A few days before she made the first call to Blane, Elizabeth made another phone call, this one directly to the home number that she had found, in her search.

"Hello?" a woman's voice answered, not unfriendly, but Elizabeth thought that she heard a slight wary note in it.

"Hello. Hi." Elizabeth said, nervous suddenly. "May I speak to...Andrea?"
"Speaking." the woman responded.

"Andrea Dale?"
"Yes." Andrea said, a her voice rising slightly in impatience. "This is she."
"And you were...Andrea Walsh? In high school?"
"Yes." Andrea said, a questioning note in her voice. "Um...to whom am I speaking?"
Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Um...my name is...Elizabeth. Elizabeth Grey."
"Okay." Andrea said. "Do I know you?"

"Not exactly." Elizabeth responded. "This is going to sound weird, but I...well, I'm the spouse...of someone you knew. In...high school."
"The spouse of someone I knew in high school." said Andrea. "Okay."

"I'm...I'm the wife of...of Stefan Grey. Steff, as he was known then, but he hates the nickname, so...he prefers to be called Stefan now."

"Steff...oh." said Andrea. "Right."
"Do you...remember him?"Elizabeth said. "Steff?"
"Just barely." Andrea said. There was a moment's silence. "I'm sorry..." Andrea said. "Why are you calling me now?"
"I...um. I was curious. About you. About him." Elizabeth said, swallowing nervously. "About what he was like then."

"About what Steff was like then?" Andrea said.

"Yes." Elizabeth said.

"Why?" Andrea asked quizzically.

"I don't know." Elizabeth said. "I just am."

There was a moment's silence. "Well." Andrea said after a minute. "I barely knew Steff."

"Okay." Elizabeth said. "But he...liked you. Back then."
"I guess." Andrea said.

"He asked you out." Elizabeth said.

"Yeah. I guess he..." Andrea trailed off. "And you're his wife?"

"I am." Elizabeth said.

"Do you call up every girl he asked out?"

"No..." Elizabeth trailed off. "I'm...pregnant, you see. We're going to have a baby."
"Uh huh."
"And..." Elizabeth said. "I want to know if...if he did anything really awful. To you. In high school.. So I can...in case it turns out he did horrible things that he hasn't told me about. Like crimes against humanity or something."
"I see." Andrea said, though her voice conveyed the opposite. "Like what, exactly?"
"Like...if he were the kind who would buy a drunk a drink." said Elizabeth. "You know?"

"I wouldn't know." said Andrea. "Like I said, I didn't know him really well."

"Was he like that guy, you know that guy, who kidnapped that girl, in Aruba? You know the one. Van Der something?"
"I...not that I know of." Andrea said, speaking slowly. She sniffed.

"He ever rape anyone?"
"What?"

"Nothing." Elizabeth said.

"Are you okay?" Andrea said, sounding concerned now, a slight high pitch in her voice.

"Yes." Elizabeth said, her heart pounding, and her throat constricting with guilt, over the things that she'd uttered, in the past minute, and her inability to ever unsay them. "I'm just...I worry. I get these ideas in my head."
"Are you young?" Andrea said. "You sound young."
"Twenty-nine." Elizabeth replied.

"I see." Andrea said. She was silent.

"I'm sorry to bother you, I just...I..." Elizabeth sniffled. "I just feel...like I'm worried that...maybe there's a side of him that's going to come out...when our kids are born...that he's going to be mean, and cruel to them, and..." She sniffled, feeling tears well up in her throat.

"Well." Andrea said, after a moment's silence. "Is he...mean, and cruel to you?"

"No." Elizabeth said. "Not at all. He's a wonderful husband."
"Then why are you worried he'll be mean to your kids?"

"Because...he's told me...he was kind of a bully in high school, and college, and..." She sniffled. "I just..I'm worried our children...might be unhappy."
"I...they'll be his children." Andrea said. "I think, unless he's a monster like the kind you brought up, that they'll be used to him, if they've grown up with him."

"Do you have children?" Elizabeth asked.

"I...uh huh." Andrea said. "We do. They're almost out of the house, luckily."

"Is their father a...bullying sort?"

"Hell, no." Andrea said. "He's a sweetheart. They bully him. I'm the tough parent."
"I see." said Elizabeth. "Is...is your husband Phil?"
"Yes." Andrea said. "Why?" Her voice had an ever present, suspicious and accusing tone to it, Elizabeth noticed.

"Was he...called Duckie? In high school?"

"Yep." said Andrea, sounding slightly amused. "How did you know that?"

"Steff told me." Elizabeth said.

