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Day after day Howie kept coming back at the same time to do the same thing. Make Millie and Elijah company, he had grown fond of the bundle of joy. “He’s growing…” Howie exclaimed, watching how the baby grasped his finger. “Does that mean that he’ll be leaving soon?” Howie asked Benny, who zoomed past him.

“Unfortunately yes…I’m just saddened that Millie will be so heart broken when that happens.” she said putting away a couple of supplies, Millie was due any moment.

“Has she thought about adopting him? I mean…before they take him or someone else does.” Howie brushed his finger over the babies tiny nose as he spoke.

“She thought about it, but she’s afraid they will turn her down. So she doesn’t even want to try. I’m just afraid of her reaction when it comes time for Elijah to go. You know it wasn’t easy for her losing a baby…” Benny spun around realizing who she was telling Millie’s big secret to. “I mean…” she wanted to something else, but the words clogged her throat as she caught Howie’s surprised look.

“What? Millie was pregnant…” Howie handed over the baby, his head was suddenly spinning and his heart was racing. AJ had impregnated the woman he was in love with and they hadn’t had the decency to let him know. “I have to go…” he said standing up and dazedly making way towards the door.

“Howie…” Benny called as loud as she could without startling the babies, but he was quickly gone. “Shit” she muttered, knowing she had really blown it this time.

Millie hopped into the elevator, she couldn’t wait to see the two important men in her life. Although a couple of weeks had gone by, Howie had made no type of move on her and she was starting to believe that they were destined to just be friends. They had done many things together lately, lunches, dinners, walks in the park, the movies and even strolls along the beach, but nothing ever happened.

Just as the elevator opened, she was startled by the look on Howie’s face. “Hey…your leaving so soon?” she asked with a smile, “Is something wrong? Is Elijah ok?” she asked concern in her voice.

“Why?” he asked stepping into the elevator “Why didn’t you just tell me…I would have understood…I think.” he was still in a daze as he stepped into the elevator standing next to her.

She looked at him puzzled “What are you talking about?” she asked as the door closed again, she watched him lean over and push the G button. It didn’t matter where they were going she wanted to know why he was acting funny. “Howie…” she put a hand on his shoulder.

“You got pregnant by him and you guys didn’t have the decency to tell me. What? You thought I didn’t have the right to know that the woman I love and my best friend where having a child.” he looked up at her with his brown eyes, nothing but sorrow lingered in them. “You could have told me that you lost it…”

Millie felt a stab in her heart as he said the words. She didn’t understand how he knew, he wasn’t supposed to know. “What? Who told you that?” she asked grabbing his arm “Tell me…you weren’t supposed to know that” the tears quickly began to spill.

“Why?” he looked up at her “Because it was AJ‘s…god damn it!” he shouted, making her jump.

The door flew open and he stepped out “Wait Howie…please let me explain.” she called after him, but he continued to walk, wherever his legs would take him. She jogged after him and tried pulling him by the shirt “Please listen to me…” she choked on her words.

“I don’t want to hear it. I’m feeling a little sick right now…just the thought of you and AJ makes me sick, but the fact of you being pregnant by him REALLY…” He continued throwing out random insults.

She finally stopped as he continued to walk “It was yours…” she shouted hugging herself. Howie came to an abrupt halt “The baby was yours…not AJ‘s…”

Even though he had come to a stop, he felt the whole garage moving around him quickly. He held his head trying to make the spinning stop “What?” he spun around and slowly made his way back to a weeping Millie. “You…and me…” he didn’t know what to say now, there were so many emotions running through him.

“Yeah…you and me. We made a baby and I lost it…”she covered her mouth to muffle her cry “I’m sorry, I didn’t know….I didn’t know.” she kept saying in a whisper.

He covered his face with his hands and let them run up and through his hair “Why didn’t you tell me? How could you not tell me? That’s what the scar was…?” he swallowed hard. He had no idea how to react to the news, he was angry that she hadn’t said anything, saddened for losing a small life that had been produced by their love and confused.

The anger had overpowered any emotion she had read on his face, he was red and she could see tears in his eyes. It hurt her to see the pain this secret that she had held on for so long caused him. She placed a hand on his arm “I was so heartbroken that you left me and I was ashamed that I couldn’t even carry…our child. I couldn‘t bring myself to tell you.” she wiped her face.

The twosome stared at each other for a long while Howie bit the inside of his cheek “Say something…” Millie broke the silence.

He looked at her directly in the eyes “This is all my fault…” he blurted “I shouldn’t have left you alone…if I would have been around, then…” he balled his fist and closed his eyes.

Millie nodded “There was nothing we could have done Howie, it was inevitable. Our baby would have never made it…”

“….oh God Millie. I’m so sorry” he crashed into her with a tight hug, his hands clasped the back of her head “I’m sorry…I‘ll never leave you alone again. I promise.” She looked up at him and he looked down at her, he closed his eyes as his head bent down to have his lips brush against hers. “I love you…I always have and always will.”

She smiled with a sniffle “I was hoping you would say that some time soon. I was afraid you would hate me…” she buried her face in his shoulder.

“I could never hate you, I shouldn’t have pushed you away and there are a lot of things I shouldn’t have done. And I’m sorry…for all the pain I’ve caused you. It wont happen again.”

“I love you so much Howie…” she reached up to have her mouth meet with his.