Chapter 13

Two months passed before Karen could tell the other two important people in her life. She knew she would be showing soon so she had to get out with it. Plus Gracie was getting suspicious. Karen hadn't been drinking since she had found out. Well she'd put some water in to a flask and made that pass as her daily liquor. But she could tell Grace sensed something was up.

So the gang, plus Nathan and Mark, decided to go out and have a little night on the town. It had been ages since they'd all sat down to a nice dinner at some fancy upscale restaurant. So they all went out to a fancy New York restaurant, where Karen used her name to get them a table most people would have to wait a year for. The night they had set the reservations, they all met at Will's first. Karen and Nathan arrived early to clue Will in on what was really going down.

"Wilma, we're going to tell them tonight."

"It's about time!" Will smiled, wrapping his arms around Karen. He had been bursting to tell Grace, but he'd kept it a secret. Now it would be out and he could openly communicate with Grace again. She'd noticed something was up.

Karen retreated to Nathan and the two sat down on the couch together. Nathan wrapped his arm around Karen's back and held her to him. Will brought two glasses of wine over, one for Nathan and one for himself. Karen stared hungrily at the glass, wishing she could have just a little teeny-tiny sip. She watched as Nathan sipped his wine, easily picking up conversation with Will. She wanted to take it from him, but she couldn't bring herself to do that, to put her unborn child in more risk of having something wrong with it.

Nathan noticed the longing in her eyes and felt bad for drinking in front of her. He knew it was hard. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. She could taste it on his tongue. She deepened the kiss, wanting it, yet knowing she couldn't have it and that kiss was her only connection to the alcohol.

Will sat uneasily in his seat, watching the two lovers going at it. They were cute together, he had to admit.

All seemed glad when Jack entered. He bounced up to Karen and the two exchanged some affectionate touching and a kiss on each cheek. "Oh, Jackie you're my boy."

Jack grinned and sat down on the arm of Will's chair. "Grace and her boy toy should be here any minute. I heard them bickering in the elevator." Jack giggled, taking Will's wine from him and sipping it. Will gave him an evil look but it was lost on Jack who had turned to watch as Grace and her lover entered, lip-locked together.

Grace suddenly realized there were four people sitting in the room watching her make out with her man, and slowly she separated herself from him. "Hey guys." Grace smiled.

Karen gave her a sly pat on the butt when she came over for a kiss and a hug. "You two look like you're happy with each other." She whispered in Grace's ear.

Grace smiled. She was happy in her relationship and Karen was glad that she had found someone. All feelings that both had had vanished; they were now long forgotten memories. They both had there men folk to love on, and both were satisfied. The only two missing a boy toy now were Jack and Will, who oddly seemed content with each other.

So the party of six crammed in to Karen's limo. Well it really wasn't cramming in, there was plenty of room. Karen rested her head on Nathan's shoulder. She could feel her pulse racing, she was actually nervous about telling the gang. She knew they would be happy for her, but it gave her a strange feeling. She was actually pregnant; she'd been pregnant for the last three months. There had been no problems, no complications. She had gone to the OB with Nathan several times, just to get a routine check-up and monitor the baby, making sure it was okay. Karen would lie in bed at night, her shirt hiked up to reveal her naked stomach, her hands pressed firmly against her stomach, feeling the child, or pretending she could feel the child, that was growing inside of her.

No, she wasn't nervous; she was excited about telling Grace and Jack. They would be ecstatic. There was no need to be nervous.

When they got to the restaurant, they were immediately seated and drink orders were taken. Karen quietly ordered a glass of water, but Grace overheard. She was sitting next to Karen and shot her a confused look.

"What's going on?" Grace pushed. "You haven't had a drink in like three months…" She was beginning to put it together.

Karen didn't say a word, only smiled. She smiled until their drinks came. Then she decided to let the news out.

"Okay guys, I know you're all wondering why I took you all out tonight, and well it's because Nathan and I have some news." She turned and looked at Nathan, grabbing on to his hand underneath the table for support. He smiled at her and cheered her on with his eyes.

Grace exchanged glances with Will, who seemed to have a knowing look on his face. She frowned. Was this something everyone knew about except for her?

"We're pregnant." Karen finally exclaimed, smiling as she delivered the line. She turned to look at Nathan and the two exchanged a kiss.

"That's great Karen!" Grace exclaimed when Karen turned to look at her.

"I know, I've been dying to tell you, I just couldn't. I was skeptical about it, you know…" Karen didn't need to explain, Grace got it. The two kissed and then Karen turned to get Jack's ecstatic reaction.

"Karen this is so awesome! We're finally gonna have a baby!" Jack was practically jumping out of his seat.

Will just gave her a knowing look, a look Grace would question him about later, but for now she was content for Karen. She finally understood why the past few months had been different. She had noticed a change in Mrs. Karen Kingsley and she liked it. Though she knew it had been hard for Karen, but she seemed to be pulling through just fine. And just looking at her, one could tell she was glowing, radiant.

