Susan arrived at Starbuck's early, she wanted time to prepare herself before Mike came. She took deep breaths and rehearsed her speech over and over again in her head, and was so distracted she didn't notice when Mike approached her table and slid into the seat opposite her.

"Susan?" he chuckled as he waved his hand in front of her face. "Everything ok?"

"Mike!" Susan exclaimed, startling him. "You're here," she laughed nervously.

"Yeah, I said I would be." Mike replied. He noticed something was missing. "Where's your coffee?" Susan blushed. In her nervousness over calling Mike, she accidentally set their meeting place at a place where she couldn't drink any of the beverages. No coffee…that would take some getting used to again.

"Oh, yeah, I didn't want any today," she stuttered, already becoming nervous.

"Ok, well, what did you want to talk about? I mean, you've been going out of your way to avoid me lately, so…yeah." Mike finished, glancing down.

"Well, I know, but this is something you need to know."

"Ok, I'm listening."

"Um, there really isn't any easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it," Susan said, sighing. Then she lost her courage and just sat there for a few moments, trying to find the words.

"Yes?" Mike chuckled. He had missed Susan's inability to say things. In general, he just missed Susan.

"I'm pregnant," Susan finally blurted out, turning red. She waited nervously for Mike's reaction, but he just sat there.

"You're what?" he murmured softly.

"I'm pregnant." Mike still said nothing. "Please don't make me say it again."

"No, I heard you," he breathed again. "That was so not what I was expecting you to say."

"What were you expecting me to say? That I wanted to get back together?" Susan asked skeptically. This was not going well at all. She hadn't expected Mike to freak out. After all, hadn't he said he'd always wanted kids? The situation wasn't ideal for either one of them, but it was there, and they had to deal with it.

"No, that was my hope," Mike replied softly, looking into her eyes. "Honestly, I had not idea what to expect, but it certainly wasn't that."

"Well, whether you like it or not, Mike, it's true. You're the father, so I had to tell you."

"I never said I didn't like it, Susan. I'm just in shock. It's great news, really, it's just not as great as it could be," he replied, looking down again. "I don't like the way things are between us."

"Yes, well, it's a situation of your own making, Mike. You could have told me the truth, but you chose not to. Now, I'm not going to keep your from your child's life, no matter what your past is. But that's as far as our relationship goes."

"Come on, Susan. Isn't it time to sort things out now, Susan. We're having a child together. I love you," Mike said, trying to convince her.

"Don't," Susan said softly, afraid the tears would come. "I can't handle that right now. I'm going to leave."

"Are you going to let me be involved in the pregnancy at all?" Mike asked, his eyes pleading.

"I have an appointment with the OBGYN in about a week. You can come if you want. I told you I won't keep you from this, and I meant it."

"Ok, I'll be there," Mike replied. Susan smiled wanly and left, while Mike remained. "I'll be there," he thought to himself. "And I'll prove to you that I'll always be there."


When Susan got home, Julie was waiting for her, and Susan was in no mood for the questions Julie was bombarding her with.

"Mom? Dr. Morganstern called a few minutes ago, she said you forgot your jacket at the clinic," Julie said, eyeing her mother suspiciously.

"Did I? I didn't realize," Susan replied, trying to dodge the question.

"Were you planning on telling me you going to an OBGYN?"

"Yes."

"Really, when?" Julie persisted, sitting on the couch.

"Now, I guess," Susan murmured. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? Since when?"

"Um, about three weeks ago, I guess. Right before…" Susan trailed off.

"Right before the break-up," Julie finished for her, now looking at her sympathetically. "Have you told Mike yet?"

"Yeah, I just did a little while ago, actually."

"And how did he take it?" "As well as he could, I guess. He actually started saying that this was a reason for us to work things out now," Susan muttered as she recalled Mike's reaction.

"Well, don't hate me for saying this, but…shouldn't you?" Julie asked, frowning.

"What? No, we shouldn't. I will not be in a relationship with a man who lied to me." Even Susan realized how doubtful she sounded.

"Come on, Mom, you love him."

"That doesn't matter anymore."

"Yes it does! Mike loves you, Mom. I know he did something horrible, but…think about it. Maybe he really didn't do it. He's been trying to explain things for weeks. You won't let him."

"What reason do I have to believe anything he says?" Susan sighed, putting her head in her hands.

"Because you love him. That should be reason enough," Julie replied quickly, then sighed when her mother didn't respond. "Fine, do what you want. I'm happy for you, I really am. I just wish you could be happy. I'm going to order us a pizza." Julie was going to head into the kitchen, but Susan stopped her.

"It's not as if I'm not going to let him be in this baby's life," she said softly, staring at the floor.

"He wants more than that, and you know it. He wants you, Mom," Julie replied, then went off to order the pizza. Susan sighed again and rested her head on the back of the couch, Julie's last words still ringing in her ears. "He wants you, Mom." She just didn't know what to do.


TBC...