It had been five hours since Justin saw Irish in the
music store. And she was pregnant. Glowing and all.
Justin sat in his car and watched the sun fade while he
waited for her to arrive.

He went to the address she gave him as soon as he drove
from the mall. He parked his Escalade off to the side
near a green Escalade and a blue SUV. He sat there still
in shock.

The air began to cool as Irish's car pulled into the
parking lot. She tiredly got her belongings and got out
of her car. She walked to her apartment door, knowing
Justin would be here soon.

Justin saw Irish park her car and head for one of the
apartment buildings in front of him. He waited until she
was inside before exiting his car and heading to the
address she wrote down.

He found the door to her apartment and knocked a couple
of times.
Irish heard the knock at the door and exhaled as she
stood before it. "Who is it?"
"Justin." He told her in a regular, calm tone through
the door.

Irish couldn't tell if his tone signified what he felt.
She opened the door and let him in.
Justin walked in and took off his shades and skullcap.
Irish inhaled the smooth smelling scent that gently
flowed off his body. She watched him sit down the items
and turned around to face her.

They both stood their grounds while they took each other
in. All was quiet, until Irish self-consciously reached
for her belly and rubbed it.

Justin's eyes moved to her belly then back to her face.
He cleared his throat as he moved towards her.
"I tried to call you awhile back. A few days after I had
left. Imagine my surprise to find out your phone was
disconnected." He steadied his voice while his eyes
searched hers.

Irish moved up some as she met his stare. "I had it
turned off since my vacation was over and I was coming
back home."

Justin turned away as he fought to stay calm. "So,
you're from here?"
Irish exhaled a deep breath and nodded while she spoke.
"Yes, Justin. I am from here."
He finally turned back around as anger began to take
over. "And you didn't think to tell me?!"

Irish started to get tired from standing and walked over
to the couch and sat down. "That wasn't the most
important thing, Justin. I had other things on my mind."
Justin scoffed as he folded his arms. "What was more
important than telling me that?"

Irish quietly looked at him as her face frowned. She sat
there, slowly blinking her eyes taking his form in.
Justin watched her watch him as he repeated the
question.

"Irish, what was more important than telling me that you
were from Orlando and about your life?"
Irish carefully stood up and waddled over towards him.
She put her now chubby hands on his cheeks as a look of
sadness filled her eyes.

"You were more important. Helping you remember who you
were. Getting you back home was more important than
anything about me."

Justin's face softened and for a moment had forgot he
wasn't himself for awhile and she nursed him back to
health.

"Oh,yeah. That." He acknowledged as he slowly put his
hand on her stomach. "Is it mine?"
Irish nodded as she looked down.
"Irish, why didn't you try to contact me? I have a right
to -."

Irish cut him off before he could finish. "I just found
out this week it was yours."
A look of confusion filled his face as she tried to
explain.

"After you left, I knew I would never hear from or see
you again. Not like it was for us in my Grandparents'
cabin. I wanted the lonely, empty feeling to
disappear." Irish turned and walked to the kitchen and
poured her a glass of juice.

"I ended up back with my ex, John. I found out I was
pregnant a few weeks after. He assumed it was his and
when I had to go in for my sonogram, the test results shown
that I miscalculated. I was pregnant three weeks before
I hooked back up with John."

She paused and took a sip of juice before continuing.
"Here are the report results that the doctor gave me for
my records."
She walked up to him showing him the papers from the
doctors and a picture of her and John. "I was off
because it was my time of the month. The doctors say
that what happened isn't unusual. Lots of women have
that happen and can still be pregnant."

Justin read the report, trying to absorb it all in. He
looked up at her. "What now?" Was all he could say.
Irish shrugged. "I still didn't think I would run into you
again. So, I mentally prepared myself for being Mommy
and Daddy."

"Irish, I am that baby's daddy. I want to be in his or
her life."
"Her." She stated, cutting him off.
"What?" He asked.
"The baby is a girl. And I understand where you're
coming from."
"So, I can be there? Be a full-time parent?" Justin
asked as a tiny smile appeared on his lips.
"Yes, sure you can." She smiled back.
"What about us?" He asked her, knowing it had to be
asked sometime.

"We don't even really know each other. And I can't go
back to before. That time during the blizzard is the
past." Irish sighed as she turned away.
"Irish, please let me back in." Justin whispered as he
touched her shoulders. Irish just shook her head and
faced him as she faked a smile.

"We can't go back. You and I both know that. All we can
do is be the best parents for her."
Justin stood back and nodded. He decided he wasn't
going to fight with her. Not while she's pregnant. But
after, he thought, this will come back up again.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked, still deep in
thought.

"Working half-day, then baby shopping. Later, I was
going walking in the park with my headphones."
Justin reached out and gently tugged her ear. "Nope.
Your plans are work, then spending the day with me. I
want you to meet my mom and friends."
Irish looked hesitant until she noticed the look in his
eyes and nodded.

"Great! Call this number when you get off." Her told her
as he wrote it down.
"Okay." Irish agreed as she put the piece of paper
under a magnet on her refrigerator.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He softly spoke to her as he
leaned in to lightly kiss her on the forehead.
"Tomorrow." She agreed as sleep filled her eyes while
she him walked him to the door.
"Goodnight, Irish." He waved to her, walking to his car.

"Goodnight, Justin." She said as she watched him
disappear into night, before locking up.