The next afternoon Don took Blanche to lunch at Beachcombers where they made their way through two seafood towers before going to a minor league baseball game at a stadium near the ocean.

"I played ball as a young man." Don remarked. They stepped into the batting cages. "I used to be rather good." He put on a helmet and grabbed a bat. He smiled over his shoulder. "Don't laugh."

Blanche smiled behind the cage. "I won't." She nibbled on a peanut and watched him strike out twice before hitting a respectable fast ball. She jumped and clapped for him, feeling like a fresh-faced teenager again.

"You wanna give it a try?" Don offered.

"Oh, I'm just terrible at sports." Blanche said.

"I'll show you how." Don urged.

Blanche put a peanut in her mouth before setting the bag down. She stepped inside the cage and put thr helmet on. "Oh, my hair." She took the bat and put it against her shoulder.

Don stepped behind her and put his hands on her hips. He pressed up against her. "Spresd your feet so they're at the edge of the mat." He put a hand on the small of her back and bent her at the waist ever so slightly. "Bend a little."

Blanche closed her eyes and licked her lips.

"Don't choke up on the bat so much." Don continued. He put his fingers on her hands and moved them apart. "Loosen your grip a little. Hold it like you're only going to direct it." His warm breath tickled her neck. Blanche thought she might pee herself.

"I'm gonna turn the machine on." Don said in her ear. His lips brushed briefly against her earlobe, he tongue shooting out to taste before going back in his mouth.

Blanche thought she might die.

Don turned to machine on and Blanche surprised herself by hitting a fast ball that made a satisfying cracking noise on her first try.

"That's the way!" Don cheered. "That's my girl."

Blanche smiled at him and dipped her head. "Hey, batter-batter." She swung the bat and hit another wicked curve. "Swing!"

They made their way back towards the parking lot of the community park.

"So, how long have you bern in Miami?" Don asked.

"Hmm, ten years, give or take." Blanche said. "When George retired we wanted somewhere warm and sunny so we sold up our Atlanta property and came here. Bought the house. Our younger kids finished up high school here a few years ago."

"My mother was from Miami so I've always had a connection." Don said. "I love it here."

"So do I." Blanche agreed. She leaned against the car and gazed up at him. "Are you gonna kiss me or not?"

Don smiled crookedly and pushed his hands through her hair on either side of her ears. "Has anyone ever told you that you have an adorable little nose?"

"Why, no." Blanche giggled.

"It's perfect." Don said. He leaned down and kissed her. This one nearly took Blanche off her feet. He kissed her with a hunger, with tongue, his hands warm on her head. She clung to his jacket front and kissed him back fervently.

Don pulled awsy breathlessly. "Too much of that and we'll get ourselves arrested in this parking lot."

Blanche stared up at him, her chest heaving, her blue eyes dark with desire. "I'm not sure I care."

"Do you like horses?" Don asked. "I have some friends with a horse farm and I thought we might go riding there sometime."

"I love horses." Blanche said.

"I'll make a plan with them." Don said. "They have a beautiful ranch, lots of bedrooms. Its a great trail to ride."

"It sounds wonderful." Blanche agreed.

"Let's go and get dinner." Don suggested. "How does a burger sound?"

Blanche's stomach gave a rumble. She laughed nervously. "Uh, wondeful."

Don smiled and opened the car door for her. "I like a woman who likes to eat. I hope you're not one of those Weight Watcher types always crunching celery." He shut her.

Blanche touched her belly gently. "Not for much longer."

Don got in and started thr engine. "I know an amazing burger joint a few miles from here."

They spent the rest of the day together. At sunset they heard a Spanish string band playing and found them under a gazebo.

A few other couples were dancing to the slow ballad they played. Don held out his hand and Blanche took it with a smile.

As they started dancing the guitarist from thr band started singing in a voice that was smooth and deep and seemed to reach the deepest level or emotion.

