The One She Needed. **complete**

Chapter 17**I don't think I like that guy

"I can't do it Kels!!!" Scott moaned into the phone. "I can't leave my baby for two months! What kind of mom would ask her son to abandon his baby for two months? This is abuse. I'm sure of it. It's definitely causing me all kinds of mental anguish."

Kelsie was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. "Your baby will be fine!" Kelsie said trying to put sympathy in her voice and failing miserably. "The break may be good for both of you. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' right?

"Oh bull!!!" Scott pouted. "My baby would never want a break and I couldn't grow any fonder!"

"OK." Kelsie said trying to find some way to help Scott feel better. "How about I keep your baby company while you're gone? I'll even go over and wax him once a week for you!"

"Oh no!!" Scott said sounding horrified! "Don't you dare touch my truck! I've seen your car. You don't use wax correctly!"

Kelsie gave up on trying to comfort Scott and just laughed. He had been going on for quite some time now about leaving his baby.

'Baby' was actually a blue 1992 Chevy Silverado truck that his grandparents had given him for his sixteenth birthday. His grandpa had been saving forever so he could give his favorite grandson an amazing birthday. Scott loved the truck more than any woman in his life.

"I really thought I could convince them to let me drive this time, but they all insist that I fly. Even Grandma took Mom's side. That never happens." Scott said, betrayal thick in his voice.

"It's just a couple of months Scott." Kelsie said. "Surely you can make it."

"I guess I have no choice." Scott said then added, "I'll have it better than you! You have to do without ME for two months."

Kelsie laughed then said, "yeah I know! I'll probably just roll up in a ball and die and then you'll feel really bad for only worrying about that truck!"

Now it was Scott's turn to laugh. "I'm sure Crackerhead will keep you company" he said, then more seriously, he added, "how's that going anyway? I do kind of hate to leave knowing he might make you cry."

"It's going OK." Kelsie said. "I think he's really trying and I've stopped hearing the rumors. Plus, if he cheated right now Eric would kill him so I think it's OK."

"So why do you sound down?" Scott ask.

"Because I know it's not gonna last." Kelsie said. Surprised that she could be so honest. "I know, and I really don't care. Plus, I don't feel anything at all anymore. It's like, I'm just numb. He's not making me sad and he's not making me sick. So that's good, but he's not making me happy either. When it's just us I wish our friends were there, when he calls, I'm thinking about when I can call you. I'm being a good girlfriend. I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do, but part of me is looking forward to the day it's over. Does that make me awful?"

"No." Scott said. "I think you held on longer than most would. I hate to leave thinking you'll be unhappy though."

"Oh I won't be!" Kelsie said, no doubt in her voice at all. "My friend Tom will be back the day after you leave and he's got all kinds of stuff planned for us! Plus I'm gonna work a lot. I'll have a good summer. I promise. How is Kristen doing though?"

"Ah she's fine." Scott said. "I'm sure she's got plenty of plans to keep her busy."

Scott and Kelsie spent the next couple of hours planning what he needed to pack, planning for the best times to call each other and discussing all the things they each planned to do over the summer. Then Kelsie curled up with her puppy and fell into a fast sleep.