Mary and Andy drove home in silence. They were both too stunned to saw anything and Andy was worried about how this was affecting Mary emotionally. The last thing she needed was stress. They walked in the door and he helped her off with her coat. She turned around to face him and burst into tears.
He pulled her into his arms, "Honey, its okay."
She pulled back, "Damn it, Andy, it's not okay. I just told my daughter I didn't want her. Do you have any idea how hard that was for me?"
"Mary, I know it was." He said pausing before asking what he wanted to ask so it would come out right, "Did you really mean what you said?"
"I just told you I didn't." Mary said. She was exhausted.
"No, I mean to Paul and Susan. That you would take her?" He explained
She had said that without even thinking about how Andy would feel, "I did mean it. If her parents felt differently I would want her to stay with us."
"Mary, do you know what you're saying?" Andy asked, "It's one thing in theory to want to do that but to really take her in."
"Are you saying you don't want her to live with us?" Mary asked
"No, I didn't say that. I just wonder if you really thought about it." Andy said, "Look, let's at least go to bed and argue about this in there instead of standing in the foyer."
"Fine." She said walking past him down the hall to the bedroom
Mary changed again into her pajamas. Andy watched smiling at the sight of her rounded abdomen.
He really didn't know what to say. He had come to accept that Lexi was a part of both their lives. He supported Mary doing whatever she wanted to do with regard to a relationship with her and he hurt for her when it was abruptly cut short. But he didn't know how he felt about her living with them. It obviously wasn't going to happen but Mary obviously wanted it to, at least part of her did.
She got into bed beside him and he put his arm around her, "If taking her in made you happy, I would support you."
She leaned against him, "Well, it really doesn't matter. Her parents would never allow it. But I sure can understand how Lexi feels."
"Yeah, having to start over again. It can't be easy on a kid." Andy agreed
"Well, she's already losing her best friend. Bess is off to college in a few months." She thought about Rhoda and how much she wished she was here, especially with the baby coming. She wanted her son or daughter to know their Aunt Rhoda
Andy knew immediately what she was thinking, "When was the last time you talked to Rhoda?"
"A couple of weeks ago." She told him
"Then why don't you call her tomorrow? It might do you good. She has a way of cheering you up." Andy suggested
Mary pulled back and smiled at him, "How did I get so lucky?" She asked, "A loving husband, a baby on the way and a best friend who can always make me laugh."
He rubbed his hand over her swollen abdomen, "Well, as for the best friend part, I can't say. But the other isn't luck. You make it easy for me to be crazy in love with you." He felt the baby move under his hand, "See, Michael agrees with me."
"Michael?" She questioned arching an eyebrow, "I think you're confused. Her name is Abby."
THE NEXT MORNING
Susan knocked on her daughter's bedroom door. The previous night had been fitful for all of them. She had never seen Lexi so upset. She finally realized just how much Mary loved her. She could have easily told her she could stay with her but she walked away instead of wanting to tear a family apart. One she helped create by giving up Lexi in the first place.
She poked her head in, "Sweetheart, are you okay?"
Lexi was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. She had hardly slept all night, "I guess."
Susan sat on the end of the bed, "You want to talk about it?"
Lexi sat up and looked at her mother, "Why did she do it, Mom?" She asked, "All the talks we had she told me she wished she'd been able to keep me. She wanted me in her wedding and did so much to help me with wanting to be a journalist. Then she says something like that. I guess she didn't mean any of those other things she said."
"Honey, you have to understand that she's got a life with her husband, a baby on the way. It just wouldn't work."
"Yeah, a baby she actually wants." Lexi got up off the bed and went over to her desk, "She gave me this on my last day at the station." She said picking up the portfolio, "I just don't understand how I could have been so wrong about her."
Susan couldn't take it anymore. Her feelings about Lexi having a relationship with Mary were not worth seeing her in so much pain, "Lexi, she didn't mean what she said."
Lexi looked at her, "What?"
Susan sighed, "After you stormed upstairs she told us she wanted you but she didn't want to interfere in our lives. She thought if you left here thinking she didn't care you'd get over it and it would be best for everyone."
"She really said that?" Lexi asked, "So she really wanted me to stay with her?"
"Yes, now I don't know how her husband would feel but she wanted you then and she wants you now." Susan said having to look past her own pain
"But you still won't let me stay." Lexi said, "Can I at least see her before we leave?"
"Your father and I have talked it over and we don't see any harm in that."
Lexi smiled, "Thanks, Mom." She looked around the room, "I'm going to miss it here. I never liked living anywhere as much as I like it here. Not just because of Mary but because I made the best friends I've ever had here and of course, Brian."
Susan got up and went to her daughter putting her arms around her, "I know, honey, I know."
A WEEK LATER
Andy was putting the crib together in the nursery while Mary was preparing dinner. She took the casserole out of the oven to let it cool and went to check on his progress. It was slow. She couldn't help but laugh.