Blanche knew it was silly but she thought she might be falling in love with Don, despite only knowing him for two days.

"Don, I've really enjoyed getting to know you." Blanche said softly.

"I hope you're not giving me the brush-off, Blanche." Don chuckled.

"No, no." Blanche laughed. "No, I...I just wanted you to know that I'm really enjoying getting to know you."

"Me, too, Blanche." Don said against her hair.

Blanche felt something that made her feel absolutely lousy stir within her and suddenly she just wanted to go home and crawl in bed. "Don, I'm feeling kind of tired. Would you mind driving me home?"

"I've kept you out in the heat too long." Don said with concern.

"No, no, I think I'm just having one of those tired days." Blanche said quickly. She smiled nervously. "I'll feel better tomorrow."

"Of course, honey." Don said, escorting her to the car.

Blanche was quiet on the ride home. Don walked her to the door.

"You're looking a little peaked, Blanche, are you sure you're gonna be alright?"

"I will be if I can lie down." Blanche said with a small laugh.

Don gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow, honey."

"Bye." Blanche said softly. She let herself inside and sighed loudly.

"Hi, Blanche." Rose greeted. "Nice afternoon?"

Blanche rushed past her to her bedroom and shut the door.

Dorothy came out of the kitchen. "Was that Blanche?"

"I asked her how her day was and she ran to her bedroom." Rose said with concern.

They went down the hall after her. Dorothy knocked on the door.

"Blanche? Open the door." She knocked briskly. "Blanche, open the door or I will have Rose tell a St. Olaf story and another and another until you do."

The door opened and Blanche let them in. "Oh, come in if you must." She got back under the covers. "I feel terrible."

"Is it the baby, honey?" Rose asked. "Did something happen?"

"No, its Don." Blanche said.

"Don is the baby?" Rose puzzled.

"Shut up, Rose." Blanche muttered. "I was dancing with Don down by the beach and I suddenly felt so awful. Just awful. Like someone doused me with cold water."

"Why, honey?" Dorothy asked.

"Because I'm really enjoying knowing Don and I feel like this relationship could really blossom but what if I tell him I'm pregnant and he leaves me?" Blanche questioned.

"Ah, this is guilt." Dorothy said knowingly.

"No, this is Blanche." Rose said.

Dorothy gave her a hard look. "What you are feeling is guilt, Blanche. You know that its wrong not putting all your cards on the table now and you are feeling guilty that you're building a relationship on a lie."

Blanche jerked the covers over her head. "Oh, leave me alone."

"I won't and I will say I told you so." Dorothy said firmly. "I told you that you would regret not saying something and now here you are: in bed."

"She was going to wind up there anyway." Sophia called from the living room.

"I really, really like Don, girls." Blanche said painfully. "I know I need to tell him, it looks like we're going to see each other for a while, but I just can't. I'm a woman in her mid-40s having a baby and I don't even know who the father is. How does that make me look?"

"Well, blonde, blue eyed." Rose said helpfully.

"Mid-40s?" Dorothy remarked. "Blanche, some babies do not have fathers and that is not irregular these days. If he really likes you he won't judge you. He might break up with you but he won't judge you."

"I feel pathetic." Blanche admitted. "My clothes don't fit anymore, I'm tied all the time, I'm lying to a man I feel I could really come to love, and everytime I laugh I near 'bout pee myself."

"That's the best kind of laughter." Rose said brightly.

"Not when you're three months pregnant." Blanche said wryly. She sat up. "Girls, the truth is, I'm not sure its the right time to have a baby. Honestly, and I feel like garbage admitting it, but I'm not sure I really want this baby. Its really messing my life up. Why is it I meet a man like Don and I can't even do anything about it because of the baby?"

"Well, Blanche," Dorothy said gently, "have you considered your rights?"

Blanche stared at her in alarm. "Dorothy, are you suggesting that I...get rid of it?"

