Everyone was gathered in the pastel yellow and blue waiting area.  Manny had just come out to tell them that Liberty was finally in a room.  All the necessary paper work was complete and Liberty was now changing, getting examined and settled in.

“The nurse said Liberty could have whoever she wanted in the room with her until time to push,”  Manny explained to everyone.

“How long will she have until then?”  Toby asked.

“I’m not really sure.  I think it’s different for everyone,”  Manny said with a shrug.

JT stood up from the blue over stuffed chair he had been sitting in when Manny came in.  “When can I see her?”  He asked.

Manny turned to the voice that surprised her.  “JT what are you doing here?  You know she doesn’t want you here.”  Manny yelled.

“Manny I have a right to see my child.”

Manny just rolled her eyes and glared at Toby.  “Why did you tell him?  You know how Liberty feels about this.”

Toby looked at Manny with eyes bulging.  “What?  It wasn’t me.  I thought Liberty must have changed her mind.  The only person I told was Marco and you told me to call him.”

“So what Liberty was going to just have the baby and not tell me?”  JT asked. 

Manny could see the hurt in his eyes but she had to do what was best for Liberty.

“It wasn’t right.  I had to let him know,”  Emma finally admitted.

“God Emma, do you always have to butt into everything?  This may surprise you but you don’t know what’s best for everyone.  You don’t even know what’s good for you anymore.”

“What I do is none of your business and…”

Ellie stood just staring at Manny and Emma as they tore into each other with hateful words.  She started to back away to the elevator then felt a hand grab hers.  She didn’t even have to look.  She knew who it was.

“This is crazy,” she said, unable to look away from the girls.  She always complained about people running to see a fight or slowing down to see an accident but now here she was doing just that.

“Oh god I know.  What are you doing here El?”

“I could ask the same of you,” was her answer.

“I’m here for Manny.  I’m just worried that this is going to be harder for her than she thinks,” Marco said.

Ellie could hear the anxiety in his voice.  She had come to recognize it easily.  She had heard it many times when he was worried about her.

“I don’t know I think Manny is much stronger than she gets credit for,”  Ellie said.

“What about you?  Why are you here?  He asked again knowing she was trying to avoid answering.

“Morbid curiosity I guess,” she finally answered.

“What you want to see the ‘spawn of Liberty and JT’?  Craig told me to call him and let him know what it looks likes” Marco said smiling.

“Marco that’s still not funny,” Ellie said trying not to smile.

“Why are you here El?  You might as well tell me cuz I’m not going to stop asking.”

“I was with Ava and Seth when Manny and Liberty came in.  I thought I would just hang out and see how this all works.  It won’t be long and I’ll be the one in here.”

“You’re still so little, sometimes I forget you’re even pregnant,” Marco said with a slight smile.

It was still hard for him.  He didn’t want this for Ellie.  She deserved more than being an unwed teenage mother.  And where was the guy in this.  Was it Sean?  Is that part of the reason he left?

“Well we better break those two up before we get kicked outta here,” Ellie said breaking through his thoughts. 

“I guess your right, Liberty is going to need Manny,” Marco said walking over to Manny and Emma.  “Guys come on.  This isn’t the time for this.  Manny, Liberty needs you.  This day is about her.  You two just need to get over yourselves and remember that,” Marco said surprising both girls.

“Amen,” Toby said.  He hadn’t moved.  He, like Ellie, had been so absorbed with the argument that he hadn’t noticed JT walk away.  No one had seen him go.

JT stood outside the door he had seen Manny come out.  He was almost afraid to open it.  No, not almost.  He was afraid.  Afraid of how Liberty would react to seeing him there.  He couldn’t believe that she was going to have his baby, hand it over to strangers and not even let him see it.

He wasn’t happy with the choice she had made but it was her life she had to consider.  She was destined for something great.  He knew it and so did she.  And who knew where his life was going.  He loved her and realized that giving the baby up was best for her.  He was wrong and being stubborn and selfish.  He had to tell her that she was right, he wasn’t ready to be a Dad.  He was going to be a father.  Nothing could change that.  But she was right, it just wasn’t time for them to be parents. 

Just as he reached out for the door handle the door opened. 

“Oh! Sorry,” the nurse said.

“Me too.  I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay.  Are you going in?”  She asked.

“Um yeah.  If it’s okay,” he answered.

