About That Time

"Stop it," Sarah gasped between laughs. "I can't take anymore."

"Oh, come on," I grinned at her. "It's not that funny."

"Yes it is! I can't believe he made you play paintball! The sight of you- with a paintball gun-it's-" her laughter engulfed her words.

"Ok, ok, ok." I held up my hands, signaling I'd had enough of her torment.

"Sorry." Although the big smile on her face made me think differently about her apology, I couldn't help but return the contagious gesture.

"Hey, Sarah?" I asked casually, taking a sip of my chocolate shake.

"Hey, Maggie." She replied.

"I was meaning to ask you about something you said the other day to me.." my voice trailed off.

"Sure, what?"

"About me being in love with a Hanson.."

".. Yeah," she said slowly, trying to remember our conversation.

"What did you mean by it?"

"Huh?" she looked at me strangely, raising an eyebrow.

"I think it's a pretty straight-forward question," I grinned. She thought for a moment.

"Oh!" A sly look and knowing smile came across her face. "Do you mean what did I mean by that joke, or who?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"The last part," I added quietly.

"Well, Zac of course." I noticed the smile hadn't left her face. It was starting to make me squirm, for some reason. I knew she was the only one who knew both sides to the story.. or both sides of my side actually.

"Aren't you?" She interrupted my discomfort.

"Umm.."

"Maggie?" She leaned across the table, her smile erupting into a small nervous laugh.

".. What?" I was almost afraid to of her answer.

"You do love Zac, don't you?"

".."

Before now, I'd never been confronted by the question. Sure, I had a great time whenever I was around him; he was a really wonderful guy. And I knew he loved me, but I never bothered to see how my own feelings fell into this whole thing. Until now, I figured they didn't really matter.

"Mags," I shook my head of my swarming thoughts.

"What?"

"Do you or don't you?"

"I .. don't know." I mumbled in response, knowing full well it wasn't exactly an answer.

"What kind of answer is that?"

"Well, it's the one I'm giving you," I laughed a little at my joke. Just like the old times, she rolled her eyes.

"But seriously.. I never actually sat down and thought about it. Didn't know I was supposed to." I tried to lighten the conversation.

"You're serious about him, right?" she asked.

"I'm not seeing anyone else right now, if that's what you mean."

"It wasn't, but that's ok.." she paused. "By the way, how's the 'Taylor situation' going?"

"I honestly don't know on that either.." I admitted. During paintball he'd barely said two words to me, but he'd also been on the other team.

He was also the one who beat you, a little voice in my head reminded me.

"Maggie.. How long have you been back in their lives?" she asked me, a look of disappointment written all over her face.

"I don't know.. three months? Four?" I tried to remember the day I saw Zac in the health club, only to fail miserably.

"Don't you think it's time you put that junk behind you?" She had a good point, although I personally would've used a nicer term than 'junk.'

"I think Taylor already has." I said quietly, thinking of Mia.

"I'm sorry." Sarah picked up on the tenderness that seeped through my voice. "Hey, not to interrupt, but are you ready to go?"

"Yup," I stood up and threw on my coat. Although spring was finally here, it was still a little on the chilly side outside.

"Thanks for meeting me for lunch again." I said to her as we walked out the door of the diner.

"Not a problem," she called across the parking lot, where she walked over to her car. I followed suit over to Louise, only to be completely surprised at what I saw when I got there.

"God dammit!!" I screamed at the sight of my car.

Again!? Out of frustration, I kicked the now flat tire on the front/left side of Louise.

What on earth? It was anywhere near being flat while I was driving it over here. I couldn't imagine my luck with this car.

"Is everything ok Maggie?" Sarah called, stepping out of her own car at my outburst.

"No.. I have a flat. Can you give me a ride?" I replied.

"Don't you have a spare?"

"Nope. That would make sense." I was now completely pissed off: I had to be back at work in twenty minutes.

"Well, go call for service then," she replied.

"I have a doctor's appointment in five minutes, so please hurry. I can let you take my car to work if you drop me off, a friend of mine's meeting me at the doctor's," she added.

"Thanks a million." I called to her, marching inside the diner in search of a telephone.

"Thanks a billion," I emphasized before Sarah stepped out of her car at the doctor's office.

"No problem, just get it to me before tomorrow afternoon." She smiled.

"Are you sure you're ok without a ride?"

"I'm fine. I have one." She called before slamming the door lightly. Before entering the office, she turned in front of the large glass doors and sent me a small wave. Grinning, I honked the horn a little before pulling out of the parking lot. Sarah just shook her head and pushed herself through the doors. Upon walking into the waiting room, she was surprised to see-

"Isaac.. you're early."

"One of my classes was cancelled today," he explained, setting aside a tattered version of People magazine to greet her. "How are you feeling?" He asked, walking over and taking her coat.

"Thanks," Sarah replied, smiling inside.

No matter how mad I make him, he's still a gentleman.

"I'm feeling all right." She walked over to the chair he'd been sitting in and sat down in the one next to it.

"That's good," Ike hung up her coat and regained his seat.

"I appreciate you coming with me," she turned and smiled nervously. She raised her eyes to examine his face for any signs of anger. She was relieved to see nothing but pleasant, relaxed features looking back at her.