Dorothy shrugged simply. "You havd that right."

Rose hopped up, an expression of horror on her face. "Dorothy, are you suggesting she give the baby up for adoption?"

Blanche and Dorothy stared at her quietly.

"I was referring to abortion, Rose." Dorothy said frankly. "If Blanche doesn't want to have the baby or be pregnant then she could always have an abortion."

"Oh!" Rose exclaimed in alarm. "Dorothy, she can't do that, it would be wrong. She would be ending the pregnancy!"

"That's the point, Rose." Dorothy said simply.

"But, if she ends the pregnancy then she won't have a baby." Rose complained.

"The point, Rose!" Dorothy exclaimed irritably.

"But, Dorothy, that thing you said is so wrong." Rose stressed. "Doesn't the baby's life matter, too?"

"The mother's life matters more." Dorothy said firmly. "Rose, you won't change my mind on this, women's rights to their own bodies is the most fundamental right we have. We have to agree to disagree."

"Oh, Dorothy." Blanche sighed. "I'm not sure I could do that. I don't want this baby but I'm not sure getting rid of it is the right thing to do."

"Then you need to tell Don the truth." Dorothy counciled.

"Oh!" Blanche groaned. She buried her face in her pillow. "Just leave me alone. Both of you. Please just leave me alone."

"Come on, Rose." Dorothy said quietly.

They climbed off the bed and left Blanche alone to think.

Blanche turned the light off and rolled on her back. She put her hands against her belly. "Look kid, I know you fought all the odds to get yourself made but you picked a bad time. Its not that I hate you, I don't. If you'd been made about ten years ago I'd welcome you with open arms. But, its just a bad time for you to come into my life. I'm not married, I'm not even in a real relationship yet, I can barely afford my own life. You have to understand thst it isn't you. I don't have any ill-feelings towards you. You make me feel ill but I don't mind, particularly. I just can't be a mama right now."

She started crying. "So, maybe you'll forgive me if I decide that I don't wanna be your mama now. If I decide that I don't want to have you be my baby now. It isn't personal. You wouldn't have all that good of a time as my baby anyhow, if how my other babies have reacted towards me. So, I'm really doing the both of us a favor."

She pressed her hands into her belly and whimpered softly. "You should know I really would have loved you, though. I might not have been the best mama, but I'd have tried."

XXXXXXXX

"I want to thank you for coming with me, Dorothy." Blanche said gratefully. "I couldn't have done this alone."

Dorothy took her hand tightly. "Its what friends do, honey."

Blanche inhaled shakily, almost a whimper. "I can't believe I'm doing this. My mama would tan my hide." She laughed nervously.

"Its not about your mama, Blanche." Dorothy said. "Its not about me, or Rose, or Ma, it's about you and you only. If you're okay with your decision then that's what matters."

A smiling nurse in white scrubs came from thr back. She looked down at het clipboard. "Mrs. Bushman?"

Dorothy gave Blanche a questioning look.

"Mrs. Mel Bushman?" The nurse repeated.

Dorothy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Let's go, Mel."

Blanche rose and grabbed her purse. The nurse went through the door with Dorothy behind asking questions. Blanche stopped at the doorway and looked at the ground.

"Dorothy."

Dorothy turned. "Come on, Blanche." She held out her hand.

"I can't do this." Blanche whispered. She clutched bag to her stomach and backed away, shaking her head. "I can't."

Dorothy nodded and followed Blanche back to the elevators. "You don't have to do this."

Blanche braced herself against the cool metal of the elevator. "I don't know what to do, Dorothy."

Dorothy put her hand on Blanche's back. "You have time to think."

Blanche whirrled around and gave Dorothy a crushing hug. "Oh, you really are my best friend!"

"Forever and always." Dorothy promised. "Come on, I'll buy you some ice cream with pickles."

"Oh, thank you, Dorothy." Blanche laughed.

They boarded the elevator together.

TBC