"How far along are you?" Grace asked, once Karen's attention was returned to her.

"Three months." Karen smiled, through a sip of water.

"You've been hiding this from me for three months! I can't believe it." Grace was surprised. She didn't know Karen could go that long without telling someone.

"I know." Karen smiled.

Mark, who wasn't in on the whole miscarriage thing, nodded knowingly as the conversation shifted to Karen's pregnancy. He talked to Will about it, but of course the conversation veered off in to something else, something law related. Grace couldn't tell. All she knew was that his arm had remained securely locked around her shoulder since they sat down. Frankly she liked it. She liked when he publicly claimed her. She turned to him, and he to her, and the two kissed.

Will watched. He was glad to see Grace in such a great relationship. It had been ages since she had gotten in to a really good relationship. Mark seemed like he was going to stick around for awhile.

Karen was also glad to see Grace happy with a man. She watched as the two kissed while she leaned into her hubby, a content smile on her face. Nathan kissed the crown of her head and whispered 'I love you' in her ear. She loved Nathan more than words could describe. He wrapped his arm around her and let his hand rest lightly on her stomach.

The food was ordered and happy conversation floated about the table. Will and Jack, feeling like the odd couple out, carried on a light hearted discussion, masking the fact that neither had a boyfriend. Grace and Karen talked adamantly about the baby and about redecorating the baby room. Nathan and Mark talked over the girls, and then would talk to Will or Jack. Soon their dinner came and they all ate.

Afterwards they went back to Will's where he pulled out a cake he had made earlier. Once again Grace felt suspicious as to why he had been so prepared for this occasion. But once again she would wait until everyone had gone.

"To Karen!" Will proposed, having popped open another bottle of champagne, which Karen could not have. She hated it. She hated that they taunted her with it. Nathan declined a glass to Karen's relief.

After awhile everyone got tired, tired of each other, tired of conversation, and just flat out tired, and so they all dispersed. Bar Grace, who still lived there. She went in to her room to change, but then reappeared. She sauntered up to Will, who stood in the kitchen, washing off dishes and placing them in the dishwasher.

"Hey." She grinned.

"Hey, you. You looked pretty happy with Mark tonight." Will grinned, playfully poking Grace in the stomach.

"Yeah, we're getting along pretty well. I like him," Grace said thoughtfully, "I like him a lot."

"I'm glad." Will smiled, really, truly, glad.

"So, I noticed you already seemed to know about Karen's little predicament." Grace playfully pushed him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Tonight, you didn't act surprised at all." Grace egged him on. Will shrugged and adverted his attention back to the dishes. "Will, you knew about it, didn't you!" Grace guessed.

Will shrugged.

"She told you before she told me. I can't believe it!" Grace was disappointed. She had hoped that Karen would tell her first like she had before.

"Grace, it's not like that." Will shook his head.

"Oh, I think it is. I can't believe she likes you more than me!" Grace was shocked.

"No, Grace. Listen to me." She turned to him. "She asked me to go with her to the OB because she didn't want to go alone. She didn't want to hurt you guys if she miscarried again. It would be like giving you false hope, so she waited until she felt more comfortable about the pregnancy."

Grace suddenly got it. It made sense. "Wow."

"I know." Will shook his head. There was a pause where the two reflected on the situation. Will laughed, "You're silly."

"Why?" Grace frowned.

"To think she would tell you before me." Will had his oh-come-on look.

"Well she would." Grace proudly retaliated.

"Oh, I wouldn't be to sure." Will smirked.

"I am sure. She'd tell me way before she told you."

"No she wouldn't."

"Yes she would."

"No she wouldn't…"

Karen crawled in to bed beside Nathan. They'd had their fun already, having had sex the moment they walked in to the bedroom. Now both were tired and ready to sleep. They had taken a shower together and then Nathan had gotten in to bed. Karen, being a woman, took a bit longer to get in to bed. When she finally had, she snuggled up beside Nathan, feeling the heat that was emitting from his skin. She kissed his shoulder, his neck, then his chin, feeling the stubble beneath her lips. She ran her hand along the other side of his face, feeling the unshaven surface. She liked it.

"I'm glad we told them." She said after a moment.

"Me, too. I was wondering if you were ever going to tell them." Nathan smiled and kissed her ear, gently licking her earlobe.

"I would have." Karen smiled, her eyes blinking as he paid more and more attention to her ear.

Nathan let his hand slip under her nightgown, and slowly he moved it up to her stomach. He let his hand rest there as he kissed her. He wanted desperately to tell her that he couldn't wait to have the child, but he knew he shouldn't say that. There were still six more months, six months for something to go wrong. He prayed that nothing would. He wanted this child more than anything. But even if Karen did end up miscarrying or some complication was to occur, he would still stick by her side. He would be there for her; he would love her until the day she died. Well, he couldn't think about that day.

Karen placed her hand over his hand, so that both's hands were entwined over her stomach. They soon fell asleep, hand in hand.

TBC...please feel free to throw out what you think should happen next. Oh, and thanks for the reviews guys!