One month later

Mila sat on her sofa in her two bedroom apartment.

She was staring at her blank television screen holding a hot cup of tea. She was still in her gray sweatpants, white socks and a long sleeve black cotton shirt. Her eyes were puffy from unshed tears. What was she going to do? How was she going to go through with this all alone? She was in love with a man who was now most likely married. And she couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt and betrayal.

She looks down at the letter that had come from Selena. She had written to her two weeks ago begging for her to come. That she needed her best friend with her and that emotionally she wasn't doing so good. She finally got a reply from her stating that her and Ian were catching a plane as soon as they could and that they would be arriving there at her apartment on the twenty first.

That was today.

Selena didn't mention what time they would be arriving, so Mila couldn't meet them at the airport unless she waited there all day. Besides, she didn't know what section or plane number they were arriving at. So she just sat there in her living room feeling on edge. When she first arrived back she had told her parents that it was taking longer than expected to find a new receptionist before she could return. They were a bit put out about it. Her grandfather just simply said to take all the time he needed, that he completely understood.

No mention of Jared or the wedding.

How was she going to tell her? How would she react to the news? How was Mila going to answer the questions she knew Selena was going to ask? She was in a complete emotional mess and all she felt like doing was crying. How was she going to tell her best friend that she was pregnant with her brother's child?

Jared's child.

She put her hand on her lower abdominal. There was a slight hard mound already forming and through her emotional state she smiles. She already loved this tiny being inside her, for it was Jared's and that alone gave her happiness. But how was she to raise it alone? It brought her sadness that her child would be raised without a father. She gave a huge sigh when another wave of nausea hit her.

She takes a small sip of tea, and it slowly calms it down. She discovered that tea was the only thing that helped her with her nausea. The first time she threw up was while she was packing up and she was forced to stop thinking that she ate something bad. Then she started feeling like this every day. She knew something was wrong and she began to worry. When her monthly flow didn't show up that's when she went out and bought a pregnancy test. She burst into tears when it came out positive.

She leaned over and grabs the white envelope on her coffee table and opens it. Inside was her first ultrasound picture and stares at the little peanut size dot in the center of her uterus. It was amazing for she could just see the beginnings of little arms and legs forming.

Again tears threaten to come forth.

A knock sounds at the door. She quickly puts the ultrasound back into its envelope. With her heart racing and her nerves becoming erratic she stumbles and looks around her place. It was in okay order, not too bad. She looks at the clock that shows it was twelve thirty two. She puts her tea on the kitchen counter. Another knock sounds and a muffled voice calls out,

"Mila?" Selena calls out.

"I'm coming!" She ran up to the door and took a deep breath. Well, here we go she thought to herself.

She opens the door and gives a big smile that she didn't quite feel at all. Selena and Ian were both standing there and before Mila knew it, she burst into tears.. With deep concern Selena grabs her friend into a hug.

"What's wrong? It's okay love, I'm here. Whatever is bothering you we can get through it okay." she says softly, rubbing her back in gentle strokes.

Mila's body shakes with the sobs that she held pent up inside for so long. She lets go of Selena and walks away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to turn into a waterfall on you, it's just that I-" She stops suddenly when she turns around and sees Jared standing in the doorway watching her.

Selena follows her gaze. "Oh yeah, Jared came along at the last minute. He wanted to make sure you were okay as well. Hope you don't mind."

Mind? Holy crap Jared was here, and she didn't know how to react to that. But here was her one chance to tell him about the baby. But what was he doing here?

"No.. I.. I don't mind."

"Good, cause even if you did, I still wouldn't leave." Jared states, closing the door.

He came over to her sofa and sat himself down like he comes over every day. She clenches her teeth. The nerve of him! They haven't seen or talked to each other in a month, and he acted like it was no big deal, like he didn't even care.

Little did she know that Jared was seething inside. All he wanted to do upon looking at her was grab her to him and make love to her right there on her living room floor. If it wasn't for Selena and Ian he would have done it too.

Selena takes her hand and pulls her to the stools at her counter, then sat them down. "So what's been going on Mila? When I read your letter I was really worried, is everything alright?"