"Maybe you should have taken Mr. Grant up on his offer to help." She said standing in the doorway
"I've got everything under control, Babe." He said clearly in over his head, "But these instructions are lousy."
She walked over and looked at them, "Uh, sweetie, that's Japanese."
"Haha, I know that, English is on the other side. Neither one make sense."
"Right, well, we've got about two and half months, you should be able to figure it out by then." She patted him on the back just as the doorbell rang, "I'll get it. I just took the casserole out of the oven so we'll eat in just a minute."
She walked down the hall and opened the door to find Lexi and her parents on the other side, "Lexi, what are you doing here?"
"Mom and Dad said I could come say good bye. We leave in a couple of days." She told her
"Well, come on in." she pulled the door back and they stepped inside
"Alright, Babe, I give up." Andy came walking down the hall, "Would it impugn my masculinity to call Lou and..."
"Honey, Lexi's here to say good bye." Mary told him
"I'm sorry if we're interrupting anything." Susan said
"Oh, not at all. Andy was just trying to put the crib together." Mary said, "Why don't we talk in the living room?"
They made their way into the living room and Mary and Lexi sat next to each other on the couch, "Mom told me what you said after I kind of acted like a brat and ran out of the room."
"Honey, I didn't want to hurt you." Mary told her
"I understand now. I just really wish I could stay. I'm really gonna miss my friends, and Brian…and you."
"I know you will and I'm going to miss you like crazy, too. But we can write and talk." She told her, "Listen, I've got something for you. I'll be right back."
"You don't have to give me anything, Mary." Lexi told her
"I know but I want to." she said as she walked down the hall to the bedroom
In a few minutes she came back with a small black velvet box in her hand and sat back down next to Lexi, "This is something that's been in my family for a long time and I want you to have it." She opened the box revealing a beautiful silver locket
Lexi was stunned, "Mary, are you sure you want me to have that?
"Every girl in my family has had this handed down to them when they turn eighteen. But I won't see you on your birthday so I wanted to give it to you now." Mary explained
"But don't you want to keep it. I mean don't you want to give it to your daughter one day?"
"I am giving it to her." Mary said, "I want you to have it, Honey." She unhooked it and put it around her neck
Lexi hugged her, "Thank you, it's beautiful."
Mary held on for a while, "Boy, I really am gonna miss you." She pulled back, "But we'll write and call, huh?"
Lexi looked at her parents, "Can we?"
"Uh, no Lexi, I don't think so." Paul said, "Now let's go."
"But Dad…" She said
"Now Lexi, we let you say goodbye and now it's time to go." He insisted
They walked to the door and Mary and Lexi hugged one last time, "Lexi, I hope you know how much I love you, Baby."
"I know."
Mary pulled back, "Now, I want you to keep up your grades. Senior year is important."
"I know and I promise." She hugged Mary again, "I love you, Mary."
"Lexi, let's go sweetheart." Susan said
Mary watched as they walked out the door. Andy put his arm around her, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." She said wiping her eyes, "So, I guess we better eat before it gets cold." She headed down the hall into the kitchen
"Mary, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" He asked following her into the kitchen
"Andy, what do you want me to say…" She began but the doorbell rang again, "Damn it, who could that be?"
She walked past him to the door. She opened it and there stood Lexi with her parents, suitcase in hand, "What's going on?"
"Can we come in?" Susan asked
"Uh, yeah sure."
"Hey, what's going on?" Andy asked
"We've talked about it and even though this is very hard for us, we think Lexi would be better off staying here than having to move for just one year." Paul said
"You mean stay here, with us?" Mary asked
"If you'll have me." Lexi said
"Well, Honey, of course but this is a little…I mean we're not exactly prepared."
"Oh, the suitcase?" Lexi said, "I'm not moving in just yet. They don't leave for a couple of days."
"Did you know about this the whole time, Lexi?" Mary asked
"No, we went back to the car and they got out my suitcase and told me."
She looked at Lexi's parents, "Are you sure?"
"No, but we can see how much it means to her to stay here…for a lot of reasons." Susan said, "We realized how hard it would be for her and she only has one year until college."
"Lexi, are you sure this is what you want?" Mary asked, "Because things are going to be different. You'll have rules here just like with your parents. You'll have a curfew, chores. It will mean that our relationship will change."
"I'm okay with that, Mary. I wasn't upset about my parents' rules except the one about not seeing you. I just want to stay here with my friends and Brian…and you."
Mary looked at Andy, "Are you sure that you're okay with this?"
"Hey, why not, we'll have a live in baby sitter."
Mary looked at Lexi, "Well, if you're sure then welcome home, Baby." She hugged her
THE END
Stay tuned for the sequel tentatively titled Better Left Alone. Lexi is determined to fine Nick. Can Mary stop her from making a terrible mistake?