Natalie had finished moving her things into David's spacious, beautiful house. The other workers didn't care; in fact, they treated her with specialty. It was odd to be waited on by her fellow employees, but that's what happened, because David wanted them to. Natalie felt herself expanding every day now. David claimed it was just her imagination, because there was no visible difference—not yet—but she knew it was happening. If people had thought she was chubby before, they'd think it ten times worse in just a month. She didn't really mind, though, because David's love was continual and, right now, seemingly endless. Since she'd moved in, he'd already been out on three midnight-craving sprees, going to the grocery store at obscure times of night, buying her peanut butter crackers or blue Gatorade or Hubba Bubba. He joked the grocers were beginning to learn him by name, asking how Natalie was doing every time he came by.
Life seemed perfect, except she had a baby that'd change her life growing inside of her. David and Natalie hadn't discussed what would go on when the baby was born, but there were months and months for that. Right now, she could just relax into the moment, embrace the morning sickness, because she knew she had a boy—no, a man—who loved her, and that was all that mattered.
- -
John hadn't replied to any of Judy's calls, but that was only because he was aligning his thoughts. He'd gone through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining (well, he hadn't really gone through this, except telling God that he'd go to church if He fixed the whole situation, or erased it), depression, and right now, he was gently lowering himself into acceptance. He'd left a quick, short message on Judy's phone earlier that day, telling her not to freak out or call the wedding off—not yet. He'd invited her to dinner at his house in three days, because he figured he'd be fine by then—accepted.
There was just so much to feel, and it felt better tracking all these emotions by the 5 Stages of Grief. It was easy and made everything that he was going through seem normal. The way he'd torn up papers and and thrown things in the Anger stage, the way he'd sobbed endlessly for twenty-four hours straight in the Depression stage, and the way now, he was slowly beginning to feel all right. She'd apologized, and he'd felt enough feelings. Now, he just wanted her back, wanted to be the guy to give her that second chance that so many women and men wanted badly.
John always hated to be the bad guy. Why did you need to be? Anyways, a life without Judy seemed bleak and endless. He didn't want another girl. He wanted his favorite acting partner and beauty, Judy.
- -
Finally! Collin had been freed from what he called the "endless white hallways of Hell" and now, he was walking along the street that curved up into his apartment building. MJ happily held his hand, cuddled up next to him, loving the feeling of him walking. The only thing he had left to show of his ex-girlfriend's little episode was a little bandage on his forehead. But, other than that, he was perfectly fine.
"This," he said finally, as he began to unlock his door, "is it!"
He opened the apartment to the same as it had been, a little messy and dismal-looking.
"Oh," said MJ, a bit disappointing. To her eyes, it just looked like a little room of crud, but she didn't want to judge too harshly. Instead, she wordlessly let him give her the "Grand Tour" which was short, because the apartment was small and ugly.
"Well," she said finally, "it's… certainly interesting!"
"I know," sighed Collin, throwing himself onto the bed. "It's a craphole."
"Well… only a bit."
He laughed, and then pulled MJ down to lie next to him. He kissed her, and then shook his head, staring at the ceiling. "Could you help me fix it up?"
This was the most exciting thing she'd heard all day. "OH! Oh, please? Can I? Really?"
"Of course." He swept her up in his arms, kissed her, and they both felt the softness and sweet air of Cloud 9.
- -
"Adoption," he said blandly, looking at her from over the dinner table. "That's the option that seems to make the most sense!"
"What about that… 'artificial' thing? When it's like… artificially put in you?"
"I'm gonna stick with adoption as my choice."
She rolled her eyes. "Why? Why do you like adoption so fiercely?"
"I was adopted!" he cried. "You know that! And it worked out great for me."
"I guess." She looked off into the distance absently, poking her fork through the mashed potatoes without even realizing it.
"AURELIA!" cried Jamie. "If you want to adopt, let's get on it now. The earlier we start making resumes and whatnot, the sooner we'll have a baby. Okay?"
"Oh." She looked down at her plate, sighed, and then gave a low grumble of, "Fine."
"Yes!" He burst up from the table and sprinted out of the room, excitement written all over his face.
- -
Finally! Everything was settled. With barely any complaint from Aunt Susan, Karen's children were in another situation, and she was free, cruising down the road with the airport in her sights, two pieces of luggage in the back. She ran her fingers through her hair that she'd changed just an hour ago, when she'd gone to the hairdresser. Now, it definitely flipped at the end, making her whole face look more alive. The eyeliner made her blue eyes pop, setting off a drastically blue color that was beautiful. And, not to mention her lips, that had been cracked and ugly most of her lives—most unsuitable for kissing—which were now a beautiful pink color.
Finally, Karen rolled into the airport parking lot, finding a space easily because it was such a random time of day: 2:43. Her plane would be leaving in an hour and a half, headed to America. Who knew what wonderful things awaited there?
Suddenly, with a thump of her heart, she realized something: she'd driven her own car, and she was going away, possibly for months and months. Her own car. She doubted they let you leave it there for a month. On the point of hyperventilating, she glanced around at the leather interior that she'd been so proud of when she'd first bought it. But, she tried to calm her thoughts, resolving to immediately tell somebody as soon as she got in the building.
She sighed happily, taking her key out of the ignition. She could solve anything!
Inside, she found a worker almost right away. She waved him down. "Hello! Hi, okay, so my name is Karen, and I accidentally drove my car to the airport instead of leaving it at home, and I don't want to leave my car in the parking lot for the couple months that I'll be away… so, um, what do I do?"
The worker looked confused for a moment, obviously not ready for confrontation, but then collected his posture and said, in an elegant French accent, "Would you like to ship your car to wherever you're going? Or have the car taken to your house by truck?"
"Oh!" She thought for a moment, delighted at how easy it was. "Sure, how about you bring it back to my house? Yes, that would be fine."
"All right!" The worker smiled at her, and she returned it pleasantly.
And so it was settled.
- -
"I think it should be an outdoors wedding, with just the field and the grass and the world surrounding us. Wouldn't that be lovely?" grinned Mia, her eyes getting a dreamy, far-off look.
"Oh, but how could we set the right date? It might rain," sighed Harry cynically.
"We'll find a place nearby to go if there's rain!"
"We'll book two places?"
"Well, you don't have to book an outdoor field."
"Depends which one."
"HARRY!" Finally fed up, Mia stood, glaring at him straight in the eye. "Harry, stop this. I want a nice wedding, and you seem decided on an ugly, small one!"
"I've never liked big weddings."
"What, do they remind you of Karen? Everything reminds you of Karen. You're obsessed with her! Do you still love her? You promised me, when I was pregnant, that you didn't. But did you lie? I think you lied! You're a big liar, Harry!"
"That's not the case at all. I love you, Mia, or else we wouldn't be having this wedding or be living together at all. But what I'm saying is that I don't like big weddings. They bother me. The whole world witnesses this beautiful moment—it's like they're looking at a TV screen. They don't understand that it's a personal and wonderful moment for us, right?"
"You're making no sense at all."
"I just want a very small, unelegant wedding."
"Well, the bride is the one who's more into the wedding! This is a more important day for me than it is for you!"
"No! That's not true."
"Yes, it is. It's been true since the beginning of time! It's more important to the woman! It's the woman's day! She gets to wear that dress she's always wanted, gets to kiss the guy she's always dreamed of. Don't you understand?"
Harry's blank face stared back at her, and she gave out a scream of frustration. "HARRY, I AM SO SICK OF YOU!" she cried, and then turned and ran from the room.