"Right."
"So." Elizabeth said. "Steff...asked you out. A lot. Back then. Right?"
"A few times, yeah."

"And you told him no."
"I did." Andrea said, sounding kind of impatient.

"Why?"
"Because...I didn't like him." Andrea said.

"He was a real jerk, right?"

"I guess he was, and...I just didn't like him." Andrea said. "I was not attracted to him."

"Okay." said Elizabeth. "And Steff's ego...just could not handle that. Right?"
"Um...I guess. You'd have to ask him, but." She clicked her tongue. "He made a real pest of himself. That I remember."
"But why?" Elizabeth said.

"Why what?"
"Why weren't you attracted to him?" Elizabeth said. "I've seen pictures of him, when he was eighteen. Could anyone ever have been more beautiful, or sexy? No."
"Uh.." Andrea said. "That's a matter of opinion. And in my opinion, he wasn't, okay?"

"What was so wrong with him, Andrea?" Elizabeth said.

"He just was not my type." Andrea said. "End of story."
"You're just not into, really sexy, golden haired, smoky voiced guys?" Elizabeth said, lolling her tongue in her mouth.

"Apparently not." Andrea said. "But you have fun with that, okay? Go crazy."
"Well, Andrea." Elizabeth said. "I think you were completely bonkers to reject Steff. I really do."
"That's great." Andrea said. "Good to know."
"Of course, you wouldn't want him now." Elizabeth hastily added. "He's fat."

"Okay." Andrea said. "Um...isn't that your husband?"

"Yeah. So?"
"So...I don't think you should be saying that, about him." Andrea replied. "That isn't very nice."

"Maybe you're right." Elizabeth said. She paused. "But tell me, Andrea...was there...someone else? That you liked better, back then?"
Andrea sighed. "Did he ask you to call me, or something?"

"No." Elizabeth said. "No, he knows nothing about this. And he'd freak the hell out if he did. This is a...project of mine."

"Well, why do you care? About me, or anything that happened with us, back then?"

Elizabeth sighed. "You know what? I...I'm sorry, Andrea. I know how this looks. I should never have called."

"I don't know how it looks." said Andrea. "I...it's not like anything I've ever encountered, before, I'll tell you that. Just...calling me up, out of the blue, but..."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "Okay. I know, I.."
Andrea sighed. "Look." she said. "You're pregnant. I've been pregnant before. I know...sometimes you can do, or say, crazy things. These hormones can really mess with you. So...maybe with you, it takes the form of...calling up people your husband used to know in high school. It's like drunk dialing, right? Though...you're not drunk...I hope. Being pregnant and all."

"I guess." said Elizabeth, frowning.

"Well." said Andrea. "I don't know what you want to know, or think you could find out from me, but, like I said. I barely even knew Steff. He was one of the rich kids. And I...wasn't. And yes, he asked me out several times, and I turned him down."
"And there was one of the...rich kids...that you did like, though." said Elizabeth. "Wasn't there?"

"Yes, there was a guy that I did like, who was very well-to-do."

"Blane." Elizabeth said. "That was his name, wasn't it?"

"Yes, yes, Blane." Andrea said. "Yes. And Steff did do everything in his power to keep...Blane and myself apart. He was annoying, and a thorn in his side, according to Blane. And he couldn't take no for answer, and he really annoyed both of us."
"And Blane stopped talking to him? After high school?"
"Yeah, I guess that's right, but..." Andrea trailed off.

"But what?"

"But, if you want to know the truth, looking back on it, Steff barely registers in my memory. He was just a guy...who made an idiot of himself, because he was a sore loser. But Blane..."

"What happened with Blane, Andrea?" Elizabeth said. "If you don't mind my asking."
"Well...he's an asshole." Andrea said. "Long story short. I mean, not that I give a damn now, but...well, he was the one that turned out to be the most despicable, if you ask me." She sighed. "He...broke up with me. In college. Freshman year. For some girl, he met, at the college he was attending."
"Oh." Elizabeth said softly. "Wow."
"But...it's nothing. I mean, it wasn't then. It was a huge deal, you know, and I cried a lot, and was depressed, and it was really a bad time. I thought he was a sweet, sensitive guy, and you know, he apologized, like he always does, and said...it just happened, and tried to explain to me why it wasn't his fault. Come to think of it, he did that when he broke up with me the first time, too. Then it was because he was afraid of what his rich friends would think."
"Including Steff." Elizabeth said.

"Including Steff, yeah." Andrea said. "Anyway, Phil, my husband...he was there. For me. And he was hurt, too, you know, mostly on my behalf, of course, but Phil and Blane had become good friends, of sorts, back then. But not anymore."