"Not a problem," he smiled down at her.

"And for making it so I don't have to walk home." She cracked a grin.

"Why?"

"Oh, Maggie's car had a flat tire.."

"Really?" he sounded surprised. "That sucks."

"Why?" It was her turn to ask.

"I mean, other than the obvious fact it sucks. You sounded surprised." She babbled.

"Zac was saying something about her car breaking down two times already." He explained.

"Well, it's a 1992 Celebrity; Louise doesn't have much life left in her."

"Louise?" More than slightly confused, he raised an eyebrow at the name.

"She named her car." She explained with a smile.

"Oh.." he thought for a moment before speaking up again. "Is Maggie on any medications?"

"No," she slapped his shoulder lightly. "She's a little weird, but still my best friend."

"I'm only teasing," he started to say when a nurse opened the door at the front of them room.

"Sarah?" she called, lifting her eyes from a clipboard to scan the waiting room. Out of the process of elimination, she focused on the pregnant blonde laughing with the tall, thin young man next to her.

They keep coming in younger and younger, she thought to herself.

"Yup," Sarah stood up and walked over towards the nurse. Ike, unsure of his place, chose to remain seated.

"Isn't the father coming?" To Sarah's horror, the nurse turned and pointed at Isaac. Fortunately, he hadn't heard her; Sarah glanced over and was relieved to see him engrossed in his magazine again.

"Oh, he's not the father." She objected as the door was shut safely behind her. The two started walking down the hall to an examination room.

"That's too bad," the nurse smiled widely at her.

"But it's nice to see that a young man wouldn't be so afraid of a little extra luggage," she patted Sarah's stomach lightly before pointing to a scale in the hallway.

"What?" She froze in her step at the nurse's words, her foot lingering over the scale.

"Well, most girls come in here alone." The nurse explained, gesturing for her to step a little further. "It's wonderful your boyfriend isn't scared of you being pregnant."

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend either," Sarah replied, finally stepping down on the scale. She held her breathe as electronic numbers flashed underneath her nose.

"Hmm.." the nurse murmured once her weight was revealed. She glanced at the clipboard again, holding Sarah's charts, and then glanced at the scale again.

"Is anything wrong?" Worry filled Sarah's eyes as the nurse absently tapped her fingers on the scale.

"Not sure.. the batteries can't be dead. I don't understand.."

"What?" She was afraid to ask.

"It says you've lost twelve pounds, dear."

"Well, everything looks good as usual, Sarah." Her doctor informed her.

"Thanks Dr. Harris." She slid her shirt over her stomach and sat up.

"Except for one thing.." He picked up her charts from a nearby counter and examined them for a moment. The silence that filled the room made her feel very uncomfortable, not to mention the frown that creased his forehead.

"What?"

"Your last checkup was three weeks ago.. but you've lost weight?" He glanced up at her.

"I don't know.. maybe a hormonal thing?" Sarah lied, shrugging her shoulders apologetically.

"Nice try. Here are some more food lists," he said, handing her a small pile of papers. "Try to take care of yourself a little more, ok? Not for just the baby's sake, but yours too."

"I will, promise." She stood up, accepted the papers, and let herself out.

"Oh, and Sarah?" her doctor called.

"Yeah?" She returned in the doorway.

"When were you planning on starting your Lamaze classes?"

"What?" It was the first time the idea had been presented to her.

"It's about that time," he tapped his watch, smiling. "Got a partner?"

"I'm sure I can find one," Sarah replied, although she highly doubted Mark would jump at the opportunity. "Thanks Dr. Harris."

"Get some more sleep as well." She heard his voice echo as she walked back down the hallway to the waiting room.

"How'd it go?" Ike raised his head when she opened the door.

"Just fine." She assured him, flashing a thumbs up sign.

"That's good. All set?" He grinned and stood up, stretching his back, sore from forty-five minutes of sitting in the same chair.

"Yeah. Let's go home." She sighed, suddenly feeling tired.

"Home?"

"Oh.. my apartment." Sarah blushed, realizing her mistake. "Would you mind dropping me off in the front of the building?"

"Of course, partner." Isaac replied cheerfully. The strange look on her face made it his turn to blush.

Partner.. the word echoed in her mind.

the next day..

"Johnson's Auto Repair."

"Hey," I said into the phone. "My '92 Celebrity was towed in yesterday afternoon. I was wondering if it's ok for me to pick it up now."

"Did it have a flat?" The gruff voice I almost had memorized at this point asked me.

"Yeah."

"Let me check.." I heard a rustling of papers over the phone. "Yeah, it was punctured all right. Sucks to be you; we replaced it though."

"Thanks.. How much will it cost?"

"One-seventy-five and.. ninety-two cents."

"For a tire?" I squeaked.

"For towing and the new tire," he replied. "You know, you should learn to always carry a spare with you."

"I know." I replied.

If I had the money to spend on spare tires, I would've had one. This was really taking a drain on my already limited finances, not to mention completely freaking me out.

"It's ready now if you want to pick it up."

"All right, thanks." I hung up the phone, shaking my head.

Punctured? This was getting horribly upsetting..