Abby has been thinking about everything that happened the night before. She couldn't believe that Randy still cared about her. That he still wanted her around. He was exactly like she wished and it scared her. People's fantasy lives don't become reality. Hers was coming true and she was terrified. Her happily ever after was coming to her and she didn't feel like she had earned it.

"Princess, where you at? I'm hungry."

"I'm coming. Are you joining us for breakfast?"

"Yeah, since I hear our time together is short."

"He told you."

"Yeah."

"And?"

"And what? Do I think of you differently? Yes, I do."

"I knew you would."

"Now every time I look at you I am even more amazed at brave and strong you are."

"Really?"

"Would I lie to you?"

"You never have."

"And I never will. Let's go eat. Orton, come on we're starving over here!"

"You guys go without me, the boss needs to see me."

"OK, we'll meet you at the arena. Let's go, baby girl."

"Princess, tell me are you excited about your new job and place?"

"Neither of which do I have yet but yeah kind of. I'm more scared than anything."

"Why are you scared?"

"Because I don't know if I can make it on my own. As awful as Brad was to me I didn't have to support myself. Then I fall into Randy's lap and he takes full responsibility for me. I've never had to support myself. I went from foster care to Brad and from Brad to Randy."

"I know you're scared but you're going to do great. Do you know what job you want?"

"Not really. I figure I'll wait tables or something for awhile and go back to school. Probably one of those online programs."

"That's a good plan. I'm proud of you Abby. You know what you want and you are going after it."

"Do you know what Randy wanted to talk to me about?"

"Don't you?"

"No, just tell me."

"I can't, not mine to tell. Answer me a question. Why this sudden urge to get away from us?"

"It's not that. I don't want to get away from you. It's just"

"What? Come on you can tell me."

"It's him. I gotta get away from Randy!"

"Why?"

"It's complicated."

"Come on baby girl. Maybe I can help."

"OK. I used to fantasize that Randy would come and save me."

"Where's the complicated part?"

"It's coming. I think I might have feelings for Randy."

"OK."

"Don't you get it? I think my feelings might not be real."

"Huh? Are you feeling them? Then they're real!"

"But John, I'm scared. What if I've convinced myself to feel that aren't real. In my fantasy we fall in love and I don't want to project what I want onto Randy."

"Who are you Dr. Phil? If you want to leave to see if you can make it on your own, I'm cool with it. If you are running away to avoid something that you and Randy should talk about, then I cant' let you go."

"Talk about what? We don't have anything new to say. And I've never been on my own. I owe myself the chance to find out if I can support myself."

"OK, baby girl. But we're going to miss you like crazy. And you know I'm coming to see you whenever I can."

"I know. I'm glad."

"Let me ask you one more question."

"What?"

"Be completely honest. Could you see your relationship with Randy being more than friends."

"I think about it all the time, but I can't force Randy into something he doesn't want."

"How do you know what he wants? You won't talk about it."

"John, let it go."

"OK, but you're being stupid."

"There you guys are, you weren't back after my meeting, so I came to find you."

"Sorry, Randy. We were talking and lost track of time."

"It's OK it gave me some time to make some phone calls."

"Calls to who?"

"My sister."

"Why'd you call her?"

"She's a real estate agent. And she found you a place to live and a job."

"Really, where and doing what?"

"In downtown St. Louis in the Steins-Broadway Condominiums. And the job is answering phones in her office."

"How much?"

"I don't know, but she said your salary would be enough to cover it."

"What about appliances?"

"Included, it's three bedrooms, two and a half tiled baths with hardwood floors."

"What about furniture?"
"We'll have to buy some."

"That's a good deal baby girl. How soon can she move in?"

"My sister said if Abs wanted the condo she'd fax the contracts to the hotel today."

"Really? That's great! Call her and maybe by your next day off I'll be able to move in."

"That soon?"

"Yeah, that's sounds like a great place and I don't want to lose it."

"She's right Randy."

"I know. We can have your furniture shipped after we buy it. That way there won't be a hold up for you to move in."

"The delivery people won't know where I want stuff."

"No worries. My sister will let them in and they'll put the stuff in the right rooms. When you move in John and I will put it where you want it."

"That sounds great. Thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad you're happy."

Yo, baby girl remember what I said. I'll see you two later."

"Bye, John. What was he talking about?"

"Uh.. nothing. Don't worry about it."

The closer moving day got the more nervous Abby became. She noticed that John had been hanging around less and less. Abby was confused by his absence.

"Randy, have you seen John?"

"Not lately. He's probably just sad. We're really going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you guys to. Stop acting like you'll never see me again." "Going from seeing you everyday to a couple times a month is going to suck."

"Yeah, but we knew this arrangement wouldn't be forever."

"You're right. I hope he doesn't think he's getting out of helping me move your furniture tomorrow."

"Go to sleep Randy we got lots to do in the morning."

Randy lay awake for a long time. He wasn't excited about the next day. He knew how much he was going to miss her. He already regretted not telling her how he felt. Maybe if she knew how he really felt she wouldn't be leaving. Now it was to late to tell her. He didn't want his admission to seem like some ploy to get her to stay. No matter how much he wanted her to stay he knew he had to let her go.