"Because he's a liar." Elizabeth said. "Blane. Isn't he?"

"Yeah, he's a liar." Andrea said.

"Smiling faces tell lies." Elizabeth said.

"Well, I don't know about that." Andrea said. "Phil, my husband always keeps a smile on his face, and he certainly isn't a liar. He's the most truthful person I've met."
"Well." Elizabeth said. "Steff says that Blane was a hateful coward. Always seeming to want to please, but in the end uncaring."
"I don't know about hateful." Andrea said. "But he sure is a coward. But I'm grateful, because now I know, about him, and now I also know, that Phil is the best husband, and father that anyone could have."

"What does he do?" Elizabeth said. "For a living?"
"He's a chiropractor." Andrea replied. "It's funny, because no one would ever have guessed that about him, back when we were younger, that he would become one. He wore the craziest clothes, and he was not what anyone would call scholastic. Boy, were his grades terrible. But he was smart, incredibly so, in fact...he just...hated school. But they call him Dr. Dale now, if you can believe that."
"Pretty impressive." Elizabeth said.

"Yeah. He's a big dork at heart, though. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"What about you?" Elizabeth said. "What do you do?"

"I'm a clothing designer. I co-own a design company with a friend of mine."

"Oh. Sounds like a great job." Elizabeth said.

"It is." Andrea said. "It's always been my dream, to design clothes. I've been doing it since I was a kid."

"What about...Steff?" Andrea said. "What's he doing now?"
"He's a lawyer." Elizabeth replied.

"Oh."

"Yeah, in fact, you might see him in the phone book, and he has little magnets, that sometimes come...with the yellow pages, you know. He and my dad. They're partners."

"Oh, okay." Andrea said. "Maybe I'll run across it sometime, then."

"I'll bet you have." Elizabeth said.

"Maybe." said Andrea.

"But you probably wouldn't have recognized him." said Elizabeth.

"Maybe not." said Andrea.

"Because he's fat now." said Elizabeth. "Really fat."

Andrea sighed. "Again...that is not very nice. The Steff I remember would cut you dead for saying a thing like that."

"Stefan can be spiteful." Elizabeth said. "That's the truth."

"But he's your husband." said Andrea. "Don't you care for him? Why are you calling up complete strangers, and just saying that he's fat? Are you sure you're okay?" Her voice was taking on a concerned, but slightly strident quality, as she said this.

"Of course I do, and I won't say it again, if it offends you so much." Elizabeth said. "But tell me. Why were you so rude to Stefan? Why did you say, 'I have some taste'. You said that. He told me you did."

"Can I ask you something? Why do you care?" said Andrea.

"I just do. I write, so...I'm always curious about things. People. Especially Stefan." Elizabeth said. "When we were dating, I'd ask him questions. 'What was your mother's name?' 'Where did you grow up', Who was the first girl who broke your heart'. Stuff like that. And he'll answer every time. Of course, he has to answer the questions in exact order, a lot of the time...but...he'll give you an exact answer. That's for sure." She paused, reflecting on this statement.

"He didn't...say it was me, did he?" Andrea said. "That...I broke his heart, or anything like that, did he?"
"No.." Elizabeth said. "No, it wasn't you, who was the first girl who broke his heart, it was...a woman called Cynthia. She's...she slept with his best friend, when they were engaged."
"Oh." Andrea said. "Well, good. I mean, about me not breaking his heart, back then, because...that would be a little strange."

"No." Elizabeth said. "No, you didn't break his heart, or anything. You did hurt his feelings somewhat, though. Your rejection of him, for his best friend. Deep down, Stefan is a very sensitive guy."
"Oh. Well..."
"But he can be spiteful." Elizabeth added hastily. "And that was how he responded back then. Wasn't it?"

"I guess so." Andrea said. "I mean, yeah, it was. But, I'm glad he got over it, and became a successful lawyer, and...everything."
"Me too." Elizabeth said. They were quiet for a moment.

"Listen, Elizabeth, I've got to be going, soon," Andrea said, hesitating. "But...are you sure you're okay?"

"Why?" Elizabeth said. "Just because I called you, out of nowhere?"
"Well...yes. I mean...maybe you're depressed." said Andrea. "Maybe...you're having troubles. Because of the pregnancy. Do you have someone to...talk to?"
"Yes." said Elizabeth, biting her lip sadly. "Yes...I have someone. That I can talk to."
"Good." Andrea said.

