A/N:
I don't really like this chapter but I have back to back exams and I'm trying to redo another story at the moment. So yeah maybe one day I will change this chapter I do not like but for now the show must go on…
*This has not been edited so sorry for that in advance.
Disclaimer: I do not own Faking It or any of the characters.
"I never saw this coming."
"Me neither."
Amy and Lauren lay side by side on Lauren's king sized bed. Both were looking straight up, watching the wings of the ceiling fan above the bed spin and spin and spin.
"I haven't said her name in four months." Lauren stated quietly. "Do you notice that I barely say your name?"
"Yes." Amy didn't have to think about; her name hadn't left Lauren's mouth in a long time.
"Why did I do that? Why the hell did I give the kid your name?"
"It was only a middle name."
Lauren chuckled. It was a hollow sound, Amy barely thought of it as a laugh. "It was a middle name, a nickname. It became all of her."
"You didn't know." When Lauren doesn't respond, Amy repeats herself. "You didn't know." And then she says it as it truly is. "It wasn't your fault."
"I know." Lauren states bitterly.
"Madison." Amy states and Lauren tenses immediately.
Amy doesn't know why she's pushing Lauren now. She hasn't pushed since the baby's non-funeral several months ago. They dressed the baby in a nice gown and dropped her into a deep dark hole. Of course, it wasn't quite like that. However, the look on Lauren's face as they lowered the tiny casket into the grave said something different. Said she was throwing her baby away instead of putting her to rest.
"Don't."
Amy sits up and faces Nick who stands in the bedroom doorway.
"Nick." Amy says, more like pleads.
Nick's face is flushed pink and his eyes are brimming with tears.
"Nick." Amy repeats softly.
He doesn't say a word as he climbs into the bed to lay beside Lauren. Amy lays back down.
"How's the Joint?" Amy asks after a few seconds. She knows that there is no need in continuing the conversation as it was before. What would be the point? The two would only avoid.
"Good. We're starting a new line of soups, it going to be great." Nick replies. His body is now wrapped around Lauren's, his hand rubs her back gently.
Lauren scoffs and Amy flinches; the sound doesn't hold Lauren's usual bite. "If the new chef can pull his head out of his ass."
"Oh honey…"
"So how's Lauren doing?"
It's a simple question that Karma asks but still it's one that drives Amy up the wall. She knows, just knows that she been asked the same question at least 200 times in the last couple of months.
"Her baby died, how do you think she's doing?" Amy snaps. She doesn't really mean to be so harsh but at the same time she's so tired of being asked the same stupid question over and over again.
"I didn't mean t-."
Amy places a hand over her eyes and sighs deeply. "I know. I'm sorry, it's been a bit stressful lately."
In the background, Amy can hear Karma's 2-yeard old son William (affectionately called Lilamb by his mother) singing loudly while banging happily on what sounds like a toy xylophone. The little boy was a red-headed ball of energy who had his mother's good looks and his father's charm. Hearing the boy makes Amy wince. She was very glad she had decided against visiting Karma's house.
"I can imagine. I mean if I woke up one morning and my little Lilamb was…I'd…I hope Lauren finds some peace. Probably not any time soon but she deserves to have some kind of happiness after this."
"Me too. I have to go. A new patient's coming in a few and I should probably be prepared."
"Okay. Call me later?"
"Yeah." Amy tells the lie easily.
"Great." And Karma takes it even though she knows as well as Amy that there will be no phone call later.
Amy ends the call and shoves her cellphone in the case attached to her waist roughly. She sits at her desk quietly, listening.
It's noon. And Amy is waiting for the familiar click of Lauren's heels in the hall leading to her office. She's waiting to hear her step-sister's growl as she bursts through Amy's door.
She'd say something like. "It's noon, I'm hungry. Get your ass out here so we can get some lunch!"
Or Amy's personal favorite: "I know Shane's in town. He better not be invited."
But Amy knows that it's not coming and she was almost certain that she'd never hear the sound again. So when the door to her office slams open and she sees a red, furious looking Lauren standing in the threshold, she gasps.
"Lauren? Are you okay?" Amy asks worriedly. Lauren hadn't been to the office in months and rarely met Amy for lunch these days.
"No." Lauren stated blandly before walking into the office and plopping into the chair before Amy's desk. There's a small, hesitant smirk on her face. Like she's trying to keep it there.
Amy looks away from Lauren. At her desk, at the papers messily spread across her desk, at her hands. Just anywhere that isn't Lauren or the forced smirk on her face. "I guess I already knew that."
"Yeah you did. So let's not ask that question anymore, okay?"
Amy looks up then, there's a smile on Lauren's face. It's small but genuine. "Okay."
Lauren stands, smile growing. "Now how about some lunch?"
"Actually I kind of made plans with Shane for later." Amy grins when she notices Lauren's scowl. It looks hard and disgusted.
"Ditch his ass!"
"Yes ma'm."
As they left the office, Amy silently prayed that things were getting better and that her sister wasn't just burying her feelings. But Amy knew Lauren and Amy knew better.