A/N: Thank you to the lovely Julie for being so awesome.

Thank you to all the readers and reviewers! I have said this to a few of the reviewers, but it warrants being said in a more public way. The Cupcakes are simply the most amazingly supportive and inclusive community. This is not my first dance within the fanfiction community - but it has been BY FAR one of the most positive experiences I have had. And we are just at chapter 5! Thank you all so, so much!

Now onto the story. Joe does finally make an appearance. That's all I'm saying.

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A Change In Me

Chapter Five


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Due to my crazy schedule, I really didn't have a lot of time for dating. I was hoping to quit working at the Tasty Pastry soon. I only had a few more weeks on my internship, and the hospital did offer me a full-time position, pending my examination results. I was so excited. I had done really well in all my course work, top 98% even. I told Dickie that we would need to maybe take things a little more slowly until I could get through the next month or so.

"Really?" he said with disbelief.

"I just have a few more weeks to push through and then I will be on a normal schedule." I smiled at him sweetly, hoping his frown would fade away.

"I barely see you as it is, Stephanie."

"I know." I stroked his arm. "I wish I had more time. And I really like our time together, I just think we may have to slow things down a little – just until I am settled in my job."

He huffed lightly. "Slower than they are now? I think that puts us back to strangers."

"Stop." I arched a brow at him. "I don't kiss strangers." I leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

He sighed loudly, but kept his body rigid.

"Fine, Dickie. I will just kill myself to pass my exams, take care of Sophia, and make sure I have time to go on dates with you."

"Like I don't have things to do? You're getting an associates degree, Stephanie. I am a lawyer for a prestigious law firm."

I stepped back from him and found my hands firmly planted on my hips. But before I could begin to rant at him –

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You know I am extremely impressed with everything you have achieved." He quickly pulled me into his arms. "I'm being an ass. I'm so sorry."

"That was definitely ass-like of you."

"It was," he agreed whole-heartedly. He smiled at me and then leaned forward to kiss me softly. "I think that was our first fight."

"Was it?"

"I think so."

"Well now we can never go back to being strangers." I smiled up at him. "We would be exes."

"Never."

"Never?"

He kissed me once more, leaving me breathless.

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OoOoO

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Meanwhile, Val was coming to the house more often to learn from Mom some of her favorite recipes. They also decided that it would be fun to learn to knit together, so that they could make something for the baby. Mom even mentioned that it was something she had always wanted to do. Not that I probably would have wanted to learn knitting when I was seventeen, but it really hurt me to think Mom had never even considered doing that with me. Again, I was happy for Val, but it always made me feel a little sad to watch them bonding over this baby. And it really bothered me when I would see Sophia innocently helping them, not knowing that no one ever wanted to make her a baby blanket.

Sophia was getting more and more curious about her new cousin, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before she would want to know more about herself. She had, of course, seen pictures of me when I was pregnant, but I didn't think she understood. I think she thought that she had simply been hiding underneath my clothes.

I came home one evening from a long day at the hospital. I was so tired, and I had forgotten that everyone was coming over for dinner. Grandma Mazur met me at the door.

"Hey, Stephanie! You look tired. You want some coffee before dinner? I won't tell your mom." She smiled mischievously.

"Thanks, Grandma. That would be great."

"It's too bad your new man couldn't come tonight. It would be nice for him to meet everyone."

"I know. But I'm not ready for him to be around Sophia. And we've barely been able to see each other the last few weeks. I think I need to date him a little longer first."

"So wise. You get that from me, you know?" She patted her chest proudly.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Sophia came hurdling into the entryway, her curls bouncing wildly. "Pick me up!"

I hoisted her up on my hip, and she threw her arms around me. "I missed you, bug. Were you good for Grammy and Nana today?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh. And Auntie Val too. And guess what?"

"What?" I said with wide eyes.

"You can see the baby in Auntie Val's tummy!"

"You can?"

Grandma stroked Sophia's mass of curls. "She's starting to really show, and they have a new ultra-sound."

"Yes, Mommy. There's a picture of the baby! It's so cute."

I laughed at her. "Can you even tell it's a baby?"

She twisted her mouth in thought. "I don't know."

