Chapter 3

I don't own any of the Higher Ground characters.

There was a long pause on the other end. Shelby held her breath. Did he still hate her? She couldn't be sure.

"Shelby?" he breathed at the other end. He was so quiet she almost didn't hear him.

"Yeah, it's me, Scott," she said. His sigh at the other end was clearly audible.

"After 5 years you finally decide to call me," he said. "Why is that?"

"I, um, I have some bad news," she said, almost in tears. She didn't understand. Ezra was the only one who saw her cry these days. Oh well. Old habits die hard, as they say.

"What happened?" Scott asked. She was taken aback by the coldness in his voice.

"Jess died," she said just as coldly. "We're having a funeral at Horizon in a week. Come if you want." She didn't give him a chance to say anything, because she hung up on him.

She dialed the next number on the list Peter had dug up for her. She traced Scott's name with her finger as she dialed Daisy's number.

One week later

Shelby waited on the front porch, Ezra beside her. She was holding Dani while pacing nervously back and forth. Ezra put a calming hand on her arm just as a car pulled up.

Kat got out of the passenger side and ran up to Shelby. They hugged for a long time. Then Kat backed off and admired Dani. Hank got out and came up.

"She's so gorgeous, Shel," Kat said. Ezra came over and she hugged him. They all headed back up to the porch. They sat on the steps, Kat holding Danielle. They fell silent, the girls looking at Ezra and Hank.

Hank got up when he realized it. "I'll go see if Peter needs help inside," he said. He left and the girls giggled. Another car pulled up and Daisy got out with David.

Shelby hugged Daisy then looked at David with a blank expression on her face.

He reached for her hand. "I am so sorry," he whispered. She allowed him to hug her before he joined Ezra inside.

The girls sat on the steps again, Daisy holding Danielle.

"So," she said after a few minutes of silence. "You and Ezra are together."

Shelby laughed. "Not at all," she said.

"But you have a baby and-" Kat started, obviously confused.

"Just because I have a baby and I live minutes away from Ezra does not mean he's the father," Shelby said indignantly. "But he does act like it sometimes."

"Care to explain?" Daisy said leaning forward.

"He helps me with her so much," Shelby said. "I was so depressed after she was born." She reached out and played absentmindedly with Dani's hair.

Kat smiled. "That sounds like something Ezra would do."

"He's so great with her," Shelby said still playing in Dani's hair. "He'll make a great dad someday."

"So if Ez isn't the father, who is?" Kat asked.

"Some idiot," Shelby said. "I went to a wedding, got drunk, and slept with the best man."

"So Scott's not the father?" Daisy asked. "Are you sure it's not Scott?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Shelby said bitterly. She had cringed inwardly at the mention of Scott's name.

"Not to second guess you or anything," Kat said slowly. "But how can you be positive?"

"Because Scott and I never slept together," Shelby said quietly. There was silence for a few minutes. Another car pulled up.

Auggie got out and waved. The girls waved back, all smiling. He opened the passenger door and a visibly pregnant Juliette awkwardly stepped out. Shelby chuckled at the sight, remembering those days all too well.

"I don't believe it!" Kat said. "I can't believe she's pregnant!"

Juliette hugged each of them. Auggie hugged the girls and joined the guys inside.

"So how far along are you?" Kat asked.

"Five months," Juliette said.

"Just far enough along to experience the mood swings, weird cravings, and morning sickness all at the same time!" Shelby said. "Lucky you!"

Juliette laughed. "I see you remember," she said. "And I see you brought Danielle!" She picked her up and played with her hands.

"So now that you guys know what Jules and I have been up to in the past 5 years, it's your turn," Shelby said.

"Hank and I are engaged," Kat said. "He asked me 2 weeks ago. It was so romantic how he proposed." She paused to see if she had everyone's attention. Of course she did. "He gave me this rose. Inside the petals was the ring." She held out her hand.

"Oh, what a rock!" Juliette said, tilting her hand. "What about you, Daisy?"

"David and I are contemplating living together," she said. "Although I don't know if I like the idea of seeing his dirty laundry strewn all over the floor of every room. He did enough of that when he was here."

"Hey, has anybody heard anything from Scott?" Juliette asked. Daisy and Kat made hand gestures for her to avoid the subject, but Juliette hadn't changed that much. "Is he coming or what?"

"Who knows?" Shelby said throwing her hands in the air. "I called him. He was so cold. I told him Jess died and we were having a service and I hung up before he could say anything. Oh, and did I mention that a perky woman answered the phone when I called?" She was met with stunned silence. Everyone had thought Scott and Shelby would outlast Peter and Sophie in the love department.

"So he's involved with someone?" Daisy asked.

"Probably," Shelby said bitterly. Juliette handed Dani back to her.

"You look like you need her," Juliette said.

The door opened behind them and a bottle appeared over Shelby's left shoulder. She took it and smiled at Ezra. "Thanks," she said. He went back inside.

"I see what you mean," Kat said watching him. Shelby started feeding Dani when a black limo pulled up.

The door opened and Scott stepped out, followed by a tall red headed woman. Shelby's heart stopped in her chest. Scott's eyes focused on Dani.