"Well." Elizabeth said. "I guess...that's all, then."
"Okay." Andrea said. "Well...good luck, then. With the baby."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "Good luck to you, too. With Phil, and all."
"Thank you." Andrea replied. "Try to breathe, okay?"
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I will, Andrea. And thank you. For...humoring me. I know how it must-"
"It looks like...you're bored." Andrea said. "That's all. Maybe lonely. But...don't go calling the wrong people, okay? Some people might not be as nice as I was."

"Okay." Elizabeth replied. "I...shouldn't have said that. About Stefan being fat."
"No." said Andrea. "It wasn't a nice thing to say, Elizabeth."
"I should probably go to a doctor." Elizabeth said. "Or that condition of mine might get a lot worse."
"What?" Andrea said, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing." Elizabeth said.

At Stefan's thirtieth reunion, Elizabeth went up to the red-haired woman who had been pointed out to her by Rita, their alumni association's president, and cleared her throat. The woman turned around, and looked at her uncertainly, gazing a critical eye.

"Hi." Elizabeth said, extending a hand. "Andrea? Andrea Dale?"
"Yes?" Andrea said. She continued to look at Elizabeth, perplexed. "I...know I don't know you...you couldn't...are you one of the wives?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Grey. You know. Stefan's wife? Steff?"
Andrea blinked for a moment, then recognition dawned on her face. "Oh." she said. "Right. I remember."
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "Well, I know you'd want to meet Stefan...again. You'd really like him, I know. It'd be a kick, right?"

"Yeah." Andrea said. "Yeah, sure. That's why we're here, right? I guess. Where is he?"
"Oh, he's talking to...a friend of his." Elizabeth said, sidestepping that it was Blane. "I'll go find him. I know he'd like to talk with you, and your husband." Stefan, of course, would not, but Elizabeth felt that it would be good for him to see them, since she felt he had little social interaction with people besides those in their family.

"I'll get him." Elizabeth said.

"Okay, then." Andrea said. "We'll be waiting."

After Stefan, who was reluctant to carry on too much of an argument with her in a public place, being a deeply reserved, and even paranoid, sort of person, was marched by her, with a terribly suffering look on his face, over to where Andrea and her husband stood, they all said their hellos.

"Andrea," Elizabeth said. "You remember Stefan, of course. Steff, as he was known in those days."

"Yes." Andrea said, smiling crisply at Stefan. "I remember. How are you, Steff?"

"I'm very well, thank you, Andrea." said Stefan. "Uh..yourself?"
"Very well, very well." Andrea said. "It's still Andie, by the way. Uh...you remember my husband, Phil? Phil Dale?" She motioned over to the man next to her, a dark haired man, who was wearing a regular tuxedo, but for the leather jacket over it.

Phil extended his hand. "Hello." he smiled politely. "How's it going, Steff?"
"Very well, Phil. And how's it going with you?" Stefan said. "What are you up to now?"

"Uh, well, I'm a chiropractor, now, actually." Phil said, smiling, and Elizabeth noticed, unveiling a rather large set of white teeth when he did.

"Oh, really." said Stefan. "Well, I'm...glad to hear it. Sounds like a...very rewarding job." He looked down at the floor awkwardly.

"Yes." Phil cleared his throat. "And, uh...I..teach a physiology class, down at a local college."
"He loves that." Andie said, smiling towards Phil. "He gets to talk for hours at a time."

"Yep." said Phil. "My students all love me, because, you know. I'm always cracking the jokes. Helps them learn the material better, I think."
"Oh, I'd think so, yes." Stefan said quietly, still looking a good deal more uncomfortable than he had when talking to Blane.

"Yeah." Phil continued. "Because we all do the same stuff. We all watch movies, and TV, and read books, and we all have relationship issues-

"We do?" Andie said, turning to Phil in mock surprise.

"Oh, sure." Phil said. "Half my anecdotes in class are about all the annoying little things Andie does. No, I'm just kidding." He patted her hand. Andie shook her head.

"And what about you, Andie?" said Stefan. "What do you do?"

"I'm a designer." Andie replied. "Clothes."
"Oh." Stefan said. "Very good."
"She designed her dress tonight." Phil said, motioning towards his wife. "And of course, she looks smashing. As usual. Right, dear." He shrugged, looking at Stefan and Elizabeth. "She's modest."
"As opposed to you." Andie shook her head at him. "Phil has never been modest in his life."
"Well, I don't know about that." Phil said. He cast a glance towards Stefan. "A few people here might have made sure I was modest, but..." He shrugged, smiling widely at them. "High school, right?"
"Indeed." Stefan said, a new look of nervousness forming over the stiff, pained sort of grimace that Elizabeth knew to be an attempt at a smile. She locked eyes briefly with Andie, who she noticed was looking curiously at Stefan.