"That's okay, Sophia," Grandma said sweetly. After glancing over her shoulder, she leaned forward and whispered. "I thought it looked more like a blob."

Sophia giggled at that.

"Don't tell your Aunt Val, okay?" Grandma whispered again before leaving to get my coffee.

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After downing my secret cup of coffee, I had taken Sophia upstairs to be with me while I changed out of my scrubs.

"Mommy, did you know that Uncle Steve is going to be a daddy?"

I froze with my scrubs top halfway over my head. "He is?"

"Uh-huh. Auntie Val says she's gonna be a mommy and Uncle Steve's gonna be a daddy."

I smiled at her, dreading where this conversation was going. I sat on my bed and watched her for a moment. We shared my room. She could have easily been in Val's room by now, but I had just not been able to move her out. My parents had surprised me at my baby shower by getting a convertible crib. It was now made into her tiny little bed. She sat on her bed, rocking Lady like a baby.

"Come here, bug."

After gently placing Lady under her blanket, Sophia came over and climbed onto my lap. "You're not wearing a shirt," she observed, amused. She laid her head against my chest and grabbed onto my bra strap with one hand, like she had always done.

"I love you, Sophia Grace."

"I love you, Mommy."

I kissed her head. I wished we could just stay up here for the night. I wasn't interested in being with the whole family.

"Mama? Was I in your tummy?"

I smiled as I tickled her lightly in the ribs. "You sure were. You were a wiggly little thing."

She giggled and looked up at me with those big brown eyes. "Did my daddy put me there?"

I gaped at her. What the hell was Valerie telling her? "Umm… "

She started to tear up. "I don't have a daddy."

"Oh no, baby. You have a daddy. He's just not with us." I looked up, trying to reign in my own tears.

And where was he? I had no idea. I hadn't seen him again and it had been two months. I had been ignoring all mentions of the Morellis for so long, I may have missed something about what he was doing. And the truth was that a part of me still hoped he never came back again.

But my sweet little girl was staring at me with glassy eyes, waiting for me to make it all better. How could I let her grow up not knowing the truth about her father? What would that do to her to think that he was some stranger who helped me get drunk? But what would it do to her to know that Joe had wormed his way into my heart and into my pants and then left without ever saying goodbye?

Sophia clung to me, pulling on my bra strap. "Is he gonna come back?"

I sighed. I couldn't answer that question without first telling Joe. That meant I would have to find out where he was. What if he refused to acknowledge her? I wasn't about to force parenthood on him. I would rather find a man who would want to be her daddy, like Dickie.

"I don't know, bug. Mommy doesn't know. But I know that I love you, and Grammy and Grampy love you, and Nana and Papa love you, and Auntie Val and Uncle Steven love you. You are so special to all of us. And I hope some day we will find you a daddy to love you too."

She nodded her head against my chest.

As soon as we made it back downstairs, Sophia ran to Grandpa Mazur. They had a special bond. Her Papa was the only other person she wanted besides me when she was upset. I loved that she trusted him like that. He had always been there for me in the same way. His gentleness and calm affection made you feel safe when he held you and whispered his wisdom into your ears. I could already see him soothing my baby girl. It broke my heart to see her missing out on anything. I never realized how much it would affect her to go without a father. I had always assumed the other men in her life would be enough. Now I could see that wasn't true. Maybe my mother was right about finding a husband.

.

Dinner was its usual state of controlled chaos. Val was entering her fifth month, and the ultra-sound had revealed that she was having a baby girl. Steven had made the announcement once we were all seated. But it only took a few minutes before the men were more interested in discussing sports while the women were talking non-stop about the baby. Sophia was so excited about having a girl cousin. She even joined them in talking about dresses, bows, and anything pink. When Val suggested that they incorporate pink into their knitting projects, I glared at my mother. It still pissed me off that she hadn't once mentioned making one for Sophia.

I stared blankly at my plate as I remembered my ultra sound appointments. They had never been big celebrations. In fact, Mary Lou had been the only one who acted happy for me. But she had still been a teenager, and underneath her encouraging words, I had seen her fears for me and her relief for herself that she wasn't dealing with a pregnancy. My parents eventually had come around - at the hospital when they were about to meet their first grandchild. They had been very supportive once the shock had worn off, but excitement and joy had never been part of our family dinners. Of course, once they met Sophia, they were completely smitten. But it was still hard to see how different this experience was for Val than me.

