Holly was now entering her third trimester. Work had gotten easier in that Roger had managed to avoid her almost completely. Not only had he stopped fighting her on everything, he'd largely transitioned into an "in name only" co-owner. He came in a few days a month, and Janet would always tell Amelia when so that Holly could avoid the office on those days.
She saw him briefly at Maureen's funeral and she tried to tell him that Ed wasn't the baby's father but he just looked through her and walked away.
Blake had called a few times since the funeral, but Holly hadn't called back. Ed had encouraged her to try to fix their relationship since "you never know what could happen, Holly."
She guessed that was true but she also was willing to risk it.
The person she spent the most time with was Michelle. If you had told her earlier that year that her best friend would end up being a 12-year-old, she would've laughed. And yet.
One night at 10pm, there was a knock on her door. She'd been dozing on the couch and jerked awake.
"Who is it?" she called through the door. She hadn't spent any time with Roger in months but she also knew the way that he would just pop up whenever she was least expecting it.
"It's me. Can I come in, Holly? It's cold out here."
"Michelle?" she opened the door. "Sweetie, it's so late. What are you doing here?"
"Dad's on a date."
Michelle's face was blotchy and swollen from crying.
"Are you sure? Your dad has a lot of women friends."
Michelle gave her a scornful stare. "Does he generally kiss his `women friends'?" Disdain dripped from every word.
"I…guess probably not."
"Mom's only been dead for a few months. I hate him, Holly. And I hate that he can get a new wife so easily but I can't ever get a new mother."
"Michelle, I don't think he's trying to replace your mom. No one ever could, and everyone who knew your mom knows that. You don't stop missing people; that's not how it works."
"But if he has to be with someone, why can't it be you?"
Holly was getting emotional whiplash.
"That's not…your dad and I don't think of each other like that. We're much better as friends."
"But you're great and you don't treat me like I'm a baby or like I'm…like an inconvenience or whatever."
"Michelle, I'm sure your dad won't end up with someone who's awful. I know this is hard for you; I would hate it, too. But please give this poor lady a chance. Who is it, anyway?"
"Eve Guthrie." Michelle said the name like it was poison.
"She seems nice," Holly said.
Michelle stared at her in disbelief. "Holly. She's horrible. She looks at me like I'm a bug. But if my dad's around, she's so fake. `Michelle! How's school going?' `Michelle! We should go get manicures!' I hate her, Holly. She's the worst."
"Yes. I've often thought that someone taking me for manicures is truly a sign that they are deeply evil."
Michelle scowled at her. "It's not funny, Holly."
"It's a little funny. But it's fine with me if you stay here tonight."
Holly paused as a thought struck her. "How did you get here?"
"I took a cab."
"How did you have money for that?"
"I used my dad's account. I'm allowed to do that as long as I don't abuse the privilege." The way she said it made it clear that it was an argument she'd had with Ed before.
"Does he know you're here?"
"No," Michelle admitted, her voice quiet.
"Where does he think you are?"
"Home asleep, probably. I snuck out."
"Michelle! We're calling your dad right now."
"I don't want to talk to him."
"You know you're going to have to at some point, right?"
Michelle crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.
"Fine. I'll call your dad. But Michelle, you're going to have to talk to him tomorrow. I'll be there when you do if you want me to be, but I promise you he's a reasonable man and he would want to know if you're hurt or upset."
Michelle just rolled her eyes.
Holly got a glass of water for herself and one for Michelle. Michelle just put hers down.
"I thought you reminded me of me but you're also quite a bit like my daughter, Blake."
"Would it help if I promised not to sleep with a guy you liked?"
Holly choked on the water.
"It would not. And don't talk like that. It's not funny."
(It was, but Holly was pretty sure Ed would blame her if Michelle came back with a newly developed sense of gallows humor.)
Holly grabbed the phone and gestured to the couch. Michelle sat down, then picked up the remote, idly changing channels.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Ed. It's Holly."
"Hey, Holly. What's going on?"
"Michelle's here."
"No, she's upstairs asleep."
Holly rolled her eyes. "Ed, she's right here. I'm looking at her."
Michelle muttered "See?"
"Can she stay here tonight? And then maybe tomorrow the three of us can have a talk?"
"Can I speak to her?"
"Hold on." Holly held the phone out to Michelle, who shook her head.
Holly held the phone out more firmly.
Michelle refused to take it.
Holly gave in. "She's…already asleep?"
Michelle snickered.
"Right. Okay. Well, when she wakes up, tell her that I'll be at your house first thing tomorrow and she'll be ready to go home then. We can have the conversation first, whatever that's about, but then she's coming home with me."
"I'll let her know, but if it could be sometime after 9, that would be great. Thanks, Ed."
Holly hung up and related the conversation to Michelle.
"I don't want to go home tomorrow!"
"Michelle, do you know what they call it when you keep a child that you're not related to? That's kidnapping and it's a felony."
"Ugh. Fine."
"There are spare pajamas in the guest room. They might be a little big on you but they should work."
"Thanks, Holly."
"You're welcome. It'll work out with your dad, I promise."
Michelle shrugged, then went into the guest room and closed the door.
Holly went into her own room and stretched out on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She put a hand on her stomach and murmured "I have to be crazy to be doing this."
She woke up the next morning to Ed knocking on the door.
"I thought we agreed on 9," she groused.
"Michelle, get out here, please," he called.
There was only silence coming from the guest room.
Holly exchanged a glance with Ed.
"Michelle?"
Still nothing.
She tried the door. It was locked.
"Damn it, Michelle," Ed muttered. He kicked the door open.
The room was empty but the window was open. The borrowed pajamas were on the unmade bed.
"She can't have been gone for too long," Holly said. "The room's not that cold."
She ran a hand through her hair and tried to think. "Should we drive around and look for her or stay here in case she calls?" Holly asked. "Wait. She took a cab here. You may also want to call the taxi company, see if she called them."
"Jesus Christ," Ed muttered. "I'm going to kill her."
"She's smart and resourceful. She's fine, Ed. I'm sure she is."
"I have my cellular phone. Why don't you call Fletcher and Vanessa, see if Ben and Bill have seen or heard from her. If you hear anything, you can call me."
After he was gone, she started making calls. No one had seen or heard from Michelle. Vanessa said she'd call other friends of theirs and would report back.
Finally the phone rang. She answered before it was done with the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Holly?"
"Michelle? Where are you? Your dad and I are worried sick."
"Um, don't be mad, okay?"
"No one's mad at you," Holly lied.
"I'm at the hospital."
Holly almost dropped the phone.
"Are you okay?"
"I am. But Mr. Thorpe isn't."