No, nothing was alright. Jared starts going through the contents on her coffee table acting like their conversation didn't matter, when he was actually hanging onto every word they were saying.

Great now how was she supposed to tell Selena the problem with Jared sitting right there? "Um... well it's just that... Um." Great now she can't get a full sentence out and Selena was looking at her all funny.

She should just blurt it out. But before she could say a single word Jared finds the white envelope and opens it. When he realizes what it is he nearly jumps out of his seat, yelling out,

"What the hell is this?!"

He holds the ultrasound picture in front of him and just stares at it, completely dumbfounded.

"My lord Jared! Really you don't have to shout!" Selena yells at him, nearly having a heart attack at his sudden outburst.

Mila completely freezes watching Jared's reaction.

"What is it?" Ian asks with confusion on his face.

"Jared?" Selena walks over to him and looks at what he is holding. She gasps and snatches the photo away.

She looks back at Mila "Is this...?"

Mila lets go of her pent up breath and never leaving Jared's face which was still staring at his empty hand, she carefully says, "It's an ultrasound of my baby."

"You're pregnant?" Selena looks completely in shock.

Ian laughs. "Well I'll be, congrats Mil."

Selena walks up to her and there were tears now. "Oh Mil, I can't believe it, this is what's wrong with you isn't it?"

Mila nods her head. Selena frowns. "Who is the father?" Then her eyes widen. "Oh my, it isn't Evan is it? I swear if he is, I'll-"

"Kill the bastard if he is!" Jared states hotly, finally coming out of his mini coma and Mila tenses at the look he was giving her.

"Of course he isn't!" She snaps the picture out of Selena's hand and looks at it.

Something dawns on Jared's face and thinking it, it made him angry.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" he asks her, ignoring the surprised look on his sister's face.

He pushes his sister out of the way and stands face to face with her. A Baby! She was pregnant with his child and the thought of her not telling him made him angry.

His child, her child, their child.

He was going to be a father.

"I.. I didn't know if you wanted to know. I didn't want it to become between you and your new wife. I didn't want to ruin anybody's life." Slowly tears ran down her face.

Selena was in complete shock still. Ian takes her hand and together they left the apartment without either Mila or Jared knowing. He takes the last few steps to her and tenderly wipes a tear away.

"Mila, first of all, I don't have a wife. Me and Stacy broke it off the day you left me. Why would you ever think that I wouldn't want to know? What kind of man do you think I am?" He grabs both sides of her face.

"You're... you're not married?" She whispers with hope laced in her tone.

He smiles at her. "How could I marry someone when I've been completely in love with another since I was sixteen?"

His face becomes serious. "I love you Mila. I've always loved you, every day for the past eight years I thought of nothing but you."

Tears were rolling down faster now. "Why didn't you say anything?" Since he was sixteen?!

"I was afraid to show my feelings, and when Evan tells me that he wanted to ask you out, I didn't know what to do. He's my best friend and I couldn't do that to him. That's why I was always on you Mila. Knowing I couldn't have you; I didn't want anyone else to have you either. I was completely jealous. I love you." He says to her softly, slowly rubbing his thumbs against her cheeks.

"I love you too Jared."

His entire body flushes with pleasure and happiness to finally hear the words he had longed for from her since they were teenagers. Leaning in he kisses her deeply, his heart filled with joy that at last the heart of the woman he has loved for long was finally his.

Mila couldn't believe that all this time he loved her. She had been depressed and heartbroken because she thought he didn't love her. She breaks the kiss and frowns.

"If you loved me since you were sixteen then why did you wait so long to come after me?"

He winces down at her as he tells her the truth. "Payback, I guess. I know it was kind of petty of me." The he frowns. "Although, I think it backfired on me."

She plays with his hair at his nape. "Why do you say that?"

He looks into her eyes. "Because I was trying to make you feel the way I did. Depressed, unwanted, unloved." She gives him a look. "But I was also feeling the urge to have you with me. There were so many times I wanted to relent and just be with you."

She smiles at him, feeling so much time had been wasted when they could have been together. "Well, let's not torture each other anymore, okay."

He leans in capturing her lips once more. "I must say though, it was worth the torture."