“It’s fine.  She really doesn’t need to be alone now.  My name is Julie call me if she needs anything.  I’ll be back in a bit to check on her.”

“Thanks,” JT said and then thought I doubt I’ll be here very long.

He stepped a little way into the room.  Liberty was in bed in a light pink gown looking out the window at the roof top of another building.  She had several tubes and wires running from her arm and gown.  JT didn’t think she had seen him but then she spoke.

“Why are you here?”  She asked still looking at the rooftop.

“Liberty, I couldn’t not be here.  I know you are going to give the baby up and I understand that.  I just wanted to see it just once,” he said looking out the same window she had.   “I also came to see you,” he said returning his eyes to her though she still found the roof view more interesting.  “Liberty I love you.  I hate that you have to go through this pain because I was stupid.”

“What are you talking about?  Sex was your idea but I said yes.  I knew the consequences,” she said finally tuning to him.  He could see the pain on her face as she gripped the blanket that covered her.

“You okay?  Should I call the nurse?” 

“No don’t call I’m fine.  I am in this thing called labor JT and pain is involved,” she answered after the pain had passed. 

“Yeah but the stupid king sized condom.  I knew it was too big.  I took a chance on your safety for my ego.  I’m sorry,” he continued after he knew she was alright.

“JT I knew it was too large but did I say no?  No, so let’s just stop this.  And truth be known we don’t know for certain it was that time.  There could have been a malfunction that we weren’t aware of.”

“I guess you could be right.”

“Of course I am.  Now I’ll accept your apology if you will accept mine for being so horrible to you throughout this pregnancy.”

“Okay we’re even,” he said with the first smile since he had gotten the call that it was baby time.

“And JT.”

“Yeah,” he said waiting for her to continue.

“I love you too.” 

He walked over to the bed she was sitting in and took her hand.  To his surprise she let him hold it.  And before he knew it she was crushing his bones.

“AHH, Liberty that hurts,” he said trying to pull his hand away.

“So does this,” she said through gritted teeth.

“My god woman have you been working out?”  He asked when the contraction had passed.

Liberty couldn’t help but smile.  JT could always make her smile.

“That’s it!  That’s what I wanted to see.  You have a beautiful smile.  Not that you’re not beautiful when you’re breaking my hand,” he teased. 

Her smile was gone.

“Liberty is it another contraption?”

“JT its contraction and no I’m not having one now,” she looked up at him with tears filling her eyes.  “I’m scared.  Will you stay with me?”

JT couldn’t imagine how afraid she must be.  She was crying, he had never seen her cry.

“Are you kidding?  Once I was in it was going to take Manny, Emma, Toby, Marco and even Ellie to get me out of here.  But I’m glad you want me to be here now.  Hey I just realized, where are your parents?”  JT asked just as another contraction gripped her.  She in turn gripped JT’s leg, as he was now sitting on her bed.

“AHH,” he yelled again.  Trying to pry her fingers off.

“We gotta get you something else to grab girl.  Here how about just this one finger.  I’d much rather have one broken finger than four.  Ah ha another smile.  Now tell me am I going to get pounded by your father in a few minutes?”

“They’re not coming,” she answered sadly looking away.

“What?  Why not?”  He asked.

“I’m going to keep the baby and I couldn’t promise them that I wouldn’t let you see it.  So they pretty much disowned me.”

“You’re keeping the baby?”  JT asked smiling.  “What changed your mind?”

“Ellie Nash was one reason.”

“How did she change your mind?” 

“She was so brave about her baby.  And I thought about what a coward I was being.  I made the mistake and was not willing to take the responsibility for it.  All that combined with the fact that at an ultrasound last month the nurse said she.  She.  I didn’t want to know the sex but when I did it made it even more real.  All I could think about was my daughter learning to crawl and walk and me missing it.  And her calling someone else mama when she said her first word.  I don’t want to lose her.  I talked with Mrs. Hatzilakos about it and I’m going to get student welfare.  I figured if Sean could get it I could too.  They will even give me extra money to help with daycare as long as I stay in school and keep my grades up.  I also have a nice savings so I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll help you.  I promise.” 

“Oww!” she yelled and grabbed the one finger he had suggested.

“It’s okay Liberty,” he said rubbing her back.

JT was happy.  No he was more than that.  Happy just didn’t express it.  He was ecstatic.  He was not only going to get to see his baby but watch her grow up.  And hopefully he could make Liberty happy as well.