April 28, 2030

We were all in the diner. The place was unusually empty for a mid-afternoon. I was sitting over in the corner in Bass's favorite booth. Miles and Bass were sitting at the counter. Miles had been drinking and his words were slurred, "Batman and Robin. Simon and Garfunkel. Hall and Oates."

"You're assuming they're both boys." Bass said with a smirk. It's been a while since Miles has been this drunk, but Bass seemed to be enjoying it. "What if they're both girls?"

Miles didn't miss a beat, rattling off more ridiculous baby name suggestions, "Daphne and Velma, LaVerne and Shirley, Monica and Eliza…"

Miles and Bass both stared off into space for a moment, lost in a memory. From the smiles on their faces, it was a very pleasant memory.

"LaVerne and Shirley – them I know, but who the hell are Monica and Eliza?" John Frye asked from the kitchen.

Miles grinned and his eyes sparkled. "Miami Beach, 2009. We were on leave, and we went to this place and there were these dancers – "

"Exotic dancers." Bass agreed with a grin of his own, "Like very VERY exotic."

"And we talked them into a little after party –"

I had heard enough. Clearly they had forgotten I was even there. "Please tell me you don't want to name our children after strippers?" I was glaring at them all as I got up. I wanted to stomp out, but it's hard to make an angry exit when you are as pregnant as I am.

I gave it my best shot, but had only made it a few feet before Bass was at my side, "I'm sorry. Thought you were asleep. We were just kidding. You know that, right?"

"And YOU know that the time to remind me about all the beautiful women from your past, isn't when I'm pregnant with your babies and feeling as big as a barn!?" My voice had risen with every word and I knew my face was turning red. Tears welled and I pushed away from Bass, needing to be alone. He let me go, sensing it wasn't the time to push.

I walked about a block, sitting down on an old concrete bench in front of our little general store. I was wiping my eyes and blubbering a little when John Frye appeared and sat at my side. Clearly he was acting as Bass's minion today.

John got comfortable, leaning back and watching me. When he spoke, his voice was low and slow – very Texan, "Don't worry. They're just assholes. All men are, to be honest. In time we learn to keep our stupid comments in our head." He tapped his temple lightly and watched me through curious eyes, "Your fella might take a bit longer than most, but he'll get there."

"I know. I just – I just hate it. He's older and has had so much more experience than I have. Sometimes I can forget about it, but sometimes…"

"Well, we all have a past. Even you, right?" He gave me a crooked little smile and I felt myself calming down. I nodded and he continued, "I've seen a lot of guys do stupid shit in my day, but I don't remember seeing anyone ever be as loopy over a girl as Monroe is for you."

"Maybe…" I was still unsure.

"If you are going to fret about his past, the girls aren't anything that should worry you. He was a ladies' man, sure." John shrugs, "What red blooded straight man wasn't? Nah, he's a one woman man these days. And that is just one of the things that have changed about him."

"Yeah, I know." I answered, but I was still pretty pissed.

He turned to face me, and put a gentle hand on mine, "You're just a young'n and you probably weren't ever exposed to some of the stories about Miles and Monroe." He paused. "That's a good thing, I think. Most of them were not good stories. Those two men you know today are not the same guys we knew back then. I was a Texas Ranger back in the glory days of the Monroe Republic and let me tell you, we heard a lot of stories. Some made the papers. Others were just whispered in conference rooms. I guarantee you that the last thing any of us ever would have expected was for Miles to become a benign town drunk and for Bass to settle down and be a normal guy – a family man." John let out a long breath. "And both of them in Texas of all the damned places."

I made a little grunting noise, not ready to forgive anybody just yet.

He chuckled. "I think that if the memories he's reliving are ones with cute girls in them, and not mass executions, you've got nothing to worry about."

This got my attention, "Shit, John. Don't sugar-coat anything on my account."

"Sorry, never was good at pussy-footn' around. I ain't saying anything you don't know, though. Monroe used to be a right awful son of a bitch. These days, he's a whole different animal."