Grandma cleared her throat to get my attention. "You should learn to knit too, Stephanie."

"With what time? I'm taking my exam next week. And then I'll be starting my full-time job in two more weeks."

"But you'll be quitting the bakery," she tried. "You will have some more time then."

"I don't know. I'm still considering staying at the bakery. If I do, I might be able to move out sooner."

That got my mom's attention. "Move out? Why would you need to move out?"

Val sighed in exasperation, upset that the attention had shifted away from her. "Mom, Stephanie is going to need her own space. Especially if things continue to grow more serious with Dickie."

I rolled my eyes at her, but I couldn't argue against that. Eventually, I would let him be around Sophia, and it would be nice to tuck her in and have some adult time without being at my parents' house.

My mom was clearly in a quandary. She wanted things to progress with Dickie, but she didn't want us to ever leave. She'd probably have him move in too if she could. "Well, I suppose it's reasonable for you to move out now that you will be working a real job."

I smiled in gratitude for not pushing this further.

"Mommy, I don't want to leave Grammy and Grampy."

Great. "Sophie, we talked about this. When we move out, we can get a puppy, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She looked over at Mom in sympathy. "I'll come visit you, Grammy. Don't worry." She turned back to her plate.

Mom's face fell. "You know, maybe you should hold off on moving out. It would be pointless to sign a lease and then have to break it."

"Break it? Why would that happen?"

"Well, when you get married, of course, you will have to move in with Dickie."

"Mother, we are just dating."

I held my hands over Sophia's ears, something I had done many times before. Thankfully, my daughter was still young enough to think it was a game called Seashells where if she listened hard enough she could hear a mermaid singing to her. Blame it on a drunken Mary Lou, venting about her sex life in front of my sweet little girl.

"And don't talk about that in front of her," I continued.

"You said he was looking for a wife," she challenged.

"And I have regretted saying it ever since."

Sophia tilted her head up at me. I smiled at her, but kept my hands firmly in place.

"Stephanie, you know that he's serious about you. He wouldn't even have said that if he weren't. And he's being so patient with you. You really need to bring him around Sophia. It's time she gets to know him. She needs a father."

I was seeing red. "I know that," I snapped in a whispered voice. "She was crying about not having a daddy today. You want to explain to me why she was talking about daddies without me around?"

Val looked down. That's what I thought. In Val's mind, everything was black and white. Good and evil. It was annoying at best, and at worst made her uncompassionate to those of us who didn't live in her perfect world.

Mom continued, "Dickie won't propose until he's sure that he can bond with Sophia. The sooner you introduce them, the sooner things can move along. You can be planning a wedding instead of spending money on an apartment."

I dropped my hands. "Thank you, Sophia. You were a very good girl."

"I heard her, Mommy!" She bounced in her seat.

"That's great, bug!" I kissed her head and ignored my mother the rest of dinner.

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OoOoO

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I entered the Tasty Pastry one Saturday morning with mixed emotions. I had passed my exams easily. But I also had decided that I would be quitting the bakery. I would make enough money at the hospital, and as much as I hated to admit it, my mother was right about Dickie. Things needed to move forward, and I would need the time so I could see my daughter and go on dates. Plus, I was hoping that it wouldn't be too much longer before the three of us could do things together.

I smiled at Big Red when I came in and she immediately hugged me tight. I would miss her, but I knew we would still visit her. Big Red had become like another grandmother to Sophia. She probably was also the only person who could make a real guess at Sophia's father. She only once hinted at it, but I quickly changed the subject and she never brought it up again.

Big Red stayed with me throughout the day, but she had to leave early to go to her sister's house. That left me closing, which was no problem. I had told her that I would always be available to her if she needed me, and she insisted that I keep my keys for now.

"You better bring my Cutie Pie to see me, Stephanie," Big Red warned me, as she stood at the door, ready to leave.

"You know I will."

"I expect weekly calls or visits."

