Chapter 6

I don't own any of the Higher Ground characters except Dani and Jessie. I don't own the song. "You can't lose me" is Faith Hill's song. I'm just a fan of it.

Shelby's heart pounded in her chest. Scott's lips grew closer and closer. She turned her head so they hit her cheeks.

"Yeah, OK," Scott said, getting up. "I thought we could start over."

"If you thought we could start over, you're wrong," Shelby said. "First of all, we never discussed starting over. Second of all, it wouldn't work."

"Why wouldn't it work?"

"For the same reasons it didn't work the first time! You're too committed to your father's business to commit to me!" Shelby was angry.

"If I wanted to commit to you, I would!" Scott yelled without thinking.

The words felt like a slap in the face to Shelby. "Now the truth comes out," she said quietly.

"Shel, I didn't mean...That's not what I meant and you know it," Scott stuttered.

"Good-bye Scott," Shelby said, getting up and walking away.

Shelby walked back into the lodge feeling crushed. She hadn't expected to get back together with Scott and she didn't expect him to still feel something for her, but it still hurt to hear him say he didn't.

Kat noticed there was something wrong as soon as Shelby came back in. "What's up?" she said.

"Nothing good," Shelby said with a sigh.

Kat put her arm around her friend. "It never is," she said. "It never is."

Juliette came by and put Danielle in Shelby's arms. "Ezra had to go talk with the guys. I volunteered because I thought I'd need the practice."

Shelby smiled. "Trust me, you can never have too much practice with this kind of stuff."

"She's so sweet," Juliette said. "I hope my baby's like her."

"Do you know anything about the baby?" Shelby asked. "Do you know the sex of the baby?"

"No, Auggie and I didn't want to know," Juliette said. "All we know is that there's only one baby and it's healthy."

"Gee, you mean you're not having twins?" Shelby asked playfully.

"No, I'm not having twins," Juliette shot back. The girls giggled.

Dani started crying. "Oh," Shelby said getting up. "I should put her down for a nap. Want to help me, Jules?"

"Sure," Juliette said energetically, getting up. "Where are you gonna put her?"

"Well, Peter said we could stay in the empty dorms, so that's where Ezra unloaded her stuff," Shelby said.

"Ok, cool. What did you have to bring for her?"

"We brought a small bassinet, some clothes, bottles. The usual stuff," Shelby said.

"How do they act when they're this old?" Juliette asked. "I mean, does she still have colic? Does she eat food?"

"She had colic until about a week ago," Shelby said. "After we came up here, she stopped. And the food thing, well most 2-month-old babies just take milk, but I'm not doing that with Danielle. Most of the decisions you make with babies are just that. You choose what you want the baby to eat and when. Stuff like that."

"Wow. There's so much to think about," Juliette said. "I'm taking Lamaze classes with Auggie, but you're telling me things I hadn't even thought about."

"You'll do great," Shelby assured her. "You get used to the tough choices after a while."

Juliette opened the door and Shelby sat Dani in the bassinet. "Sometimes you can sing to them and speed it up a little bit," she said. She started with a song that she loved hearing on the radio.

A little girl, a little small for her age
A little too slow for the field day race
Mama's waiting at the finish line
And wiped the tear drops from her eyes

Juliette knew the song and she joined in.

She says," Did just fine honey, that's okay
Sometimes life's just that way
You're gonna lose the race from time to time
But you're always gonna find

You can't lose me
Bet your life
I am here and I will always be
Just a wish away
Wherever you go
No matter how far
My love is where you are
You won't be lost if you believe
You can't lose me"

Mama used to say," Girl it won't be long
'Til it's time to go out on your own
Chase your dreams, find your place in life
I know you'll do just fine"
When that day finally came
There were things she needed to but could not say
So I whispered softly as I wiped the tears from Mama's eyes
"You can't lose me
Bet your life
I am here and I will always be
Just a wish away
Wherever you go
No matter how far
My love is where you are
You won't be lost if you believe

You can't lose me

The girls stopped and looked at Dani. She was sound asleep. A faint sound of applause could be heard behind them. They turned and saw Scott in the doorway with Jessie.