"Hello, George. What brings you here?"

"I knew you were going to throw a bit of a baby shower for Layla...I know I'm probably not invited...but I wanted to get her something. Do you know of anything she needs?"

Lucy bit her lip. "There are more important things right now concerning Layla. Come inside."

He shed his coat, and began to worry as Lucy shut the door. "What's wrong?"

"She came here today..."

------------------------------------------------------

Lucy was excited to see her friend, as they hadn't had a proper girls' day in awhile. As they sat catching up on the couch, Lucy's mother brought out a wrapped present. "I just couldn't wait to give this to you, even if it is early." She held it out to Layla. "Oh my...it's heavy..."

Mrs. Rydell sat smiling on the chair next to them, legs crossed but the foot on the floor was tapping as if she were listening to music. "Are you sure you want me to open this now-"

"Please, Layla...it's from all of us."

She carefully unwrapped the bag. Lucy thought that if Layla didn't move quick enough her mother was going to tear into it herself. She loved babies, and acted as if Layla were her own daughter. Not that Lucy minded.

There were two knit baby blankets inside, one green and the other yellow. They were incredibly soft to the touch. And there were three little jumpers. "Thank you so much," Layla embraced them both. "They're beautiful...did you make these?"

Mrs. Rydell nodded, proud of her work. She thanked them both profusely and Lucy's mother left in order to give them some privacy. "You know...I always thought I wouldn't have a baby, and you'd be the mother." Layla admitted.

Lucy blushed. "I'm all too young." She smiled, and hugged her friend once more. "Oh, Layla! I'm so excited to see the little one!" However her smile soon faded. "...what happened to your wrist?"

There were a few bruises on her left arm. Layla folded the blankets. "It was an accident."

"It doesn't look that way."

"Believe me. It was." She said firmly. Her tone grew quiet in case Mrs. Rydell was nearby. "Eric...he experiments with drugs sometimes. He tried this thing he called acid...he said he saw things that weren't there. Unbelievable things. If I wasn't caring for two now...perhaps I would have done it with him. But he thought I was something I wasn't...and he twisted my arm. Once he was out of his trip he realized what he had done and apologized profusely. But I said I needed some time alone and left. I haven't been back there in two days...I've been staying at a hotel."

Lucy took her friend's hand. "Stay here with us. I'll just tell my parents that Eric is away and you were lonely. They won't suspect a thing."

She shook her head. "But...that's not even the worst part. I've been getting these awful stomach pains and I'm worried about the baby's health. I went to see the doctor, and they said I should just rest and try not to move around as much as I do. I've done that...and sometimes it gets worse. I'm scared, Lucy."

"Don't be scared. It's going to be alright. Stay here with us. My mother knows so much about babies...I bet she'll know what's wrong."

"I really think I should go talk to Eric though. To make sure he knows I'm not angry. I know it was an accident. He was beside himself when he realized he had hurt me." She started to put away the gifts for her baby. Lucy asked her not to go, but she insisted.

------------------------------------------------------

"She needs you, George. I've never seen her less unsure of herself." Lucy looked down at the ground. "I was thinking...that pain she was feeling...perhaps it is her mind working up her body. She's scared and it's making her sick having to worry all the time."

"...did she say which hotel she was staying in?"

It took Lucy a minute to recall.

He went to the hotel, only to find that she had checked out. He desperately wanted to see if she was at Eric's, but didn't have the nerve. George went home, and was asleep on the couch when he heard his door open. It was raining outside, and he grabbed the water glass he had on the table, prepared to face a burglar.

But a soft voice said, "George?"

He set the glass down on the table. "Layla..." He touched her face gently before embracing her. He flicked on the overhead light, and both of their eyes had to adjust. He rolled down her coat sleeve to see the bruises. "Lucy must have told you. It was an accident-"

"I know. Eric wouldn't intentionally hurt you. He cares for you too much."

She brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. Both her and Lucy had been planning on dyeing their hair back to their colors before the accident. "I've been wanting to see you...George, I've missed you. His house isn't home...I should have listened to you when you said that hitting me was an accident...because it was." She buried her face in his shirt. He kissed her neck and hair. "I love you, Layla. I've missed you so much."

She kissed his face all over as if she hadn't seen him in years. Then she pulled him into the living room, tugging along her bag. "You should see what they gave us...well, the little one..." She showed him the blankets and the baby clothes. "I should learn how to do this...the doctor says I should relax more. But I'm afraid I wouldn't have the patience for it." George couldn't stop watching her. "Is something wrong?"

"No...it's just that...in the matter of minutes you've been here I've kissed you all over...but I've missed a spot."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Where?"

He leaned down and kissed her stomach. "I missed the baby." He whispered.

My baby.

He sat up and leaned his forehead against Layla's. "You don't have to worry anymore. You're going to be alright. I promise."