"Yes, Loretta. You think Sophie would actually let me get by with not bringing her here to see you?"

She chuckled and then paused to fluff her hair in the reflection of the door window. "Well, love ya, darlin', and I'll be talkin' to you real soon."

"Love you too."

She waved at me. "Byeee!"

.

I was just cleaning up the counters when the bell above the door rang. In walked Joe with Terry Grizzoli. He had his arm draped over her shoulder. Oh God. This was the last place I ever wanted to see him again. I was practically standing where Sophia was conceived!

I quickly put my head down. I wasn't ready to face him. And I was mentally kicking myself for being so foolish to block out all information about him these last several months. I had heard something about the police, but I didn't ever listen long enough to learn more. I think I had been more panicked about his return than I realized when I had heard he had come back from the Navy. It looked like my time had run out.

"Well, what do you know? It's Stephanie Plum!" Terry said delightedly. "Joey, you remember her from high school? Maybe not. She didn't really get a reputation until after you left."

I could feel my cheeks burning, but I chose to ignore her.

Joe said nothing. I wanted so desperately to look up and see what his expression would tell me, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

She continued. "So, Stephanie, I'm surprised you're still working here."

"May I help you?" I asked as professionally as possible, but I could hear the clip to my words.

She laughed, completely ignoring me. "Of course, this is where you make your second income too. Joey, did you know that Stephanie runs her own private business out of here?"

That got my attention and I glared at her, but I still kept my mouth shut.

Joe looked up at me, finally. He looked angry. "Yeah, I heard you've been quite busy."

My mouth dropped open. After a moment of us staring at each other, I found my voice. "Get. Out."

Terry's eyes gleamed with malice. "What? You're not offering your services anymore?"

"I said get out. Now. Before I call the police."

She practically squealed in delight. "No problem. Joey's just become a cop." She pulled him closer to her and placed a hand possessively on his chest.

So he had been at the police academy. I had thought maybe he would go back to school like we had talked about when we had been friends. NO! We were never friends. He used me. I was just another easy lay to him.

Heaving in anger, I pulled myself up and looked him in the eye. "We're closed. I need you to leave."

Joe's face had been set in a mask, but I saw a flicker of concern, and I nearly screamed at him. Terry must have seen it too because she suddenly clung to him like a life preserver. He looked like he was tolerating her attention, just barely. It was so confusing. Why was he acting this way? He was the one who hurt me!

I quickly brushed past them and turned the open sign around to say closed. I held the door open and waited for them to leave. I couldn't bring myself to look at them. Terry was whining about the poor service and not being surprised considering who I was. Joe was completely quiet. Finally, they were gone. I fell to the floor, a sobbing mess. I didn't even care that they could still see me if they looked.

I sat at the door for a few minutes, staring into the bakery in front of me. But all I could see was Joe: locking up the shop, helping me clean, telling me how it was going to count that time. Straight across from me on the very same floor, I had given myself to him, heart, mind, and body. He had taken so much from me that night, but he never knew what he had given me.

Suddenly, I needed to leave. As soon as possible. I jumped up and locked the door. After turning off all the lights, I bolted out the back. It took me several tries with my key before I remembered I was driving my dad's car while mine was in the shop. I screamed in frustration as I dropped the keys from my shaking hands. Once I made it into the car, I started to break down again. My nose was dripping and I was gasping for breath between my gut-wrenching sobs. All those feelings from when he left were clawing their way back through me, making me feel as helpless as that seventeen-year-old girl I used to be. Suddenly, my sorrow turned to anger. I screamed out loud and flung my arms against the steering wheel, causing it to vibrate under the pounding of my fists. I accidentally hit the horn and it jolted me from my fit. But when I looked up, I saw the place that Joe had kissed me for the first time just a few feet from where I was parked.

And then, I couldn't breathe. Almost hyperventilating, I rolled the windows down to get some fresh air into the hot car. It was July, and the summer was really heating up. I felt like I was choking as I kept replaying that kiss. The way he looked at me, the way he held me close. I took a few deep, cleansing breaths, but then I started crying again.

I had loved him! Oh God, I had loved him so much. Why did he leave me? Why did he betray me? Why didn't he love me?

