NEW YORK CITY, NY – HOSPITAL – MAR. 17TH, 2002 – SUNDAY

     “Hey, where’s Tom?” Grace asked when she came back from Kirstin’s hospital room.

     “He left a while ago.” Ashley told her.

     “Why?” Grace wondered.

     “He said he wouldn’t be able to control himself, he would fall apart right in front of Kirstin and he didn’t want her to see him like that.”

     “Oh… yeah, Kirstin needs us to be strong for her. But… poor Tom.”

     “Yeah…” Ashley nodded.

     “Are you two ok? It seems everything is ok.” Grace sat beside Ashley on the couch.

     “Yeah, we’re fine. We can at least stand to be around each other now.” Ashley chuckled.

     “Oh, that’s… good.” Grace smiled weakly.

     “No, we’re fine. Really. He just asked my apologies for all the things he did to me while he was dating Kirstin.”

     “Really?” Grace raised her eyebrows.

     “Yeah… I guess he’s changed.” Ashley faced Grace.

     “I always knew he was a great guy. That’s why I was so shocked when Kirstin told me he had cheated on her.”

     “Yeah, that was bad. For him, I’m guessing. Not so much for me. I got the girl because of that.” Ashley smiled down.

     “Yeah. I don’t know why he did it. I don’t even think he knows why. He loved Kirstin too much.”

     “He still does.” Ashley corrected Grace.

     “What?” Grace frowned.

     “He still loves her. He told me and I can feel it too.”

     “Really? Wow…”

     “Yeah…” Ashley nodded.

     “Poor Tom.” Grace repeated.

     “Yeah…” Ashley continued nodding “What time is it?”

     “7:30 p.m.” Grace answered.

     “Wow. Already?” Grace nodded “Wow, time just passed too fast.”

     “Yeah…” Grace nodded.

     “Grace?” Ashley asked looking at her and a tear falling down her face “What’s wrong?”

     “Oh, nothing. I’m just silly. I know you guys should be crying, you lost the baby, it was your baby, not mine. But I can’t help but to feel sad.”

     “Oh, Grace, come on! Of course it was your baby too! Or you don’t think you were gonna be his cool aunt Grace?”

     “I guess…” Grace giggled.

     “See? He was your baby too. And you have all the right to be sad. He was everybody’s baby. And he is…” Ashley wasn’t still used to talking about the baby in the past tense “And he would have been so lucky, he’d be so loved.”

     “Yes, he would.” Grace nodded.

     “Yeah…”

     “Why did something like this have to happen, Ash?” Grace questioned.

     “I don’t know, G. I seriously don’t. I guess only God knows.” Ashley wiped a tear away as soon as it fell down his cheek.

     “Why? I mean, Kirstin is such a great girl. You and Tom are such great boys. There’s no reason we should be hurting like we are now.”

     “There’s a reason, G. I don’t know what it is. But there is one. Otherwise it wouldn’t have happened.”

     “Oh, only you and Kirstin believe in this whole fate thing. I can’t honestly believe there’s a reason for this being happening. It can’t honestly be part of some bigger plan. And if it is, it’s just cruelty. Pure cruelty.”

     “Grace, let’s not put our faith to test, here, alright? We can’t be questioning why this happened. Because we won’t get an answer. You’ll just go crazy. Let’s just… forget about it, alright?”

     “But it’s so hard!” Grace couldn’t stop crying.

     “Oh, I know. Believe me, I know. But we just gotta stop thinking about a reason, ok? Let it be.”

     “Ok.” Grace looked up at him “You’re just too strong. For all of us. I don’t know how you do it. How you manage to be strong for all of us and for you too. You’re perfect, you know? You’re just what Kirstin needs. A perfect guy to be around her.”

     “Oh, it’s hard. Believe me, it’s not easy. At all.” Ashley stated and Grace smirked at him “But I bet Mister Baseball Player is pretty perfect too.” Ashley smirked at her.

     “Yes, he is.” Grace looked down, a little embarrassed.

     “Good. Because you’re such a good girl too. You deserve someone good. I was afraid at first when Kirstin told me you were with him.”

     “Why’s that?” Grace frowned at him.

     “Because of that whole… Barry thing.”

     “Oh…”

     “Yeah… And them being friends, I was worried your guy…”

     “Mark.” Grace informed.

     “Yes, Mark. Thank you! I don’t think Kirstin ever told me the guy’s name. Anyways… I was afraid Mark would be just like Barry.”

     “No, he’s perfect. He’s really romantic.”

     “Good. That’s what you deserve.” Ashley smiled at her “Come here.” Ashley hugged Grace to make her feel better, because tears were still falling from her eyes.

     “Do you think we should go look again to see if she’s awake?” Grace asked after 50 minutes. They had been going to the room every 15 minutes to check if Kirstin had woken up.

     “Yeah, sure, let’s go.” Ashley propped himself up.

     “Nope, nothing.” Ashley said after looking through the glass window “Oh, let’s go inside, the both of us. If they say anything, we’ll leave.”

     “Ok.” Grace agreed and they both headed inside the room.

     Ashley sat in the chair beside Kirstin’s bed and Grace sat in a couch that was in front of the bed.

     “Look, she’s waking up!” Grace pointed out after 15 minutes when she saw Kirstin moving for the first time in her bed.

     “Yes.” Ashley noticed too “K, baby, can you talk to me?”

     Kirstin opened her eyes and instantly placed her hand over her belly. She started to cried right away.