"Yep. I was a total dork. But I didn't let that stop me. Did I, Andie?" Phil said, looking at his wife.

"No, you sure didn't, Phil." Andie replied. "Nothing could stop the Duck Man. Could it, Steff?"
"Uh...no. I...I guess not, Andie." Stefan said. He cleared his throat. "Do you still go by that, Phil? Your nickname?"
"Uh, no, not really." Phil said. "Though our mascot at the office is a duck. For some reason. I don't know, I just told a few patients about my nickname, and then one or two of them kept bringing me ducks, stuffed ducks, ceramic ducks, plastic, you name it. Some of them go on a trip, bring back a duck from a gift shop in China, or France or somewhere. It'll be like this rare duck, they paid a hundred dollars for, and anyway. I can't get away from it, I guess. Oh well." He smiled ruefully.

"Ah." said Stefan. "Well. Sounds like you have fun there, though."

"Oh, yeah. It's great." said Phil. "I really love my patients."
"You know," Elizabeth said, turning towards Stefan. "Stefan has a nickname, as well."

"Oh, really?" Phil said in surprise. "What is it?"

"In law school, they called him 'The Grey Wolf'." said Elizabeth. "Because he's such a shrewd, ruthless, attorney. He's the best, you know. Because he has the analog of the wolf."
Phil laughed. "Really?" he said.

"Really." Elizabeth said, squeezing Stefan's arm. "Don you, Stefan?"
"I guess so, Lizzie." Stefan replied uncomfortably, patting her hand. He cleared his throat. "Well." he said. "It was lovely seeing you two again, really. You seem like...quite the couple." Phil nodded, and Elizabeth noticed him looking at Stefan a little strangely for a minute.

"You know, I have to say." Andie said, looking at Stefan consideringly. "that you...surely have changed a great deal since we were in high school."
Stefan looked startled, then cleared his throat. "Well, thank you...a whole lot, Andie, uh, I..." His mouth flickered towards the ground, sourly. "I suppose I've...gotten a bit more...prosperous, but...it really doesn't do to say it, does-"

"No, no, no." Andie said impatiently. "I'm not talking about...physically. I'm talking about...well, you're so courtly, now. I mean, remembering you as that...kind of cocky, arrogant guy, that you were back then, I never would have pictured that you'd be this...formal, mannerly, reserved...person I see in front of me. I mean, you've got your hands...folded in front of you like that, and...I just never would have pictured..." She trailed off, shaking her head. Elizabeth noticed Phil raise his eyebrows slightly, but his ever-present wide smile did not leave his face.

"Not at home." Elizabeth said to her.

"Hmmm?" Andrea said, looking at her like she'd just said something truly odd.

"He's not that way at home. Sweet, and formal. He's still cocky, and arrogant around me. Thinks he knows positively everything, and I know nothing. But that's how husbands are, isn't it?" Elizabeth said.

"Oh. I guess they are." said Andie. Phil laughed, but Elizabeth noticed a slight look of discomfiture on his face.

"But yes." Elizabeth said. "Here he is completely shy, and reserved. Painfully so. I can't even get him to dance with me." The song, 'Magnet and Steel', was playing at that moment.

"Like now." Elizabeth said. She bit her lip, looking at Stefan. "This one has...special meaning, and significance to me. To us."

"It does?" Stefan said, looking at her puzzled.

"Yes, Stefan. It does." said Elizabeth.

"Oh, we've got one like that, too." said Phil. "Andie and I."

"Oh, really?" said Elizabeth with interest. "What is it?"
" 'Try a Little Tenderness. Otis. You know Otis?"
"I do." said Elizabeth. "That's a great one."
"I think so." said Phil, looking at Andie.

Andie cleared her throat. "You should...you should dance with her, Steff."

"Well..."
"Yeah," Phil echoed. "Dance with her, Steff."

"Well.." Stefan shrugged. "I guess I owe them that much, right, Elizabeth?"
"You certainly do, Steff." Elizabeth replied.

Later that evening, Elizabeth opened the door of the ladies room, and found Andie standing at the sink, adjusting her lipstick. She smiled politely. Andie cleared her throat, and looked at Elizabeth pointedly.

"Don worry." she said. "Your secret's safe with me. About our conversation last year."
"Good." said Elizabeth. She hesitated, and turned to Andie, a small smile on her face.

"Did I...disappoint?" she asked.

"About what?" Andie responded.

"You know. My description." Elizabeth said. "Of Steff."
Andie clucked her tongue at her, shaking her head.

