The Things We Do for Love

Mrs. Haynes watched her husband walk out of the room, then she sighed and bowed her head.

Lauren frowned. They acted like a decision had been made.

David came over to her. Shed never known his eyes could be so sad. He took her hand, squeezed it. She waited for him to say something; her need to hear I love you was near desperate. But he said nothing.

What was there to say? There was no A answer out of this situation, no road that didnt lead someone--mostly Lauren--to heartache. She wasnt ready to make this decision yet.

"Lets go, Lauren," Mrs. Haynes finally said, standing.

"I can drive her home, Mom. "

"Ill do it," Mrs. Haynes said in a voice that, even in its ragged state, brooked no disagreement.

"Then well all go," David said, taking Laurens hand.

They turned and followed Mrs. Haynes out to the garage, where the glossy black Cadillac Escalade waited.

The scene of the crime.

David opened the front passenger side door. Lauren wanted to protest at sitting up front, but she didnt want to appear rude. With a sigh, she climbed into the seat. The CD player immediately came on. The lonely, haunting strains of "Hotel California" filled the car.

David told his mother to take the highway west; other than that, they didnt speak. With every second that passed in silence, Lauren felt her stomach tightening. She had a terrifying feeling that Mrs. Haynes wanted to see Laurens mother, that it was the whole reason for this drive home.

What could Lauren say to that? It would be almost midnight by the time they reached the apartment.

"My mom is out of town on business. " Lauren said the lie in a rush, hating how it made her feel.

"I thought she was a hairdresser," his mother said.

"She is. Its a convention. One of those things where they show them all the new products. " Lauren remembered that her mothers boss had sometimes gone to conventions like that.

"I see. "

"You can let me off here," Lauren said. "Theres no point--"

"At the Safeway?" Mrs. Haynes frowned at her. "I dont think so. "

Lauren swallowed hard. She couldnt find her voice. From the backseat, David gave directions to the apartment.

They pulled up in front of the dilapidated building. In the moonlight, it looked like something out of a Roald Dahl novel, one of those a poor, pathetic child lives here kind of places.

David climbed out of the car and walked around to the passenger door.

Mrs. Haynes hit the door locks, then turned, frowning.

Lauren flinched at the loud click.

"This is where you live?"

"Yes. "

Amazingly, Mrs. Hayness face seemed to soften. She sighed heavily.

David tried to open the door.

"Davids the only child I could have," Mrs. Haynes said. "He was a miracle, really. Maybe I loved him too much. Motherhood . . . changes who you are somehow. All I wanted was for him to be happy, to have all the choices I didnt have. " She looked at Lauren. "If you and David get married and keep this baby . . . " Her voice broke. "Life with a baby is hard. Without money or education, its worse than hard. I know how much you love David. I can see that. And he loves you. Enough to walk away from his future. I guess I should be proud about that. " She said this last part softly, as if she wanted to feel it but couldnt.

David pounded on the glass. "Open the door, Mom!"