The Way We Were

The Way We Warn

Mal took Marcy's hand. "We can skip today. Just stay home and watch movies all day. I'll rub your stomach and feed you grapes."

Marcy lifted a brow. "I only like that when I'm really pregnant. We have a ways to go."

"But I'm going to enjoy it."

She shook her head. The goober she married... "Let's just go in."

"Why do you want to go in so badly? No one would miss us."

"Why don't you want to go in? Hiding something?"

He glared at her. "That's not funny."

"I'm not laughing. We're supposed to be good, right? Let's go show everybody how good we are."

"So that's what this is about. You want to rub it in her face."

"I do not. But I do want to talk to her." She was mildly offended.

He raised a brow.

"I'm just going to talk!"

"Good because you can't fight in your condition."

"I don't have acne. Don't call it a condition."

He grinned. "What if this pregnancy gave you acne?"

She gasped and hit his arm. "Don't even joke about that!"

He laughed. "Come on. We might as well do this."

She tugged him to the front doors of their high school. The whispers started right away. Everyone was talking about how they came in together AND holding hands. She wrinkled her nose. "Take a picture!"

Many people did.

"You told them to." Mal reminded her.

"I don't care." Marcy threw her high-pony over her shoulder. "I just want them to stop staring. We're not freaks."

"No but we're dramatic."

"Come to my locker. I want to show you something."

They went around corners until they reached her locker.

"Are you going to be my lab partner again?" He leaned against the locker next to hers.

She opened her locker and performed her daily routine. "It's too late for that. Next semester."

"I miss you. Craig's an idiot."

Marcy laughed. "That's not nice. You know he hangs out with Stoner Brett."

"So he's an idiotic pothead."

Marcy tried to stop laughing. "Shut up. Leave him alone."

"Humph! What do you want to show me?"

Marcy took a picture off of her door and showed him. It was of the twins helping prepare dinner in the kitchen. Flour was everywhere and both were beaming.

He smiled. "When was this?"

"Last week. Mrs. Parks made pizza and they wanted to help."

"Cute."

"I wanted to keep that with me but you can have it. I have it saved to my phone."

"Thanks. I'll put it in my locker."

"Want to go to your locker?"

"Yeah." He took her hand and led her to his locker, where he put away his winter gear and assembled his things for the next couple of hours. He put the picture up.

"So I was thinking..." Marcy wrapped his arms around her as they began walking to their first period. "We can have dinner just the two of us this Friday."

"Just the two of us?" He was afraid to hope.

"Just you and me. I can cook and we can watch TV in the den. Then we can go upstairs and remind ourselves of how we got in this mess in the first place."

"What mess? The divorce mess or-?"

"Our family, genius."

"Oh." He nodded. "I'd like that."

"So what would you like for dinner?"

Mal grew happy and was going to suggest something when he looked forward and saw Eliza standing in front of them with crossed arms. "Oh no."

"So it's true?" Eliza demanded. "You're leaving me for her?"

Mal sighed deeply. "I was never with you."

"And he won't be." Marcy said. "I say we bury the hatchet because I don't want to bring another child into the world in all this ugliness."

Eliza's mouth fell open and she turned red. "You're pregnant?!"

"Yes, we are." Marcy stared at her menacingly.

Eliza burst into tears. "Mal?! How could you?!"

Mal felt very uncomfortable. On one hand, he hated to see people cry, on the other, she wasn't his concern. "She's my wife."

By this time, a large crowd had formed.

"You don't have to stay with her!" Eliza sobbed.

"It's not about have to's. I want to. I need to. I deserve to. I'm sorry but I don't want you, Eliza. I never have." Mal basically whispered so everyone listening couldn't hear him. He didn't want to embarrass her. Further.

"Don't you all have things to do?!" Marcy snapped. "Beat it!"

The crowd dispersed.

She turned to Eliza. She really didn't want to make her feel better but she hated crying. "You'll find somebody. Just not my man."

"You're a-" Mal stopped at Marcy's sharp look. "Nice... person. You'll find somebody soon."

"But I love you, Mal." Eliza sniffled.

"You don't even know him." Marcy glared. "You've become infatuated with a persona. A shell that you've seen around school. That's not who he is."

"So what? you're telling me he's a bad person?" Eliza bit off bitterly.

"Actually he's better than his shell. You're missing out on a great guy. But he's not yours. He never was. He never will be. Find someone to actually know and who doesn't have somebody. It'll make your life way easier."

The bell rang.

Eliza sniffled again. "I guess you won."

"This isn't a game. He isn't a trophy." Marcy gazed at her. "He's a human being with thoughts and feelings and this is real life."

"Would a hug make you feel better?" Mal asked.

"Yes." Eliza said as Marcy looked at him incredulously.

"It'll make her feel better, Marce." He pleaded.

"Fine. Two seconds." Marcy glared at Eliza.

Mal wrapped his arms around Eliza and hugged her. Almost immediately, Marcy pulled him off her.

"Goodbye, Mal." Eliza waved as Marcy pulled him down the hall.

Mal waved. "Goodbye, Eliza."

"Stay away from my man or I'll kill you!" Marcy pointed to the blonde.

Eliza crossed her arms angrily but didn't respond.

Mal pulled Marcy away. "That was not nice."

"It's the truth." Marcy didn't care. "You're mine. All mine."

He beamed. "Yes, ma'am!"