"No, really." Elizabeth said, going up to her conspiratorially. "You must tell me. I must know, or I'll die. Is he corpulent or isn't he?"
"Oh, what do you think, Elizabeth?" Andie said. "I'm sure you don't need me to answer that for you." She shook her head.

"Phil's nice." Elizabeth said. "I really liked meeting him."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." said Elizabeth. "He certainly seems filled with good cheer. And not hideous good cheer, either. Just regular, nice good cheer."

"Well, why would you think it was hideous?" Andie looked at her, frowning in bafflement.

"Just a quote. From a book." Elizabeth shook her head, suddenly feeling foolish about her hobby for a moment, but shrugged. "He seems like a nice guy, is what I mean."
"Phil's great." said Andie. "If you can get him to shut up for ten seconds, that is."
"I noticed." said Elizabeth. "That he's a talker, I mean."
"Yeah. Well." Andie said. "He's great. And I never really realized it, until...well, I told you, before. Until Blane broke up with me, in college. And he was there."
"Yeah." Elizabeth said quietly.

"And I never fully realized until then, Elizabeth." Andie said, turning to her. "That Phil would...put my needs ahead of his own. Without thinking about it."
"I'm sure."
"And...well. I didn't used to think of that as being...a sexy, or desirable, quality in a man, when I was a young woman. I thought that guys like that were...dull, and safe. Reliable. But I was wrong. And I hurt him. Phil. Because of it." She shook her head. "I didn't treat him very well, when we...were growing up, because of that. But...he was still there. In spite of it. And when I came to my senses, and realized how much I loved him...well. But that's what love is, Elizabeth. Putting your partner's needs ahead of your own. You know?"
"I do." said Elizabeth. "I do, indeed."
Andie sighed. "And he was there for me. When that...creep, Blane broke up with me. And he's here tonight, too." she said, shaking her head in disgust. "He just comes up to me, and looks like he wants to talk...just like nothing ever happened. Like he was not at all culpable in his actions."

"Yeah...he's...shifty." Elizabeth agreed. "He's hurt a lot of people, in fact."

Andie shook her head. "This is my third go-round, you know. At high school reunions. And each time, I've had to see him. Don get me wrong, it's not like I'm not over our breakup. But he's just such...an insincere kind of person. Know what I mean? Running into him, just...rubs me the wrong way. Phil, too. He can't stand him."

"And Steff...?" Elizabeth asked. "How did you feel about seeing him?"

"Steff. Steff's a teddy bear now." Andie said, shaking her head.

"Oh." Elizabeth said. "A...teddy bear, huh?" She felt alarm start to swell, inside her mind.

"Yeah." Andie said. "He's a sweet guy. Very formal, most guys you see, even guys his age, don't have such good manners. Why?"
"Is he a teddy bear physically, though? Andie?" said Elizabeth.

"No, no. That is not what I meant."
"I thought you had some taste, Andie." Elizabeth said. "You don't like gross, disgusting pig men, do you?"

"I think someone's had a little too many libations. What do you think?" Andie said, patting her arm.

"Not me." Elizabeth replied.

"No?"
"No." said Elizabeth. "I'm pregnant again."
"Again?" Andie said incredulously. "Has it even been a year?"

"Nope." said Elizabeth.

"So you've been pregnant every time I've spoken with you." Andie said. Elizabeth nodded. "Wow. Well. Perpetually pregnant, by Steff. Seems you don't have any taste at all, does it?" She clicked her tongue.

"Guess I don't." said Elizabeth.

"Well." Elizabeth said to Stefan, in the lobby of the hotel. They were looking out at all the people on the dance floor. "That wasn't so awful, was it? Meeting Andie and Phil?"
"I guess." Stefan said. He sighed. "They think they're the belles of the ball, I glean that much. Especially that Phil."

"Now, now, Steff." Elizabeth said. "Phil is a nice man. And exceedingly charming."

"Lizzie." Stefan said quietly. He shook his head, in irritation, but the hurt was unmistakable in his voice. "And I'm not?"

Elizabeth's lips parted in dismay. "No." she said softly. "That isn't what I meant. At all." She squeezed his hand.

"Wasn't it, though?" Stefan said.

"No." said Elizabeth. "You know it wasn't...but what about that Andie?"

"What about her?"

"Do you like her? Still?"
"As much as I did the last two hundred times you asked me that, Elizabeth." He shook his head. "If you have the insane worry that I'm attracted to her, why did you want me to come here, and talk to her?"
"I wanted to dispel the notion that she's this gorgeous figment, this...girl in the pink dress."
"Well." said Stefan. "Truly, I haven't had that notion in my mind for a long time, but..you needn't worry. It's dispelled. She's.."
"Your age."
"Not to put too fine a point on it." Stefan laughed derisively.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Well, you like to be truthful." she said. "She looks good, though. She's a very beautiful woman."
"I guess." Stefan said.

