Jane抯 Lane
Quinn抯 wedding was naturally a big affair. That was no surprise. What was a surprise was her choice of a maid of honor. Instead of one of her fashion club cronies or a sorority sister she asked Daria. Another surprise was that Daria accepted the request. During the reception there was a shock for Daria. She saw Jane. Walking across the room she went to her friend.
揥hat are you doing here??/p>
揇idn抰 you know? Quinn invited me.?Jane said.
揧ou抮e kidding??/p>
Jane smiled and shook her head.
揘ope.?/p>
揂nd you accepted??/p>
揑抦 here aren抰 I??/p>
揥ell I抦 glad to see a friend. I抦 going to get something to drink. You want me to get you something??
揘o. I抣l go with you. I need to watch what I drink for a while.?/p>
As they walked toward the bar, Daria looked at her. 揜eally. Why??/p>
揑抦 gonna have a baby.?/p>
Daria stopped cold in her tracks.
揧ou抮e kidding.?/p>
揘ope. It抯 official.?/p>
揌ow long have you known??/p>
揚retty much from the beginning.?/p>
Jane抯 reply irritated Daria. Frowning at her friend, she asked, 揘o. I mean how long until you抮e due??/p>
揂bout seven more months.?Jane said. 揑抦 surprised you haven抰 noticed. I thought women were supposed to always know.?/p>
Daria looked at Jane. Sure enough she did look different. It was subtle but the changes were there if you knew what to look for.
揥ell forgive me but I抦 new at being able to tell my best friend is pregnant just by looking at her.?/p>
Jane smiled. 揑t抯 okay. I was waiting for the best time to tell you.?/p>
揂nd you chose my sister抯 wedding for the big announcement. Thanks.?/p>
揂nytime.?/p>
When they got to the bar, Jane chose a juice drink. Since Daria wasn抰 in a mood for anything hard, she asked for the same thing. After they got their beverages, the pair sat down to watch the festivities. Eventually Daria excused herself. Jane never saw her again all day.
The next night Daria was sitting in her apartment reading a magazine when the doorbell rang. Opening the door, she was shocked to see Jane.
Jane grinned. 揥ell if it isn抰 invisible girl.?she said.
揤ery funny.?Daria said.?揧ou need to work on getting some new material.?/p>
Waving her hand in front of her face, Jane asked, 揕ook I know you weren抰 expecting me but would you mind if I came in? The bugs from the light are getting in my hair.?/p>
揙h sorry. Sure.?/p>
As they went to sit down, Daria spoke.
揕ook I抦 sorry about leaving you like that yesterday. I should have come back for a little while.?/p>
揧ea, where抎 you go? When I asked Helen all she would say is it抯 up to you to explain. What did she mean??/p>
擨抦 not sure I can tell you. It抯 kind of personal.?/p>
揕ook I know you like to keep things private but for some reason I feel responsible for your vanishing act. Am I??/p>
Sighing, Daria said, 揑n a way I guess.?/p>
This wasn抰 the answer Jane was expecting. In her shock all she could say was. 揥hat!??/p>
Daria looked at Jane. 揕ook I抦 sorry. I shouldn抰 have said that but it is true.?/p>
Now Jane was just confused. 揌ow??she asked.
揥hen you told me you were pregnant it brought up feelings I hadn抰 expected.?/p>
揥hat do you mean??
Sitting there in silence for a moment, Daria worked up her courage. Eventually she found the ability to share her feelings. 揑 hate to admit it but I抦 jealous.?/p>
揧ou抮e jealous? Why??/p>
揃ecause you have a great husband and now you two are starting a family. That抯 not in the picture for me.?/p>
Jane gave her a sympathetic look. 揙h come on. You抣l find the right guy some day and then you can start having kids of your own.?/p>
揘ot really.?/p>
揥hat do you mean??/p>
揗arriage maybe but children are not an option.?/p>
揑 don抰 understand.?/p>
The moment Daria was dreading had finally come. She had to tell the truth now. Taking a deep breath, she said, 揑 can抰 have children.?/p>
揥hat do you mean??/p>
Daria bowed her head, and closed her eyes.
揑 can抰 get pregnant.?
The color went from Jane抯 face. This was a complete surprise. She wasn抰 sure what to say. Eventually she managed to gather a few words for her friend.
揙h Daria. I抦 so sorry. I didn抰 know.?/p>
揙nly Mom, Dad, and Quinn do.?/p>
揌ow long have you known??/p>
Daria opened her eyes and looked up at Jane.
揂bout four years. Just after I finished my first year of college.?/p>
揥as it the accident??/p>
揘o, the accident was how I found out but isn抰 the cause. I抦 just defective.?/p>
Putting her hand on Daria抯 shoulder, Jane looked her in the eye and said,?揇aria. You抮e NOT defective. Now tell me what is the problem.?/p>
For the next hour Daria and Jane discussed everything. After Jane got all the details she started to understand Daria抯 condition. She was ready to cry but she held her emotions in check. This was not a time to let things get out of control. When Daria finished all Jane could do was hug her best friend.
