Boys Don't Cry

Chapter: 5

Rating: R

~New York~

After Lou stormed out, not unfoundedly, it took Mary a while to emotionally calm herself down. She took a nice, long, hot bath and then she and Rhoda decided to get out of the house and do some shopping. Mary bought some much needed maternity clothes and some flat heeled shoes. Rhoda was busy shopping for her perfect dress which took them countless stores to find. They sat down for a late lunch at a small café.

"Who did you buy the dress for?" Mary asked. "Phillip?"

Rhoda just shook her head. "I bought it for myself." she said. "It was practically screaming my name."

"It certainly is an interesting color." it was somewhere between orange and yellow. Something only Rhoda could pull off. "I thought maybe Phillip was going to take you out dancing again."

"Uh, I don't know, Mare, he wasn't really my type." she said. "I mean we had a good time, but I don't really think it's going to go anywhere."

"Who says it has to go anywhere?"

"I just want something a little more serious, you know?"

"You don't think things could turn serious?"

"No." she "He's very into himself."

"I dated one of those guys." she said. "His name was Paul, he was a ski instructor."

"Yeah?" she asked. "What happened?"

"We had a really good time together." Mary told her. "But that's about it, he was really into his skiing and it was difficult to make conversation about anything else."

"How long did you see him?"

"A couple months."

Rhoda arched an eyebrow. "Why did you keep seeing him then?"

"You really need me to tell you?"

She smiled. "No." she replied. "I think I know where you're going with it."

"He was a romantic though." she told her. "Is Phillip the romantic type?"

"Not at all." she took a drink of her water. "He's kinda dumb actually. I don't know if I could put myself through another date with him."

"There's this new guy, Marc, at the station. He's smart and witty and handsome." Mary told her. "Why don't you let me set you up with him?"

"If he's so great then why don't you date him?"

"I think that's rather obvious."

"Uh, I don't know, Mare." she said. "How handsome are we talking here?"

"Very."

Rhoda thought about it for a few moments. "I think you've convinced me."

"Good." she smiled. "I think you're really going to like him. Maybe you can wear your new dress."

"It's more of a fifth date kinda dress." she said. "Even I have standards."

"I never said that you didn't."

"No, that was Phyllis." she sighed. "Did you tell her you're pregnant? Because I bet she has a boatload of unsolicited advice for you."

"No, I haven't." she said. "I thought it would be funny to just show up heavily pregnant and surprise her."

Rhoda laughed. "I better go with you." she said. "Someone should be there to revive her." she wanted to shift the subject over to what happened earlier since things had calmed down. And now seemed as good a time as any. "Have you decided what to do?"

"About Lou?' she asked. "I thought I would give him a call sometime tomorrow. Maybe things would be better if we were able to talk over the phone calmly and collectively."

"Just give it time." she said. "There's absolutely no reason to rush through things. Eventually everything will fall right into place."

"I sure hope so, Rhoda." she said. "Because I want my child to have a father."

~Minneapolis~

Lou made his way into the bar. It was a fancier place than he usually frequented, but then again he was celebrating. Not only was he going to be a father again but the child's mother had just ripped out his heart and stomped all over it. And that was truly cause for celebration. For the first time in a very long time Lou Grant was defeated.

He sat down at the bar and ordered a double, no ice, it only took up space in the glass. He sipped it to the sound of piano music. He had gone through three before he realized it. When the music stopped he order yet another drink. A blonde lady came over from the piano and sat down beside him.

"I thought that was you." Charlene said. "I was a little surprised that you didn't come over and make a request."

Lou kind of half smiled. "I love whatever you play."

She smiled back at him. "I haven't seen you around in a while." she said. "Well at least since I got back. Where have you been hiding?"

"At the station, mostly." he said, taking a drink. "I usually drink at the bar there but tonight I thought I would come here and celebrate."

"Celebrate?" she asked. "You shouldn't celebrate alone, Lou."

"Would you care to join me?" he asked. "We'll celebrate together."