"Speaking of beautiful women..." Elizabeth said. "How many of them at this reunion have you slept with? All of them, or excluding the fat girls?"
"A few of them, both them and their mothers."
Elizabeth's lips thinned with disapproval. "At the same time?"

"No, Elizabeth." Stefan said, shaking his head. "Even I'm not that bad. Wasn't." Elizabeth sniffed.

"But that was a lifetime ago, Elizabeth." Stefan shook his head. "I was a vastly different person, then."
Elizabeth looked at him, and then out at the dance floor at Andie and Phil, who were dancing slowly together to Otis Redding's 'That's How Strong My Love Is'. She felt a lump in her throat, and tears rise.

"Lizzie?" Stefan said, squeezing her shoulder.

"I...I was talking with this woman, before. Gloria, she said her name was. She said that...you and she went to a party once, and she was tipsy, and you drove her home-"

"Probably also tipsy, or even drunk, myself." said Stefan. "But what of it?"
"And...she was full of all these stories about you. How you...gave her flowers, but they were...her mother's flowers that you'd stolen, and...well. I could just tell...that you'd probably slept with her before. I just knew."
"Probably right at the moment your parents were...well. Conceiving you." Stefan said. "As you're always so fond of pointing out. In other words..before we met. To say the least. So what of it?"
"Well." Elizabeth said. "She was beautiful, that woman. That Gloria. She looked like...like a model. Like Charlize Theron, a little."
"She was that type." Stefan said. "And..?"
"And...I know she's older than me, and I know that was forever ago, but...you...you could have..." She sniffled.

"Lizzie, stop this." Stefan said quietly.

"You could have a younger Gloria, if you wanted." Elizabeth said. "You could...you...what do you want with me? I...I'm not as beautiful as Gloria. I'm not a gorgeous blonde. I'm cute, at best."

"You're trying to manipulate me, Lizzie." Stefan said.

"No." Elizabeth said. "I just...you've slept with so many of these women here, and I just wonder...do I measure up?"
Stefan shook his head. "I can't believe you would even ask me such a question." He look at her sadly.

"And that Rita. You slept with her, too. She said she was Bennie's best friend, she had all kinds of stories about you and Bennie, how you were passing a flask at the prom, and she and her boyfriend were completely scandalized by your behavior, but of course they secretly wished they had the courage to do a lot of the things you did. I bet you tried to teach her how to be like you, didn't you?" She sniffled.

"I certainly hope she's not here tonight." Stefan muttered.

"She's not. Rita said she didn't RSVP. She said she hasn't responded to any of the alumni mailings."
"Good." Stefan shook his head. "I don't know if I'd be able to control my mouth around her if I saw her again. After what she did."

"Yes, well. Another gorgeous blond, though, wasn't she. You had a million of them."
"So?" Stefan said. "I greatly regret all of them, if you want to know the truth."

"Do you now?" Elizabeth said.

"Indeed I do." Stefan said, stepping behind her, and clasping his hands behind her waist. He deftly moved her hair out of the way, and pressed his lips to the back of her neck. Elizabeth cleared her throat angrily, but he did not move them away.

"Oh, please." Elizabeth scoffed. "Smooth moves. I'll bet you did that with Rita, and Bennie, and Cathy, and Gloria, and every Jo, Sue, and Sherry." She looked at him.

"Lizzie." He wrapped his arms around her more tightly. "Stop it."
"Oooh, because you ordered me to, throat cancer?" Elizabeth said, turning to face him.

"Lizzie, I'm going to tell you something." said Stefan.

"Going to whisper cancerous nothings in my ear?"
Stefan cleared his throat, ignoring her. "Something I'd like to tell you." He pressed his face against the back of her head.

"Uh huh." Elizabeth said. "Is it a secret?"
"Not such a secret...but..." He whispered in her ear. "I love you with all my heart, Lizzie."

"You don't have a heart, Stefan." Elizabeth replied. "You're a slimy lawyer."

"Uh huh." Stefan said. "Well. If I did, I'd love you with all of it, Liz dear. That's the difference. Between you. And anyone I slept with. Which is none of your business. Or wanted to sleep with, for that matter."
"I don't trust you, Stefan." Elizabeth demurred, but she was only teasing.

