CHAPTER 17:

Jen had meanwhile pulled out all of her hair products that she owned from her dresser. She brushed through Fiona's hair, adding a curling mouse as she went through it. Eventually, the hair curled nicely and Jen added a shot of hairspray to hold it all together. "There you go. It looks good."

"If you insist."

"It does look good." Jen replied, putting her things away.

"It must be all those extra hormones of yours that make you so sentimental and wanting me to be happy."

"Well, enjoy it while it lasts. It's around five o'clock, happy hour is getting underway."

"Are you sure about this? I mean…my choices in men have never been…er…great."

"Fiona, I'm not expecting you to go out to find a man. I'm expecting you to go out and have some fun. If you find a man while having fun, then…it's a bonus. You just need to get out."

"I know…but after the whole Marcus thing…"

"I understand. But that was almost a year ago, and he and his sister are dead. We've got nothing to worry about." Jen reassured her, grabbing the car keys off the table. "Now, let's go before the traffic really backs up."

Fiona waved goodbye as Jen drove away from the bar. It was called the Fox and Hound and was obviously, owned by this so-called country club. Fiona strolled in and already, at six o'clock, there was a good amount of people filling up the tables. Fiona strolled over to the counter and sat on an empty barstool with no one on either side of it.

"Hello, what can I get for you ma'am?" The bar tender asked.

"Well…I've never been here before; a friend of mine suggested it. I think I'll start off with some dinner. Perhaps a bowl of chips?"

"All right, one order of chips coming up." The older man walked back into the kitchen and barked at the cook. He returned to continue drying off some glasses.

"So, you said you're new around here eh?"

"Yeah, my friend suggested I needed to go out for a night and have some fun…I haven't been out much since I had a bad break up."

"Ah, yeah, I get lots of those stories. How about this; your first drink is on the house."

"Oh thanks. I'm Fiona by the way."

"I'm Joe. I've been the barkeep here for ten years. All the boys of the country club know me. Anyway, what would you like?"

"I'll take a beer."

"Guinness it is then." Joe turned and began pouring the dark beer into a glass. He then went back into the kitchen and got the chips for this Fiona. "There you go. I'll keep your tab until the end of the night."

"Sounds good." Fiona began eating. She liked the atmosphere here and had a self-realisation that Jen was right, she did need to get out and have a bit of fun.

Jen returned home to find James had fallen asleep on the couch with the TV on. Jen smiled as she walked over to him. She laid down beside him, snuggling up nice and close.

"Hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"You were sound asleep."

"Yeah, I nodded off."

"I'm just glad all of our troubles are done and over with."

"For now."

"What do you mean?"
"I meant it more as in the baby has yet to be born and…"

"Obviously. I was thinking more of Erica Dane and the mafia and everything."

"Oh…"

"And now that you bring it up, I guess the baby too…" Jen sighed softly, resting her head on James' chest.

"Listen, Jen, I wanted to ask you this for a long time, and I know you have this place here but would you like to buy a house together?"

"Yes. James, I was wondering the same thing, but I didn't know if we should buy it before we have the baby or after?"

"I'm thinking before, you know, so that we don't have to be a bit crowded in here, especially with Fiona taking up the other couch." James explained.

"I agree. I suppose we should go look up houses in the area then?"

"Let's do it." James slowly sat up and took Jen's hand. He had not expected her to be so willing to move, especially six months pregnant.