where do we go from here

 

It was a surprise to see Riley. Brandon hadn't expected it. Usually, she called to let him know she was in town.

"What's up?" He looked at her blankly. He held Heidi his niece who he was the guardian of on his hip even if he knew she was far too big to be carried. She was munching on an animal cracker. 

Of course, Riley was upset. She'd come from Yuki and Em's.

"Where's Melissa?" Brandon didn't understand with a wince. He let Riley into the apartment and told Declan to put the kettle on. Perhaps some herbal tea would help but with that distraught look on her face, he doubted it.

"At her mother's." 

Riley shrugged and took a seat on the couch. She was eager to give Heidi a little something. A Squishmellow that Heidi would never say No to. 

"But..but don't you guys do everything together?" Brandon sat down across from her and Declan came to join them.

"We had a fight."

"Really?" Brandon looked to Declan to check on the tea. He got up from the arm of the chair where Brandon was sitting and went back to the kitchen. "A real fight?"

"Oh, we argued on the way here," Riley practically crumbled, but at least Heidi gave her something to smile about as she gave the soft toy back to Riley to hug.

"What's going on?" Brandon squinted.

"I told you what would happen," she frowned. "Melissa doesn't want a baby. She hates babies, evidently."

Declan brought the tea then. Of course, there were the brownies. Although, Brandon told Declan to put them away. "I'll make us some lunch."

"She doesn't want me to have a baby," Riley said.

"That's all?" Brandon made it sound it wasn't so horrible. "Maybe?" He shrugged. "She just doesn't want you to go through all the pain."

"Or lose that figure of yours," Declan smiled with a silly grin. Of course, Brandon gave him the eye to go away.

"You have options," he told her. "I know you love kids."

"I used to think that's all I needed, you know, to work with children, but now..I want a family."

"Have you thought about fostering?" Declan said from the kitchen then.

"Just think of how many children need parents, right here in our community," Brandon mentioned. "It doesn't have to be a baby, you know."

"I don't know if she would go for that," Riley squinted. "I might have to do it on my own." She said she was certain she and Melissa were splitting up. 

"It was only a spat," Brandon didn't believe her. "You know you need Melissa as much as she needs you. I just can't see you two saying it's over after one little argument."

It's just a little weird

 It was an odd gathering at the coffee shop, but Vanna still showed up with Koda. It felt strange to be there without Harry since this was about Maisy. Instead, it was just the four of them. Mercer and Cade knew Maisy first. Maybe they knew something.

"I did try to get a hold of her," Cade told them. He'd already bought some muffins while they waited for their tea and coffee.

Honestly, Vanna didn't wait. She grabbed the first muffin full of chocolate. She winced, she hated that she wanted chocolate so much during this pregnancy. Was something wrong with her? Of course, Koda looked at Vanna as if she needed better manners.

"I think she changed her phone number," Vanna had decided. First, her messages went through. At least the text, but Maisy wouldn't respond. Then she sent a voicemail.

"That's what I was thinking," Mercer gave her a nod. "We used to talk all the time."

"You did?" Cade looked at him as if that was a surprise.

"You know, it was nothing big. Just school and who she used to know," Mercer shrugged. Vanna nodded. It was hard to believe so much had happened since high school. Vanna was married now and they were getting ready for the baby to be here in August. 

"I guess we lost touch when..when I got pregnant," Vanna sounded as if it was all her fault.

"Don't say that," Koda scowled. "She wasn't one who..who you could be friends with." 

He told them they'd been friends with her because of Harry. Koda shook his head, "He's the sweetest guy, how could she have dumped him?"

"Let's don't make her sound like..you know, a bitch of some kind. That was not Maisy," Vanna spoke up for her. "We were really friends."

"I know she was happy that you helped her with her jewelry making," Cade told her as he stirred his black coffee while Mercer took his chilled in a plastic cup. He put a little cream in his and stirred it with a straw.

"Are you sure?" Vanna cracked a grin. "I was so slow. I didn't know what she was even doing, at first."

"I can't believe she'd give it up," Mercer said.

"I dunno. I guess she was having some tax issues or something with the site," Vanna said. "It's like everything will cost you, these days."

"How is she even living in New York City?" Cade looked at them as if it must be impossible.

"Maybe it's working out," Vanna remained positive. She just wished her friend would call her. And she could see Cade and Mercer were worried too.

"I just can't imagine what Harry is going through," Koda looked sad about it. About then the waitress came over to ask for their order. 

"I feel like a bacon burger with fries," Vanna said first thing, "But I'll take the cheese omelet with some hashbrowns on the side instead." No way was she not going to let herself have some potatoes.

When Will I be Loved

 KC wanted to spend some alone time with Harley, but that would not happen with Brick around.

He hated this. He didn't like himself these days. And seeing Maddie didn't help either. Sure, they gave each other the silent treatment, but after a few days of not seeing Rafe around, he had to ask, "What happened?"

Of course, she was in the middle of doing her laundry, giving off a scolding vibe. He wasn't supposed to be here, but he didn't budge.

"Did you and Rafe break up?"

Again, nothing. 

He started telling her about losing his phone. He must have talked about the love of his life, his old phone, for a good five minutes before she nodded. She went on with her clothes but was very discreet about not letting him see her panties or bras.

"Didn't you hear, Rafe ran away," Maddie sighed.

"Ran away?" KC squinted. "What are you talking about?" He couldn't help but scowl.

"I'm not seeing him anymore."

"Oh yeah, that artsy dude," he told her he noticed. "What do see in him?" He couldn't help but crack up.

"A lot more than what I see in you," she didn't smile. It was as if it was time he knew he needed to shut up. 

KC then told her he and Ruby broke up. "I don't even know why," he wasn't terribly sad about it, yet he felt a little lost without her. "She just kept asking me if I had anything else to tell her." He knew he was talking to himself. Maddie wasn't listening. But then again, when had he ever listened to her.

We went searching through thrift store jungles

 

It was not a good day. Yes, Riley needed to face this. She knew they should have been there when the baby was born. She'd wanted to be there so badly. She'd even made time to take the time off, but NO. Melissa had other plans. It was making Riley fidget now. If only she could have been there for Em and Yuki.

"It's not a big deal," Melissa shrugged. "It's a baby." 

Melissa said she'd gone through it with her sister. And really, she found it boring and horribly disgusting. She winked about it in a rather tragic way as they were on their way to Em and Yuki's from Iowa.

"But I wanted to know, I wanted to be there for the birth," Riley fretted.

"Oh, get over it, will you," Melissa finally looked at Riley in the passenger side. "They wouldn't have let you be there for the birthing."

Melissa sighed heavily. Riley looked out the window at the grassy landscape patched with old farms. She was practically in tears. She wouldn't dare want to be in a spat with her girlfriend. They never ever really argued. Well, because Riley always made sure not to disagree. That was it. But now...she wondered if she was really being honest.

"I want a baby," Riley blurted while she watched a car pass on the partly cloudy day.

"A BABY?" She thought Melissa might swerve and put them in the wrong lane. Riley held on tight. "Are you crazy?"

Riley shot her a look, thinking Melissa was the one being insane. Melissa steadied the car and it was quiet once again. But a minute or two later while Melissa focused on the interstate after the traffic slowed down she said, "Don't get me wrong. Being an Aunt is one thing, but ..oh God NO. I just don't have the patience for it."

"Not even if it's our baby?" Riley looked at her a bit hurt. 

"Technically, it would be your baby," Melissa squinted as she pushed a stray lock out of her face.

"Well, I don't know how much longer we can be together," Riley scowled back. She hugged herself wondering how she could possibly go through spending a day with Em and Yuki.