I was so upset, so distraught; I didn't even notice Joe approaching the car.

He leaned into the window and touched my shoulder. "Oh God. Cupcake, I'm so sor–"

"DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN!" I screamed into his face.

He frowned, but he didn't back away. And almost without thinking, I threw the car into reverse and cranked the wheel to the right. It happened so fast, but I saw him fall to the ground as I felt the wheel hit him hard.

"Fuck!" he cried out. "Holy shit!" He rolled over and braced his leg, screaming out several more curse words.

I stopped the car about ten feet away from him, frozen as the realization of what I'd just done washed over me.

He looked over at me, anger pouring off of him. "I was coming over to apologize! What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind? I just got my job!"

I blinked at him in confusion; it was like he was speaking another language. Scared out of my mind at what I had just done, I channeled that fear back into anger. "Go back to your stupid girlfriend!" I spun away as he continued to scream at me.

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By the time I made it back home, I was a frazzled mess. Dad looked really concerned as I stood frozen in the entryway, and Sophia instantly started crying when she saw me.

"Mommy," she wailed as she clung to my legs. "Mommy!"

I looked over at Mom. "Please take her upstairs. I have to talk to Dad."

My mom pried her off of my legs, and I almost broke down again, hearing her cry out for me. I had scared her, and I hated myself for that. I waited until she quieted down before I turned to my father.

"Dad, I am in so much trouble," I said quietly.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Are you pregnant again?"

"NO!" I screamed, and then I could hear another cry for me from upstairs. I collapsed onto the couch and put my head in my hands. "I hit Joe Morelli with your car."

"What?" he said quietly, being a much better parent than I was at that moment.

"I ran over his leg."

He cursed under his breath. "What did the doctor say? Is it shattered?"

I felt the breath leave my body. I hadn't even considered that. "I don't know."

"Didn't you stay and find out?"

"I didn't take him to the hospital."

He stood over me and waited for me to look up at him. "Did you call the police?"

"No."

"Oh my God, Stephanie!" he scream whispered again. "You did a hit and run!"

"I know," I cried, my face back in my hands.

"Why on earth would you leave him?"

I looked at him, my eyes stinging from my tears. "You need to sit down."

He warily followed my advice.

"I did it on purpose."

I think I had stunned him. He just stared at me like I was an alien.

"He … was the one who …"

My heart stopped. Was this it? Was this the moment I finally came clean? No. Now I would never tell Joe. For as bad as I felt about hurting him, I knew that I didn't want him anywhere near Sophia. And I would die before I let Terry be around my daughter.

My dad was looking at me with so much concern. I dropped my gaze to my lap. The truth lodged in my throat like a brick, making me feel awful. But I refused to let Joe hurt Sophia. I took a deep breath and quickly said, "He was the one who wrote all those things about me on the walls. Because … I rejected him in front of his friends."

His eyes narrowed. "Joseph Morelli destroyed your reputation?"

I almost pointed out that I had done a good job of that by getting pregnant, but if this was going to get him on my side so be it. And it was the truth – well, most of it. Finally, something I could actually reveal.

"Yes. He admitted it to me," I continued more strongly. "And he called me a name that referenced what had been said." I decided to omit that he had called me 'Cupcake' since I didn't think it wouldn't really help my argument.

Dad bolted up from his seat and marched over to the phone. I watched him in wonder as he looked up a number and then dialed it with stabbing fingers. It was times like these that I remembered Dad was Italian.

"Angie? This is Frank Plum … "

I felt my stomach flip-flop. Oh shit.

"I know what she did – do you know what that son of yours did to her? …. He was the one writing all that trash about her all over town, and then he had the nerve to rub it in her face today!"

He looked at me smugly like he had just made an excellent point. I'm not sure if bathroom graffiti warranted attempted vehicular manslaughter, but who was I to argue that?

"No, I don't know why!" he continued, but he looked over at me and gave me a questioning look that I completely ignored. "He doesn't even know her! He must have been drunk like that useless father of his. We all thought he might be different – but he's clearly still a Morelli!"

Uh-oh. This was going into dangerous territory. I jumped up from the couch and grabbed Dad's arm. "Stop, Dad. Don't cause problems between you and the Morellis. I think I defended myself enough already."

