Disclaimer: Meg owns everyone but Holly.


Michael's POV...

I completely forgot about reading the first book for Book Club. I spent most of last night rushing through it, so I'm tried as hell today, but at least I've read it. I just hope I'm conscious enough to remember what it was about in case I get called upon to talk about it.

"I can't believe you're going back to that place. It'll suck the life out of you, Michael," Holly informed me.

"Or maybe it'll be what keeps me sane," I thought to myself.

"Yep, you sure you don't want to come back? I'm sure Greg won't remember you walked out last week."

"Uh, no thanks. I'll be right."

"Ok, then. See you later." A kiss on the cheek and I was out of there.

It's so much more of a hassle getting to school now that we don't live on campus, but we gotta do what we gotta do, I guess.

I finally arrived, a few minutes late due to traffic, and snuck into a seat in the back row. I didn't even notice until after I'd sat down who was sitting next to me: Mia.

Oops. Should I move? Is that what she would want?

I looked at her and tried to signal to her if she wanted me o move or not, but she just raised an eyebrow at me.

"Do you want me to move?" I whispered.

She shook her head at me, so I stayed put and pulled out my book.

Greg outlined his views on the symbolism of the book and then invited us to chat with those around us about our own views.

Figuring Mia would turn to the person on her other side, I turned to the guy on my other side, but he'd already found a partner.

I reluctantly turned back to Mia, to see her staring at me, a cheeky grin on her face. "You don't want to discuss the book with me?" she asked. The person on her other side is already talking to someone else.

"No, of course not. I just thought it would be the other way around."

"Michael, I think we can both discuss a book without things getting complicated."

"Ok...let's do it then." I turned bright red as soon as the words came out. "Uh, I mean, let's discuss the book."

She raised her eyebrows at me again, but didn't say anything about it. "Well, actually, I only read half of it," she admitted instead.

No wonder she doesn't mind talking to me, she'd be too embarrassed to admit that to anyone else, so she'd pretend, and then get herself into all sorts of problems when it comes to the end of the book.

"So you want me to tell you what happens?" I asked, quite enjoying having the upper hand.

"If you don't mind..." she replied, a shy smile on her face.

"So I spent all of last night reading this, and you just...don't bother. How is that fair, Thermopolis?"

"Oh, come on! It's not that big a deal! I'll read it later. And next time we do a book and you don't read it, I'll be the first one to help you out."

"You better."

I explained the book to her and it was a good thing I did because Greg asked us to stand up and talk about it once we were finished. Mia pulled it off quite nicely.

"You're a lifesaver," she gushed as we walked out of the library. "It's one thing to turn up unprepared to a lecture, but quite another to do it to a voluntary class."

"You owe me, remember that. You have to read next month's book."

"Yeah, yeah."

I turned to walk down the school driveway to exit the grounds, but she called me back. " Hey, where are you going?"

"Oh, uh...I moved off campus. We needed our own place for the baby stuff and all..."

"Oh. Right. Well, I'll see you around then."

"Yeah, next week. If not before." I watched her disappear into her dorm room building, and then I walked off the school property myself.

- - -

Jack and Amelia Hunter stood smiling in the doorway of our apartment. I gaped uncouthly at them.

"Surprise!" Holly's mom cried, as if it were a surprise party of something.

"Er...hi. Come in," I stepped aside and they walked past. I can already sense Jack is giving the apartment the once over. I just hope he takes into consideration how much stuff Holly had and how little time we've had to put everything away.

"Mom! Dad!" Holly cried, running out of the bedroom as soon as she heard them.

"Um, not that I mind, of course, but what brings you here?" I asked as nicely as possible.

"Well, Holly mentioned to us that you were having some problems with furniture and baby things so we thought we'd offer some help."

Funny that Holly never mentioned talking to her parents to me. Maybe that's because she knew how I'd feel about it.

Pissed off, that is.

Because I don't want charity. Least of all from her rich, holier-than-thou parents.

"We really don't need any help," I said through gritted teeth, giving Holly a death glare at the same time. "But thanks for the offer."

"Nonsense, son. You don't even have a couch. And what were you planning on changing the baby's diapers on? If not a proper changing table then at least a normal table with a mat, but you don't even have that! We'll just help you out with one or two things to get you started."

"That really isn't necessary," I insisted.

"I won't take no for an answer, Michael," Jack told me, and that was the end if it.

- - -

One or two things to get us started turned out to be a hell of a lot more than that.

Holly's ecstatic; we now have actual furniture, not make-do stuff. And we have a cot, a changing table and a million other things for the baby. Our tiny apartment is crowded.

And I have to be gracious about it.

"Well thanks for everything, Jack, Amelia," I said to them as they were finally leaving. "We'll pay you back for everything as soon as we can."

"No, no. It's our gift. For the baby," he said, seeing the gleam in my eyes: my pride. He knew I wouldn't just accept this stuff, but that I wouldn't turn it away if it was for the baby. I'm not cold hearted or anything.

"Well, thanks then. We really do appreciate it."

"Call us if you need anything else. Anything at all," Amelia told me, kissing me goodbye on the cheek.

"Ok, we will," I lied, shutting the door behind them.

I turned around to my fiancé, she's cowering by the bedroom door.

"You," I said sternly. "Are never calling your parents ever again."

"But, Michael, it all turned out ok! Look at everything we got! You said it yourself, we can barely afford food. And you haven't got a proper job yet, when did you think we were going to be able to afford this? In five years? When the baby's too old to need this stuff?"

"That's not the point."

"I know it's not. But can't you just make it the point? Can't you just be happy? You're never happy, Michael. Be happy." Her faced pouted at me convincingly, not the pout she uses when she wants a second icecream. I think she's sincere.

Whoa, guilt trip.

"I am happy, Hol. I'm happy about our baby." I walked over and patted her stomach. "You know I want our baby."

"It's just too bad you don't want me," she replied sadly, looking away from me.

I lifted her face with one hand, the other still resting on my son, and I looked her directly in the eyes. "Hey," I said softly. "Give it time. I want to, I'm trying. More than anything I'm trying."

She nodded and I kissed her.


Another double update soon. Don't give up on the story, things will eventually get better for our separated lovers, you just have to have faith.