Sadie hummed along to a catchy pop tune on the radio as she slid trays of donuts into the big glass case built into the counter. She was feeling good today, more like her old self than she had in weeks, and it lifted her spirits considerably. It was a cool, breezy day on the beach which meant that the store was pretty dead. She and Lars had spent their morning ribbing each other good naturedly and watching Netflix on his laptop. It was perfect, the exact kind of day they used to have, back when things were still simple.

"Saddddiiiiiieeeee." Lars called, breaking her out of a daydream. "Earth to Sadie."

"Wha..?" She shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"I asked if you wanted something to drink." He told her, he was out on the floor, pouring himself a mug of hot water. Presumably for that nasty, bitter black tea he liked to drink.

"Coffee, lots of sugar." She requested, hopping on the stool by the cash register.

"Orrrr, you could have water." Lars shot her a disapproving glance.

"Lars!" Sadie whined.

"Caffeine is bad for the baby." He chastised. "How about some juice?" He crossed to the large cooler that held drinks, examining the selection.

"I don't like juice." Sadie complained. Lars waved away her complaints, reaching into the refrigerator for one of these peach-ginger drinks Sadie wasn't sure why they stocked.

"Here." He plunked it down onto the counter in front of her. "Probably shouldn't drink all of it though, it's pretty sugary."

"Sometime when I'm not pregnant, remind me to beat you up." Sadie mumbled, looking over the bottle.

"Yeah, sure. I'll definitely do that." Lars snorted.

The high pitched ding of the bell on the store's front door drew her attention upwards. It was Steven and his little friend Connie, money in hand and grinning widely.

"Hey guys, what's up?" She smiled brightly at them. They never failed to make her laugh when they came in and she could definitely do with a little humor lately.

"Connie's dad is taking us camping! He sent us to get snacks." Steven explained, holding up some bills.

"Do you have anything with marshmallows?" Connie asked, peering into the case of donuts.

"Nothing like that." Lars shook his head. "But we do have one with graham cracker bits, if you're going for a s'mores feel."

"Yeah!" Connie agreed. "Could we have three of those please?"

"Sure kid." Sadie smiled at Lars's uncharacteristically friendly attitude. She liked to see him being a little softer, more considerate towards the pair of kids that usually drove him nuts.

"We're going to get drinks!" Steven grabbed Connie's arm, dragging her over to the refrigerator while Lars wrapped their donuts in wax paper.

"Don't be so loud." Lars complained. However, it didn't escape Sadie's notice that the complaint was so mumbled the younger teens would never have been able to hear.

"Quit pretending you don't like Steven." Sadie lightly punched him in the arm.

"Catch Sadie!"

Out of the corner of her eye Sadie saw a bright flash of silver flying towards her. She was a moment too late to put her hands out and felt the soda can hit her squarely over the left eye.

"Oof." She gripped the counter in a bid to stay upright on the rickety stool.

"What the hell!" Lars hands were on her face in a second, examining the damage. "You're bleeding!"

"Oh my gosh! Sadie, I'm so sorry!" Steven rushed behind the counter.

"Hey!" Lars put out an arm to hold back the younger boy. "You just stay back."

"Lars, it was an accident." Sadie reached up to feel a large knot forming on her eyebrow. It stung and when she pulled away her finger there was, in fact, blood on her fingertips.

"He threw a fucking metal object at you."

"He threw an aluminum can." Sadie retorted. A napkin was suddenly shoved under her nose by a very distraught looking Connie. She took it gratefully, holding it gently to her face to stem the blood flow.

"What if you need stitches?" Lars complained, brushing the tips of two fingers against her lower eyelid. She hissed at the sharp sting the touch brought.

"We should put some ice on it!" Connie declared. "Do you have an ice machine?"

"In the back." Sadie put a hand on Lars's shoulder, gently pushing him in the direction of the break room.

"I am really sorry Sadie!" Steven told her. "Do you want me to heal it?" The teen suddenly licked his hand and held it out towards her face.

"That's okay Steven!" Sadie leaned back on the stool, trying to get away from him, or rather, his spit.

"Lars seemed really upset." Connie said softly.

"He's okay, he's just really spastic because of the bab….." Again, she was a second too late to save herself.

"Babe?" Steven grinned.

"Baby?" Connie clapped her hands excitedly.

Sadie sighed, knowing she was caught, ad nodded at the young duo. They broke out into excited screams.

"Sadie! You're going to have a baby?" Steven threw his arms around her just as Lars returned with a ziploc bag of ice.

"Cat's out of the bag." She told him with a tiny smile. They had never really talked about how they were going to break the news of her pregnancy and only now did it occur to her that they should have.

"It was going to happen soon anyway." He held the ice to her swelling eye as Connie and Steven flitted around them like overly excited butterflies.

"When is the baby due?"

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"What will you name it?"

"Are you married now?"

"Steven! You can't ask that."

"Oh, sorry…..But are you?"

"When did you find out?"

"Is it kicking yet?"

Eventually, Lars kicked the pair out of the shop so the he could clean up Sadie's cut and bruised eye before walking her home to explain the situation to Barb. The gentle kissed he placed over the injury before leaving that night sent a shock of pain through her head, but she didn't mind.