It was only ten minutes into the evening, and Kirsten was already sorry that she'd suggested it.

Jimmy's new girlfriend--wife, Kirsten corrected herself--had been giving her dirty looks ever since they had been introduced. Julie was certainly different from her, not only in her looks but in how she talked and the way she carried herself. Her clothes were obviously expensive, and her nails flawlessly done but she didn't carry herself like someone who'd been born into money. She looked like a wide-eyed little girl who was still getting used to her surroundings, and Kirsten would have felt sympathy for her if Julie hadn't stolen her boyfriend.

And then there was Jimmy himself. He looked as handsome as he had that afternoon on the pier, and part of her had trouble believing that the last six months had happened. They had been to this restaurant many times during high school, often stopping in after Jimmy's football games for a bite to eat. Jimmy had even ordered key lime pie, the dessert he'd always ordered when they were out together. But now Jimmy was married and she was engaged and they would both be parents by next year. It was a lot to wrap her head around.

Sandy was rambling about one of his law professors who could never remember any of his students names and kept calling Sandy "Bill". "And he says it in this accent," he added. "Beel, can you turn to page seexty four?"

If Sandy was doing imitations, he must be really nervous, Kirsten thought to herself. She put her hand on his arm and rested her head against his shoulder, trying not to notice the hurt look that flickered in Jimmy's eyes.

Well, let him be hurt. He had done far worse to her.

An uneasy silence fell over the group. Julie reached over and took Jimmy's hand in hers, giving Kirsten a sly smile. Kirsten was starting to long for Hailey's sulking and her father's snide remarks.

"So when's your baby due?" Jimmy asked, in an attempt to start conversation. "Ours is coming at the end of April."

Sandy looked confused. "Our what?"

"June," Kirsten answered quietly, hoping that that would be the end of it. She'd forgotten to tell Sandy that she'd told Jimmy she was pregnant. This was going to be awkward.

"That's right, June," Sandy agreed. "We're really excited about it."

"Do you have a place to live yet?" Jimmy asked. "Are you staying in Berkeley or moving back here?"

"We're staying in Berkeley," Kirsten answered firmly. "Sandy's got a job there. We're going house shopping when we get back."

"That's probably best," Julie agreed sweetly. "After all, Newport is an expensive place to live. You'd probably need your parents help to get a house here."

Kirsten glared at her. You're just a tramp from Riverside, she wanted to say. You don't get to act like you're better than me.

She was furious with Jimmy as well. He had no right to tell anyone that she was pregnant. And if Julie told anyone, which she probably would, it would likely be all over Newport by tomorrow afternoon that Kirsten Nichol was having a baby. She would have to tell her parents soon if she didn't want them to find out from someone else.

"We want to do it on our own," Kirsten replied shortly, unable to conceal her irritation. "I don't need my father to support me."

There was a flash of hurt across Jimmy's face again. Good.

"So Jimmy, do you surf?" Sandy asked, attempting to change the subject and diffuse the tension that was in the room. "I'd be out there every day if I lived here."

"Sometimes," Jimmy answered, relieved at the new topic. "I haven't gone in awhile, though, so I'm not very good."

They began talking about water sports, which was good in that they seemed to be getting along. However, it left Kirsten and Julie sitting in silence, exchanging dirty looks at each other across the table.

"I suppose you're not so perfect after all," Julie said to her in a low voice. "From the way Jimmy talks about you, you'd think you could walk on water."

Kirsten bit her lip to keep the angry words from spilling out. She had a stomachache and felt lousy, in addition to being in this incredibly awkward situation. "I never did anything to you."

Julie shrugged. "You're a lot to live up to. Although I suppose it's easy to be perfect when daddy owns all of Orange County."

"You don't have to be this way," Kirsten snapped. "You've got Jimmy. You won."

Julie smiled. "I did, didn't I?"

"You don't even care that he was my boyfriend, do you?" Kirsten demanded, her voice rising in volume. "Other people's relationships obviously mean nothing to you."

She'd said that a bit louder than she meant to, and she was embarrassed to see both Jimmy and Sandy staring at her. She couldn't bear to meet Sandy's eyes.

"You said we had to have the car back by eleven, didn't you Kirsten?" Sandy asked quietly.

She had her own car and no curfew and both Sandy and Jimmy knew it. Julie probably did too. But Sandy had given her a means of escape, and she was grateful for it. "I think you're right," she agreed.

They said their goodbyes and left the restaurant. Kirsten unlocked her car doors, and they sat in silence. When she risked a glance at Sandy, the expression on his face made her feel even worse.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "Going out with Jimmy was a bad idea."

Sandy sighed. "I thought I told you that I didn't want to be a substitute for Jimmy. It's not fair, Kirsten."

"But you're not," she protested. "Sandy, I've told you, you're the one I want to be with."

"It didn't look that way tonight," he said quietly.

"Jimmy and I never had closure," Kirsten tried to explain. "And it was hard seeing him again, but that doesn't mean that I'm still in love with him."

"Come on," Sandy protested. "We never would have spoken again after that night if you hadn't gotten pregnant. We both know that."

"Then maybe this baby happened for a reason," Kirsten persisted. She felt a twinge of pain in her belly, probably from the stress of the evening. "Maybe we're supposed to be together."

"Then why did you look like you still have feelings for Jimmy?" Sandy demanded.

"I'm sorry, Sandy." Tears were beginning to blur her vision. "I don't know what else to tell you."

Sandy shrugged. "I don't either."

She couldn't believe this was happening. Sandy had been there for her ever since everything started. He had made her feel beautiful and special after the pain of Jimmy's rejection. He had been her best friend when she needed one most. And now she might be losing him, and it was all her fault.

She felt another stab of pain, this one sharper than the first. "Ow."

"What's wrong?" Sandy asked, his brown eyes concerned. "It's not the baby, is it?"

She hadn't even thought about that. "I don't know. I've been feeling funny ever since we went out."

Sandy opened his door. "Change sides with me. I'm driving you to the hospital."

"Is that necessary?" Kirsten started to ask, but then she was hit by another spasm. "All right."

She changed places with Sandy and they drove to the hospital in silence.