A/N: Thanks for the reviews. There are a few things that need fixed in the first 3 chapters. Anyone else notice my overuse of the phrase "old times"? Anyway, enjoy.

Chapter Three: Mary Anne

I was trying to find more Kleenex as Claudia urged us not to feel sorry for her. Of course, as she described her ordeal, I cried like a baby. I managed to calm down and get something to eat. As we settled in to our different snacks, I realized that it was my turn to reminisce.

"Well, I guess it's my turn," I said. "You know most of it, it's pretty boring, but I'll tell it anyway. After high school, I attended New York University as an education major. I had intended to teach kindergarten, but my first semester, I took an elective called 'Sew What?' I loved it and I was glad to finally have an opportunity to really learn the different techniques. I changed my major to home economics education. I was so happy. College was a lot of fun, even though I didn't get to see you guys a lot. If Stacey hadn't been my roommate and dragged me to all those parties, I might not have made new friends, but I did. The one dark spot was Logan not being around. The University of Kentucky seemed like a million miles away.

We tried so hard to make the long-distance thing work. We'd email, use an instant messenger, even some phone calls between classes. Between our courses, my sewing club, his sports teams, and the general pressure started to get to us. We were still determined to keep our relationship alive. When I came home for Christmas my sophomore year, it seemed like Logan and I had never been apart. We had a lot of fun celebrating the holidays; I gave him the leather jacket he wanted and he surprised me with a sapphire bracelet. When we kissed at midnight on New Year's Eve, I never felt surer of our commitment to each other.

Then, about a week later, right before Logan left to go back for the spring semester, he called and asked me to meet him at the Rosebud Café. I happily agreed, thinking he wanted one more memory before heading back to school. When I arrived, he was already there, waiting for me in back booth. I noticed he hadn't ordered anything, which was unusual. He would still eat half of my dinner when we went out, so I was immediately wary. As I sat down, Logan looked up at me. Before I could say a word, he took a deep breath and blurted out 'MaryAnneIdontthinkitsagoodideaforustoseeeachotheranymore!'

I blinked for a moment and said, 'Could you repeat that, please? A little slower, perhaps?' He was silent for a second and said 'Mary Anne, I don't think it's a good idea for us to see each other anymore.' My heart turned to lead and sank into the pit of my stomach. 'Why?' I cried, my eyes instantly welled up and my voice breaking. He looked at me sadly and said, in that dreamy drawl that I loved even as he stomped on my feelings, 'Because it's really hard to be so far away. We've been together for almost seven years, and I really think we need to move on. I wish there was an easier way to do this, but I can't find one. I'm really sorry.' With that, he got up and walked out of the restaurant. I sat there, bawling into a napkin. Somehow, I managed to pull myself together enough to drive home.

I dragged myself up to my room, not caring that I was bumping into walls. I don't remember much about the next four days, except that I somehow got everything packed to go back to NYU. Stacey and I got back to the city and into the rhythm of school. Having a routine really helped me move on. I still cried every time I saw couples enjoying themselves. When Cam Geary came out with a new movie, I couldn't pass a poster without reaching for the Kleenex. One day, in late March, I hurried into a campus coffee shop, desperate to get out of the rain. I bumped into someone and as I started to apologize, I looked up. My knees turned to jelly and I thought my heart was going to leap out of my mouth. 'Logan?' I squeaked.

He laughed. 'I haven't been called that since his mom and dad moved to Connecticut, Mary Anne!' I started breathing again, having stopped when I thought I walked into Logan. 'Lewis!' I cried, 'what are you doing in New York City? I thought you went to UK too!' 'Well, I did, but I decided I needed more excitement. Besides, NYU has a much better pre-law program. I didn't know you went here! Logan only said you went to school in the city, but never said which one.' I sighed and rolled my eyes. 'I guess he didn't tell you we broke up?'

Lewis bit his lip, looking uncomfortable. 'I kinda knew that when he emailed me, telling me all about this blonde bimbo he was going out with. I think he started dating her just before Valentine's Day. I asked what happened between you two and he just mumbled something about needing space.' I stood there silently, letting the news sink in. As I fought to keep my composure, Lewis put his arm around me. 'What do you say we go out for dinner tonight? We can catch up on all the good stuff, you can tell me what Dawn's been up to since she's a terrible penpal, and then maybe we can catch a movie. Are you still a Cam Geary girl?' I shook my head. 'No, not anymore, but I'm sure we can find something we both want to see.'

From that rainy afternoon on, Lewis and I were inseparable. I spent countless hours obsessing over the reason I liked him. I was afraid it was because he was a different version of Logan. Stacey helped me realize that he wasn't Logan, that he was Lewis and that I liked him because he was a wonderful guy. Logan was good to me, but he always seemed to want to protect me. Lewis realized I was my own person, with inner strength and he encouraged that. After even more late-night soul-searching, I realized I didn't just like him. I loved him.

When summer break came, Lewis got a job in the city, working as a clerk in a law firm. It wasn't glamourous, but it would be good for his education and he was closer to me. He came up for the Fourth of July and after we had eaten more than our fair share of barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, and watermelon, we went to see the fireworks. As the first showers of color burst into the sky, Lewis pulled me close.'

'Mary Anne,' he drawled, 'I have something important to tell you.' My heart fluttered, wondering if this was the moment I had been waiting for. And it was. 'What is it, honey?' I asked, keeping my voice steady. 'Mary Anne,' he said, 'I love you. I was afraid to tell you, since I know how serious you were with Logan, but I had to tell you.' I threw my arms around him, my eyes brimming with tears of joy. 'Oh, Lewis! I love you, too!' We snuggled closer to each other and watched the most beautiful fireworks display ever."

I paused for a drink of my cola. The girls all looked at me, rapt with attention. I know they were surprised when I called to tell them Lewis and I were engaged, since they thought we were just good friends. I swallowed some more soda and cleared my throat. "You know the rest. We married on July 4th the year we graduated. I got a job teaching middle school home ec while Lewis went to law school by day and drove a cab by night. Finally, after he got his degree, he was accepted into Waters, Walters, and Whittaker, the big firm in Stamford. We moved up here and I started substituting at Stoneybrook Academy. When the sewing teacher at SHS retired, I applied and got it and I've been there ever since."

I jumped up and grabbed an album out of my tote bag. "I brought the latest pictures of Tara! Isn't she the cutest two-year old?" Dawn reached eagerly for the book, hungry for every snapshot of her niece. As everyone crowded around her, oohing and aahing, I helped myself to another slice of pizza. "Mary Anne!" Kristy cried, "That's like, your fifth piece!" I shrugged my shoulders, watching everyone's face as they reached the last page of the album. "That's odd," Jessi said. "Why do you have Tara's sonogram picture at the end of the album?" Dawn looked up at me with surprise. "Is this what I think it is?" she asked. I nodded. "Oh, Mary Anne!" she squealed. "When are you due?"

"May second. I'm just about two months along," I answered. My friends kept passing around the picture, looking at it in awe. "Okay, okay," I said, cutting in to their chatter. "I'm not the only one with a story to tell. Ms. Treasurer, would you like to go next?" Stacey grinned at me. "I don't have much choice, do I?" she asked. "Nope," I replied.