He frowned at me, but then nodded with a proud smile. "Yes, that's her," he spoke more calmly into the phone. "Yes, I will tell her."

He hung up and gave me a puzzled look. "She says that Bella won't let her call the police on you, but she's still going to try and convince Joe to press charges."

.

The next several days I was convinced that I was going to be arrested at every turn, but it never happened. I chose to believe that Mrs. Morelli never did convince Joe. But I was so confused. I had no idea why Joe wouldn't be taking his just revenge. Even though I remembered that he had been trying to apologize at the car, I also clearly remembered him implying that I had become a slut. No matter what was happening, that was not how I envisioned meeting Joe again. I simply prayed that he felt guilty enough about upsetting me that he wouldn't come after me. And his grandmother protecting me made absolutely no sense. Maybe Bella actually was psychic. She probably wouldn't want her great-grandchild to lose her mother to prison. No. More likely, she knew her grandson deserved to get run over by a car.

Once I started my new job, being at work seemed to distract me a little. Dickie and I did have more time for each other since I was only working at the hospital. I was lucky enough to get a good shift in the outpatient wing of the hospital. It was a great position and I worked with Anna, which was awesome. Basically, I was feeling pretty good. As far as I was concerned, Joe was not going to be part of our lives. And I was more than ready to move things along with Dickie.

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OoOoO

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Of course, once Mary Lou found out that I was considering sleeping with Dickie, she ripped me apart for not having met him yet. So I agreed to a double date with her and her boyfriend Lenny.

Dickie decided that we should all go to this new fondue restaurant in town. He thought it would be fun and at least "keep us busy if the conversation was lacking". Lenny and Mary Lou had an unconventional relationship. Lenny was an okay guy, but he didn't seem to be in a hurry to do anything. And I wasn't always sure how I felt about him, so I couldn't really argue with Dickie about how much fun he would be having with Lenny.

We arrived before they did and couldn't be seated until our party was complete. Dickie was put out and I hoped it wouldn't ruin the whole evening.

"Steph!" Mary Lou called to me as soon as they entered the lobby. Then she dragged Lenny through the crowd of people and up to us.

"Hi, I'm Mary Lou," she introduced herself, hand extended to Dickie, "Steph's best friend. So you better impress me 'cause my opinion counts!"

Dickie smiled at her, but I could see he already thought she was annoying. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Um … hi. I'm Lenny. Mary Lou's other half, but I've known these two since grade school."

Dickie nodded. "So you all grew up together?"

Looping my arm through his, I leaned my head against his shoulder. "Lenny was too cool for us in high school. He was captain of the football team. But we both remember when he would eat the play dough when Miss Roberts wasn't looking."

Dickie chuckled along with us, but I think he was just playing nice.

Mary Lou kissed Lenny on the cheek. "And he cried for his mom whenever he didn't feel well."

"Only until second grade!" Lenny defended. Then he shrugged. "Maybe a few times after that."

Dickie informed the hostess of our complete party, and we were quickly seated. Once we decided on our meal choices, the waitress began serving our courses. It was fun to cook the food at the table and try the different types of meat, cheeses, and breads.

Conversation returned to my past with Mary Lou and Lenny once Dickie had given his own brief history. He also earned points with Mary Lou, talking about how lucky he was to have met me. Lenny even joined into the conversation more as we ate and drank.

"Mary Lou and I weren't really in the popular group. We weren't unpopular, but she played clarinet and I twirled baton in the marching band." I shrugged. "Of course, I had to give up my majorette uniform once I was pregnant. The school sort of frowned on me being out in front."

Mary Lou snorted. "Yeah, and you practically took out Mr. Harris with your baton."

"Poor Mr. Harris. I think I almost injured him at least once every year."

Dickie smiled at that. "You still have that uniform?"

"Maybe," I replied flirtatiously.

Mary Lou made a googly-eyed face at us and then turned back to Lenny. "This one here wasn't allowed to date me." She suddenly looked over at me, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry, Steph. I shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine." I smiled, but I always felt bad about how Mary Lou had been roped into my bad reputation. I looked over at Dickie, who was looking confused. "Lenny's mom thought that Mare would be … would be a bad influence on him."