"Sure." she sensed that something was bothering him. And she knew that he wanted to talk about it. She ordered a drink. "So what is it that we're celebrating tonight?"

Lou looked down into his drink. "I just found out I'm going to be a father. Again." he said. "Isn't that fantastic news?"

"Wow." she said. "A baby, huh?"

"Yeah." he looked over at her. "In June."

"Congratulations, Lou."

"Thanks." he said, taking a drink. "It wasn't planned or anything it just sort of happened, you know?"

"I think that's common with pregnancy." she said. "If you don't mind my asking, who's the lucky girl?"

"Mary."

Charlene was a little taken aback. "Mary." she repeated. "Mary Richards?"

He nodded. "Yes." he replied. "We were kind of dating and then things fell apart and she left town. I actually just got back from seeing her in New York."

"Mary moved to New York?"

"Yeah." he replied. "She moved in with her friend Rhoda. I didn't even know that she was pregnant until I got there."

"She didn't tell you about the baby?"

"No." he took a drink of scotch. "She said that she was going to but she was just too hurt, I guess it didn't matter to her how I felt. I guess I'm allowed to be stomped all over because I'm a man and I can take it."

"I gotta say Lou that doesn't sound like Mary at all."

"New York has changed her." he said. "I mean she was always independent before but now she's ready to conquer the world. She even works for CBS."

"Maybe she's hurting too." Charlene suggested. "Pregnancy is a fairly big adjustment. Especially for a single woman."

"I tried my best into talking her into coming back with me." he said. "I offered to marry her, I told her I wanted to do the right thing. I want to be involved with the baby."

"I think that's where you made your mistake." she said. "You automatically put pressures on her to conform her into what society says she has to be. You don't offer to marry someone, your propose the idea to them. Mary didn't want to hear that you wanted to do what was right, she wanted you to speak from your heart."

He thought about it for a few seconds. "I guess you're right." he said. "But I just found out about the baby and then I felt like she was rejecting me, like she didn't want anything to do with me. It was a lot to take all at once."

"Maybe the two of you just need to let things calm down." Charlene took a drink of her martini. "Mary's a smart, levelheaded, intelligent girl. I'm sure once she sorts her emotions out that everything will be fine."

"Uh, I don't know about that." he said. "I kinda walked out on her. I don't think she's going to want anything to do with me for a very long time."

"Why don't you start by calling her and apologizing?"

"She'll just hang up."

"At least she'll know that you're trying." she said. "Send her flowers or chocolates. There are lots of things that you can do to show her you care. Even if you are miles apart."

Lou smiled, a bit of confidence coming back. "Yeah, I guess I could do that."

"Women like romance." she said. "Even pregnant ones." she took a sip of her drink. "How did this whole thing with Mary start anyway?"

"Well it started one night after drinks." he told her. "It was a casual sort of thing at first and then we started dating, but still saw other people at the same time."

Charlene nodded. "So you weren't in a serious relationship at all."

"No." he breathed out. "We didn't think we could carry on a relationship like that."

"But now that she's pregnant you suddenly do?" she asked. "What's changed so much between then and now to want to marry her?"

"Did you miss the part where I said I got her pregnant?"

Charlene laughed a little. "No." she replied. "But do you understand what I'm saying? A pregnancy is no reason to marry, Lou. If you want to build a relationship you have to do it before you get married, not after."

He took another drink. "I guess you're right."

"I know I am." she said. "Do you love her?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Are you in love with her?"

Lou shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well I think that's something you should try and find out before you go around handing out marriage offers." she told him. "Everything will work out, Lou, just give it some time."

"I hope so."

"Come on." she said, getting up. "Come over to the piano and make a few requests. I'll play whatever you want to hear."

Lou picked up his scotch and followed her over to the piano. "What are you doing after your done here?"

"I didn't have anything planned." she said. "I'll be done at ten o'clock."

"Good." he said. "We'll have a late dinner."

tbc...