I took a deep shaky breath, "I know Bass was – that they both were – different then. A lot different." I shivered, remembering that day Monroe's men came to our village and killed my dad. And I remembered when he told his goon to shoot me and Danny if my mom didn't do what he wanted. And I remembered watching the bullets from that Monroe chopper (powered by my own mother's amplifier) cut my brother down. I remember the way Bass shot that Texas Ranger (one of John's crew) in cold blood just to start a war.

"Yep." John said, "A lot different, indeed." We sat in silence for a long time, and then he spoke again. "Thing is, a man like him, with a past like his – well, I reckon he's doing pretty good these days. Got a second chance at life. Not sure he deserves it, but who am I to judge? I figure Texas killed him once for all the bad stuff he did before. Now he's got a fresh start and as long as he's trying to use it for good – well, I think you should give him a chance to do that. Those babies and you? That's all he talks about, Charlie. You are the world to him."

I felt my heartbeat slowly going back to normal, because even though I remembered all that awful stuff. I also remembered other things. I remembered Bass slicing his way through that bar in the Plains Nation when I was in trouble and I remembered how my heart ached when he was executed. I remembered when he killed my attacker in that old school and when I helped him slaughter a camp full of brainwashed teenagers. Okay, that last one isn't really a warm and fuzzy memory, but the thing is that we were doing it together. We were a team. It wasn't him vs. me anymore.

And more than that, I remembered the new stuff. The way we could laugh together. The first time we kissed. The first time we did more than kiss. I felt my cheeks go hot again and saw John chuckle out of the corner of my eye. I remembered the way we'd fought and how good he'd been to me when my Mom died, even though he hated her. I remembered how he forgave me for Connor. I remembered the letters he'd written to me from jail. I remembered the way he bought the diner and made me that bookshelf. I remembered the way he looked at me like I was his sun and his moon and his stars.

I remembered the way he loves me.

John just tipped his hat when I said I was going back to talk to Bass.

I walked back and he was waiting for me with this scared look in his eye. "I'm so sorry, Charlie. I wasn't thinking. Sometimes guys just talk shit. We were just talking shit. No girl ever has meant to me as much as you do. I love you so much, and I don't want you to be mad at –"

I walked to him and wrapped my arms around him as best as I could with an enormous belly. "Shut up, Bass. Just shut up."

"So, we're good?" Bass pleaded.

I started to answer when Miles piped up from this barstool, "He never was good at shutting up."

Ignoring Miles, I looked up into Bass's eyes and smiled. "Yeah, we're good."

April 30, 2030

Betty got to town today, and based on the number of bags she brought; I could tell right away that she plans on staying. She came straight to the diner and gave me a big gentle hug, "Hey Charlie. I heard your oven has two buns in it?"

"Yeah. Surprise." I said with a laugh. It was good to see her.

"Sorry I didn't catch it myself – the twin thing. My stethoscope was outdated long before the lights went out and that was the most up to date piece of equipment I had."

"Was?"

"Yeah, well I have some news, too. I'm not as big as yours, but it's a little bit exciting." Betty said with a smile.

"Oh?" I asked, curious.

Betty answered, "I've been writing back and forth with Stephanie. We got on well when you guys were visiting Aaron, and we've kept in touch. Dr. Porter said he could use another nurse so they offered me a job. They have better equipment…better everything than I had, so I'm pretty excited."

I was beyond happy. "That is great news! Welcome to Willoughby, Betty."

"Thanks so much." She glanced around, "Is Stephanie around, or Miles or Bass maybe?"

I smirked a little, "You're sure that's who you are looking for?"

She tried to play dumb, but wasn't doing very well. "What do you mean?"

"Aaron is at his new place. It's just a couple blocks away. He's been working on his garden. I can take you there if you'd like."

"Oh really? Yes, I guess I would like that. Maybe I could stop by and say hello?" Betty was blushing and looked ten years younger.

I took her hand and we started off.

Just before I left her with (a very surprised but very happy) Aaron Pittman, Betty told me she wants to throw me a baby shower.

What on Earth is a baby shower?