttered nervously in her chest. She wasn't sure how he was going to react to her calling him. They hadn't been on good terms when they had left Horizon.
Flashback
"Shel, I love you," Scott said. "I really do. And as much as I want to leave and go with you, I have to smooth things over with my dad."
"If you love me so much, why won't you come with me?" Shelby asked stubbornly. "You've had years to work thing out with your dad. Why do you suddenly want to do it now?"
"He's my dad, Shel," Scott said running his hands through his hair. A gesture Shelby had grown to love.
"If you don't want to be with me, all you have to do is say so," Shelby said. "You don't have to lie to me." She turned away so he wouldn't see the tears or pain in her eyes.
He placed
his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "I
do love you," he said, his heart melting with the tears falling
on
her cheeks. "But my dad's important. I promise as soon as
things are better with my dad, I'll come back to you."
"No," Shelby said stepping away from him. "Don't bother. Go home. Go make things right with your dad." She walked away from him. That was the last time she ever saw him.
End of Flashback
When she walked away from Scott that night, she had walked away from her whole life. It was the hardest decision she had ever made. Which was partly the reason she'd been so willing to get drunk at Andrea's wedding.
She heard a noise at the other end of the phone and snapped back into attention.
"Hello," a voice said. It was deeper than she remembered, but it was still the voice she loved. The voice that belonged to the man she loved.
"Scott, it's me," she said quietly.
