The Things We Do for Love

Twice I came into his office and found him crying. . . . How sad that he had to come here to cry. . . .

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE RESTAURANT WAS WILD. EVERY table was full, and a line of hopefuls waited in the corner. Angie was grateful for the business. It meant she didnt have time to think.

Thinking was the last thing she wanted to do.

At closing time, Mira showed up, running in from the cold. "Well?" she said. "Livvy said you went to see Conlan. How did it go?"

"Not well. "

"Oh. " Miras plump face seemed to crumple. "Im sorry. "

"Not as sorry as I am, believe me. "

LOVE CAN GET US THROUGH THE HARDEST TIMES.

It can also be our hardest times.

All weekend Lauren had been thinking about her conversation with Angie. Lauren kept hoping that somehow the answer was there, waiting for her to be smart enough to see it. Because as it was, she saw nothing but bad decisions in front of her.

She didnt want to be a mother.

She didnt want to have a baby and give it away.

What she wanted was not to be pregnant.

By Sunday shed worried herself sick. Shed ignored Angie at work and slipped out of the restaurant without a good-bye to anyone. She walked all the way home, not bothering with the crosstown bus. No matter how much she tried to think about other things, THE BABY was always there.

Somewhere along the way it started to rain. She flipped her hood up and kept walking. The weather suited her mood. She took a perverse pleasure in the cold and chill.

She turned the corner toward home and saw him.

David stood on the sidewalk in front of her apartment, holding a bouquet of red roses. The rain pummeled him. "Hey, Trixie. "

Love swept through her, hot as a flame, and consumed everything. She ran for him, threw her arms around him. He picked her up, held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe.

He loves me.

That was what shed forgotten this weekend. She wasnt alone in this. She wasnt her mother.

She slid down to her feet again, smiled up at him, blinking through the rain. "I thought you guys were out of town until tomorrow morning. "

"I missed you, so I came back early. "

"Your mom couldnt have been too happy about that. "

"I told her I had a chem test. " He grinned. "We wouldnt want Stanford to change their mind. My futures gold, dontcha know?"

Laurens smile faded. His future was golden.

Stanford.

The loneliness came back full force, made her feel older than David and infinitely far away, even though she was in his arms. She had to tell him about the baby. It was the right thing to do.

"I love you, David. " She felt herself start to cry; her tears mingled with the rain and were washed away before he could see them.

"I love you, too. Now lets get in my car before we catch pneumonia. " He smiled. "Theres a party at Erics house. "

She wanted to say, No, not tonight, and take him into her shabby apartment and close the door. But once they were alone, shed have to tell him the truth, and she didnt want to do that. Not yet, anyway. She wanted one more night where they could be kids. Speed Racer and Trixie, laughing it up with their friends.