It was Lexi's last day at WJM and Mary had planned a combination going away and birthday party since her birthday was only about a month away and she assumed she wouldn't be able to see her. The last couple of weeks had been hard for both of them. They tried to talk as much as possible while working but, of course, there was no real privacy. Everyone was gathered in the newsroom for cake and to wish Lexi well.

"Lexi, I hope you can come back and work here again. You've done a great job." Lou told her

"I hope so too, Mr. Grant. I really liked it here." Lexi told him and for a moment Lou thought if he closed his eyes he would have sworn it was Mary talking

"Well, I guess I better get going, I've got to meet Charlene." Lou said, "Good luck Lexi."

"Thank you." She said as he walked out the door

"Honey, I'll go get the car." Andy said knowing they needed time alone. He turned to Lexi, "Good luck, Lexi."

"Thanks, Andy." She said as he walked away

Everyone was gone now except for Mary, "Hey, are you sure you're okay?"

Lexi smiled weakly, "Yeah, I guess."

Mary put an arm around her shoulder, "Come with me." She led her into Lou's office, "I have something for you."

"But you already gave me a present." Lexi said puzzled

"That was from all of us." Mary informed her, "This is from me." She went behind Lou's desk and pulled out a big flat package and handed it to her, "I think this will come in handy when you start writing."

Lexi opened the package and smiled, "This is a portfolio, like real writers use."

"Yeah, you'll need it for when you start looking for a job one day." Mary told her

Lexi hugged her tight, "Thank you, it's great."

Mary held on to her for few seconds, "You're more than welcome, Honey."

Lexi reluctantly pulled back, "I guess I should go. Bess said she'd pick me up and take me home. She's probably waiting for me."

Mary brushed Lexi's hair behind her shoulder, "Yeah, I guess you should." She agreed, "Now, I want you to keep those grades up and follow your dream. I want to see your name in the New York Times one day."

Lexi nodded and smiled, "Okay, I promise."

Mary had been resisting breaking down but couldn't hold it in any longer. She pulled Lexi into a tight embrace and began to cry, "Oh, Baby, am I gonna miss you."

Lexi had begun to sob as well, "It's just not fair, Mary."

Mary gently stroked her hair and back, "I know, I know but your parents believe their doing the right thing and I want you to respect them, okay?"

Lexi pulled back and wiped her eyes, "I will but …will I ever see you again?"

Mary smiled, "Sure you will. Your parents may change their mind one day, maybe cool off a little."

"I hope so." Lexi said

"Me too." She said holding back more tears, "Now you need to get going."

"I don't want to go." Lexi said, "Then it's really over."

"Lexi please, just go." Mary said. She didn't know how much more she could take

"Okay." She said opening Lou's door, "Bye, Mary."

"Goodbye, Sweetheart." Mary said as she watched Lexi walk out of Lou's office and her life. As the newsroom doors shut behind Lexi tears pooled in her eyes and she uttered the words she wanted to tell Lexi all along, "I love you, Baby."

TWO MONTHS LATER

Mary was out shopping for a birthday present for her mother and had stopped in a small jewelry store in the mall. After she had picked out what she thought was the perfect watch for her mother she spent some time browsing in the department store. She hoped to be shopping in the maternity section one day soon but it wasn't happening yet, no honeymoon baby. She and Andy had decided not wait to try and have a baby, given their ages and that they hoped to have more than one. She was looking at scarves when she heard a familiar voice.

"Mary?"

She turned in the direction of the female voice and saw Lexi, "Lexi!" Still holding the scarf she was looking at she immediately went to Lexi pulling her into a warm embrace, "Oh, Honey, how are you?"

Lexi pulled back, "Okay, I guess. How are you?"

"Fine." Mary assured her and looked around nervously, "Is your mother here?"

"Uh, yeah, she's upstairs looking at shoes." Lexi informed her, "So I can't talk long."

Mary smiled, "So, how's school? Are you keeping your promise?"

"Yeah, all A's this so far this semester." Lexi said with a hint of pride

"That's terrific!" Mary said, "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks." Lexi said noticing the scarf in Mary's hand, "Hey, that's a great scarf. Are you gonna buy it?"

Mary looked at it, "I'm thinking about it but I'm not sure it's really good with my skin tone." She said, "It would probably look better on someone with your coloring." She held it up to Lexi, "Yeah, it really looks better on a blonde. I think I'll get it for Georgette."

Just then Susan came down the escalator and saw them, her anger rising. She walked over to them, "Lexi, go to the car!" she snapped

"But, mom…" She stammered

"I said go to the car."

Lexi just looked at Mary and walked away. Susan turned to Mary, "Thinking of buying that for my daughter?"

"No, actually it's a gift for someone else." Mary said calmly

"I want you to stay away from her." Susan told her, "We don't need your interference. How dare you talk to her when we've made it clear how we feel?"

Mary exhaled heavily, "Susan, she came up to me. Do you really want me to act like I don't know her if I see her? And this probably won't be the only time we run into each other."

"She doesn't need you. Everything was fine until you were in the picture. She wants to be like you, have a job like yours. She'd rather spend time with you than at home with us or with friends her own age."

"She's curious, Susan. She wants to know me, understand where she came from. She's grown up not looking like anyone in her family, maybe not understanding some things about herself. I know how much you love her but frankly she has questions that only I can answer."

"Well, you've spent enough time with her to answer them. Just stay away from her." Susan said again, "You're not her mother."

The words cut like a knife, "I know that, Susan." Mary said, "I know it every day of my life." She walked away before the tears began to fall

Mary collected herself and paid for the scarf and headed home. She walked in the door to find Andy doing what he did best on Saturdays, watching sports.

"Hi, Babe." He said looking from the couch into the foyer, "Did you find a gift for your mom?"

Mary put her bag down and hung up her coat, "Yeah I got her a nice watch she should really like and I found a scarf for Georgette's birthday next month." She joined him on the couch

He put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek, "Good, kill two birds with one stone. I'm glad it was a successful trip."

She leaned against him, "Yeah, I guess."

"You don't sound like you had a good time." He noticed she seemed tired, "I guess going by yourself isn't much fun. Shopping is kind of like sports, more fun with a group."

She laughed a little, "That's not it." She sat up and looked at him, "I saw Lexi, Andy. She was at the mall with her mother."

"Oh Honey." He pulled her into his arms, "I'm sorry. That must have been rough." He rubbed her back gently

She pulled away and wiped her eyes, "Well, she saw me and said something and we talked for a few minutes. Then Susan came up and ordered her to the car and proceeded to ream me for talking to her and oh so gently reminded me that I'm not her mother."

He wiped a tear away from her cheek, "Is there anything I can do to put a smile back on your face?"

Knowing she couldn't change anything she decided to try not to dwell on it and relax. She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Hmmm." She arched an eyebrow, "Make me some lasagna. I'm starved."