Dickie lifted his brows at Lenny, who had dropped his head slightly. "Because of you?" he asked perceptively, looking back at me.

"Yeah. Mare was the best friend ever. She stuck by me no matter what everyone else said."

Lenny sighed. "I'm sorry, Stephanie. I know I wasn't such a good friend to you."

I shook my head. "We weren't really friends, Lenny. It's fine."

He looked at Dickie. "The guys I ran with all were kind of jerks. I should have stood up for Stephanie. I knew she wasn't like what everyone said."

Dickie squeezed my shoulder. "I'm sure being pregnant in high school was very difficult."

Lenny jumped in again. "It was more about what was on all the walls. And then the pregnancy just confirmed it for most guys."

I blushed to the roots of my hair. I had somehow kept this little tidbit of information from Dickie, along with the whole car incident. And now that the Burg knew it was Joe who had wrote those things about me, thanks to our recent 'run-in', I worried what this would mean in the future when Dickie knew Joe was the father. Ugh. I almost felt sick thinking about telling him about Joe.

Dickie kissed my temple. "You okay?"

"Yeah." I looked at Mary Lou, trying to convey a message to change the subject, but she was busy dipping two pieces of bread.

"This guy we went to school with wrote all kinds of crap about her on several bathroom walls," she said before she handed Lenny his fork. She carefully brought her fondue fork to her mouth and swallowed her bread with a smile. "He was so full of himself. And Steph turned him down at this party in front of all his friends."

"It was no big deal," I said quickly. "I'm sure he was probably drunk or something."

"Joe Morelli thought he could have any girl he wanted, Stephanie. And he knew you had a crush on him." She rolled her eyes at me. "Good thing you outgrew that."

I laughed, but it sounded hollow even to my own ears. "Yep."

When we left the restaurant, Mary Lou whispered that we would need to talk soon. I knew that she wasn't completely sold on Dickie, but I hoped that over time she would get to know him better. It wasn't like I was Lenny's biggest fan either and that hadn't affected our friendship.

.

Dickie waited until we were in the car before he gave me his verdict on the evening. "I'm glad you have had Mary Lou as a friend. Sounds like you needed someone to count on." He placed his hand on my thigh and gave it a small pat. "I hope you know I can be that someone for you now."

I placed my hand over his. "I do. Mary Lou has been wonderful, but I'm so glad to have you in my life right now."

"So what's the story between them?" he asked, referring to Lenny.

I laughed. "I can't figure it out, honestly. She loves him. At first I just thought she was caught up in getting the popular boy. We weren't joking about him being in the cool group at school. And when everyone found out I was pregnant … let's just say that our social ranking dropped quite a bit. It was kind of amazing Mare stayed by my side."

He glanced over at me with a frown. "I honestly forget how young you were when you had Sophia. You really don't come across as twenty-one."

I sighed with a mixture of agreement and resignation. "I had to grow up. But anyway, Lenny wouldn't even look at us our senior year. And Mary Lou was completely infatuated with him. Then they run into each other like a year ago, and he pursues her big time." I rolled my eyes and shifted towards him. "But he won't sleep with her."

"Won't sleep with her?"

"Well, everything but actual sex. His mother is crazy, and she still thinks Mary Lou is a slut. So Lenny is convinced that if he can tell his mother that they aren't having sex, then maybe she will come around."

"And lying to his mother isn't an option?" he asked simply.

I laughed, but a part of me felt a little concerned that Dickie could be so blasé about lying to your mother. I mean, I did it, but I didn't feel good about it. "Well, Lenny is a bit of a mama's boy."

"Hmm."

"Mary Lou is not the kind of girl to sit around and wait for someone's approval. But Lenny still lives at home and doesn't seem to care when or if he moves out. It creates a strange dynamic between the two of them."

"I noticed. She mothers him too. Maybe it will work out then." He chuckled. "There's no way I could go without sex."

"Yeah," I agreed, wondering how much longer he would go without it. Was he? Was there someone else keeping him company while he waited patiently for me?

"You're worth the wait, Stephanie," he said sweetly and leaned over for a quick kiss.

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