NEW YORK CITY, NY – KIRSTIN’S LOFT – MAR. 15TH, 2002 – FRIDAY

     Kirstin took a look at her reflection at the mirror. Her pregnant belly was starting to show up. She was going into her 4th month. She placed her right hand on her belly and stroked it up and down. It was like she already knew the baby.

     Tom and she still haven’t gone to the doctor to do the ultrasound and find out the sex of the baby. Kirstin had been pretty busy making up all the classes and work hours she missed during the difficult times she went through with her engagement cancellation and the pregnancy news. But she and Ashley couldn’t have been better. He was now in California, making the final arrangements on the album and he’d get there the following day. She couldn’t wait. It had been a week and a half since Ashley left.

     Her relationship with Tom was healthy too. He didn’t try any moves on Kirstin. After her talk with Ashley in his hotel room, she had made it pretty clear to Tom that she was only accepting that arrangement of them for the sake of the baby. And Tom seemed to be satisfied with that. Apparently, he had gotten himself a girlfriend, but Kirstin didn’t want to get into the details, so she didn’t know a lot about that.

     “Hey.” she said when she opened the door.

     “Hey. So… how are you doing?” Grace asked, getting into Kirstin’s loft.

     “Good. I was just looking at the mirror, and doesn’t my belly look huge?” Kirstin turned so Grace could see the side of Kirstin’s belly.

     “It’s not huge… I mean, you can see you’re pregnant, but it’s not huge. It’s only 3 months old, Kirstin!”

     “In 4 days, it will be 4.”

     “How…” Grace frowned “How do you know? How do you know when it was conceived?”

     “By the month the doctor said it was conceived, November, I know when it was.”

     “But how?”

     “Because I know that that day we weren’t using a condom.”

     “What? Why?” Grace asked shocked “So this pregnancy it’s your guys’ fault, really? I thought the condom had just, I don’t know… ripped. Not that you weren’t using one!”

     “Well… we were about to get married, Grace. And… well… we actually didn’t have too much time to put it on.” Kirstin looked down and turned to go to the kitchen.

     “What do you mean?” Grace asked, clearly curious.

     “I… it was my birthday, ok? November 20th? And we had gone out for dinner. And he decided to do something crazy. So… we did it in my car. In the parking lot.” Kirstin lowered her tone of voice.

     “I can’t believe it! I would never take you as a sex adventure girl. You’re so… right!”

     “Yeah, well… it wasn’t my idea. It was Tom’s. He said I was turning 21, so I should do something crazy for a change.”

     “Well, I guess the result that came out of it was even crazier.”

     “Yeah…” Kirstin shrugged “And, somehow, he gave me a present that day.”

     “Yeah…” Grace nodded.

     “But I don’t regret it. I love this baby. Nonetheless, it was the best gift I’ve ever gotten.”

     “I’m glad you feel that way.” Grace smiled sympatheticly “So… what are we doing tonight?” she asked her friend, so they’d change the subject.

     “I don’t know… I was just thinking of staying in. What do you say? Watch a movie or something.”

     “Sure. Ok. Great.”

     “Good. Then let me just put on my pajama and we’ll find something on pay-per-view.”

     “Ok. I’ll go change too.”

NEW YORK CITY, NY – KIRSTIN’S LOFT – MAR. 16TH, 2002 – SATURDAY

     It was 11 am when Kirstin stretched and opened her eyes. She was lying on the couch, while Grace was on a mattress on the floor.

     “Grace?” Kirstin asked, touching her friend.

     “What?” Grace asked all grumpy.

     “It’s 11.”

     “Wow.” Grace said while stretching “That late, huh?” Grace was now yawning.

     “Yeah… I guess we needed this sleep. I was so tired.”

     “Yeah, me too.” Grace sat up on the mattress “When is Ashley getting here?”

     “He said he’d be here around 2, 3 pm.”

     “Oh, ok. And what are we doing today?”

     “Don’t know. Wanna go shopping? We can grab some lunch there at the mall.”

     “Yeah, sure.”

     “So, let’s change, because then it will get too late and Ash is coming!” Kirstin said all excited.

     Grace stood up and trailed to the kitchen. Kirstin yawned and then stood up. The minute she stood up, she felt a piercing pain in her stomach. She screamed in pain. The next minute, when she looked down and Grace was already by her side, she saw all this blood coming from her inner thighs. She screamed even more, maybe because she was horrified of seeing all that blood, maybe for the pain, but when she looked at Grace, her friend was already with her purse and Kirstin’s purse on her shoulder and getting the car keys from the kitchen counter.

     “Come. Here, put your arms here. Come on.” Grace said scared, but apparently with everything under control, and wrapped Kirstin’s arm on her shoulder, leading her to the door.