"Yes, you do, Lizzie." said Stefan. He pressed his lips to her neck again. "And you should. Because I love you. With all my heart. As I indicated before."
"Uh huh." Elizabeth said.

"And I know that on some level, you truly, truly want to make sure that...well. That people that I went to high school with...realize what a success I am, and how much I've changed. You're doing this for me."
"What do you mean, 'on some level'." Elizabeth asked, turning to face him.

Stefan shrugged. "I don't know, you...acted as though my past should be thrown in my face. Yeah, Rita, and Blane, and Andie and everybody else think of me as being a screwed up, promiscuous...wastrel.. Am I to understand that you do, too? I thought you supported me, and saw me for what I am, not what I was."

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth said. "I get...jealous."
"I know." Stefan said.

"What do you mean, on some level?" Elizabeth said."On the most fundamental level, I want people to think that you've changed. So you'll stop being so insecure about things."
"I'm not insecure, Lizzie." said Stefan. "But even if I was...what these people think wouldn't fix it. Would it?"
"No." Elizabeth said softly. "No, I guess not."

"But thank you all the same, Lizzie." Stefan said. "Don't think I don't appreciate you effort. But I came here for you. You realize that, right?"

"I guess."

"I did." said Stefan. "Of course I did. I'd do anything to make you happy." He caressed her hand, gently.

"Would you now?"
"Indeed I would." said Stefan. "Because I love you so." He embraced her more tightly. She looked off in the other direction, still pretending to be angry.

"Lizzie, you haven't said it back to me, and...well. You know how I am." He pressed his mouth to her ear. "I'm volatile, and unpredictable, like your new found gal pals have all told you."
"Those middle-aged bitches aren't my gal pals, Stefan, and anyway they didn't-"

"Or maybe you really love that rabbit toothed idiot over there. See if you can wrestle him away from Ms. Fashion Plate."
"That Barney Fife lookin' dude?" Elizabeth said, looking at him, still dancing with his wife across the room. "What would I want with a geek like him?"
"You said he was 'charming'." Stefan said. He made a noise of outraged disdain. " 'Charming'. Can you imagine. You said that of a man who attacked me in the halls of our hallowed institution, by the way. I still haven't forgotten that. Have you no loyalty?"
"Well, why don't you go over there, and confront him about it, then?" Elizabeth said. "Since it still bothers you so much."
"I would, but his teeth frighten me." Stefan replied. "They look like they could do some damage. They remind me a bit of Pennywise."
"Oh, my word." Elizabeth said, doing her best to suppress laughter. "Have you been drinking?"

"Not a drop, Lizzie." Stefan replied.

"Heaven help us when you were." Elizabeth shook her head.

"Oh, did Rita tell you that? Or was it Gloria?"
"Blane." Elizabeth said. "He told me tonight, that you made him show you the key, to his parents' liquor cabinet, in in the eighth grade, and then you both got drunk, and..."
"And...?"
"And he said that he was desperate to hide it from his parents, but you didn't give a damn, in fact, you told him that you wanted to get caught."
"Perhaps I did." said Stefan. "And he didn't. He was afraid, as usual. He wanted to drink the liquor, though, didn't he? He just didn't want to get caught doing it. That was always the difference between myself and him."
"Yeah." Elizabeth said quietly.

"Anyway," said Stefan. "That's completely irrelevant. What concerns me is that you still haven't said it. That you love me. I'm very concerned, Lizzie. You never know what I might do, you know."
"You're not going to sleep with any of these old whores if I don't, are you?"
"No." Stefan said, pressing his lips to her hair. "No old whores. There's only one young whore that I love."

"Well, I love you, too." Elizabeth said softly. "You know that."

"Sure you're not...torn between two lovers?" Stefan said. "Blane and Phil?"
"Oh, wow. I am." Elizabeth said. "And what a choice, too. The elderly embryo, and Mr. Chattery Teeth." She briefly locked eyes with Phil from across the room, for a moment, and felt a brief embarrassment, but he smiled warmly at her, and she smiled back.

"He knows what you're saying about him, Stefan." said Elizabeth. "He knows we're talking about his teeth."
"Maybe his teeth know independently of himself, Elizabeth." Stefan replied.

"The Chattery Teeth always come back for revenge, Stefan." Elizabeth said. Stefan shuddered.

"His teeth aren't going to give you night terrors, are they?"
"They might, Lizzie." said Stefan. "You'll have to stay close to me tonight. Make sure I don't go out a window or anything."
Elizabeth swallowed, feeling nauseous worry at the thought. "Yeah, right. Convenient excuse."
"I'm talking about more than sex here, Lizzie."

"Sure you are." Elizabeth replied.