It was getting late so Daria invited Jane to stay the night but she refused. She had responsibilities and had to get back home. As they walked to the door Daria said, 揑抦 sorry to dump all this on you. It isn抰 fair. This is your time.?/p>
Turning to look at Daria, Jane smiled.
揇on抰 worry. I understand, sort of. Look, if you ever want to talk just call. I抣l listen.?/p>
揟hanks.?Daria turned to look at Jane. 揑 never told you how happy I am for you. Congratulations. I know you will be a great mother.?/p>
Jane hugged Daria. 揟hanks. I抣l call you later in the week.?/p>
揙kay. Bye.?/p>
揃ye.?/p>
Once again Daria was alone. She sat down and thought about everything that had happened recently. Many of her friends had got married and were starting families. It was inevitable. Life just dealt her a bad hand. She had to accept that and make the best of the situation.
As the weeks passed into months, Daria visited Jane regularly. While it wasn抰 always easy for her to see her friend experiencing something she would never have a chance to she was also thrilled to see how happy Jane was as she grew. In spite of trying to be supportive Daria could sense that Jane was acting differently to her. She figured it had to be with the fact Jane now knew the truth about her condition.
?/p>
Eventually Daria decided to do something to show Jane how she felt about her having a child. She knew it had to be special. For months she searched for the perfect thing but she never could find anything that felt right. One day, as she was driving home, Daria passed a small antique shop. She had gone past it hundreds of times but this time something stuck out. She immediately turned around and went back to the shop.
That next Saturday morning Daria pulled up at Jane抯 house. Roy came out to meet her. He saw the trunk of her car was partially open and something was sticking out.
揌ey Daria.?he said.
揌ey.?/p>
揝o what抯 the surprise??/p>
揑s Jane here??/p>
揘o. She抯 out looking for the perfect color for the baby抯 room.?/p>
Daria was relieved.
揋ood. I really didn抰 want her to see this just yet.?/p>
揥hat is it??/p>
Unbuckling her belt and getting out of the car, she said, 揅ome here and see.?/p>
He followed Daria to the back of the car. When he saw her surprise he agreed it was right. As he carried it into the house he said he knew the perfect place for it.
When Jane pulled up she was shocked to see Daria抯 car. Going into the house she saw Daria and Roy sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee.
揌ey Daria.?/p>
揌ey Jane.?/p>
揟o what do I owe this unexpected pleasure??/p>
揑 brought you something.?/p>
Setting the paint can on the counter, Jane looked at Daria.
揧ou did? What??/p>
揑t抯 a surprise.?/p>
揥ell where is it??
Putting her cup down, Daria said, 揢pstairs. In your bedroom.?/p>
揥ell let抯 go. I want to see it.?/p>
Daria got up and headed upstairs with Jane. As she started out of the room she noticed Roy stayed behind. Turning around, she asked. 揂ren抰 you coming??/p>
He looked at Daria and shook his head.
揘o. This is a moment for you two.?/p>
揑f you say so.?nbsp;
Going up the stairs, Jane asked. 揥hat did he mean about this being a moment for just us??/p>
揧ou tell me. You married him.?Daria said.
Jane laughed and continued her journey up the stairs. After they got to the bedroom door, Daria turned around and looked at Jane.
揑 hope you like this. I wanted to give you something to show how happy I was for you. Hopefully I found the right thing.?/p>
揑抦 sure it will be great.?Jane said.
With that the pair entered the room. When Jane saw the antique oak rocking chair sitting in the corner she was speechless. After getting her thoughts together she finally spoke.
揙h Daria. It抯 perfect.?/p>
揑 figured you might need to rock your child to sleep on occasion. It was my hope to find something that would hold memories for you.?/p>
Jane went over and sat in the chair. As she rocked she looked at her friend. 揑t already has one great memory. Thank you.?/p>
The next few months were uneventful. Daria visited Jane from time to time. As the due date approached she could see Jane was getting excited at the thought of giving birth. One afternoon Daria was sitting at her desk when the phone rang.
揌ello??/p>
揟rent??/p>
Daria抯 eyes suddenly got very large.
揝he did.?/p>
揑抦 on my way. Bye.?/p>
It was close enough to the end of the day that Daria went ahead and left. She drove straight to the hospital. It was about an hour to where Jane was and all the way Daria hoped she wouldn抰 be too late. Parking, she ran into the hospital. When she got to the maternity ward she found Trent and went over.
揌ey Daria.?/p>
揌ey Trent. Has she given birth yet??/p>
揧ea.?/p>
揥hen.?/p>
揂bout thirty minutes ago.?/p>
揂nd??/p>
揂nd what??
Daria knew how Trent could be but she was in no mood for his behavior right then. Giving him a bothered look, she asked again. 揥hat is it? A boy or a girl??/p>
爴Oh. It抯 a boy.?/p>
揝o when can we see her??/p>
揑 asked a nurse. She said soon.?/p>
揌ow soon??/p>
揇on抰 know. She just said soon.?/p>
揙h.?/p>
Daria knew there was no point asking any more questions so she went over to a chair and sat down. She would just have to be patient. Eventually Trent came over. She looked up.
揧es Trent??/p>
揥e can see her now.?/p>
Daria stood up and the pair went to the room. As they entered they saw Jane and Roy standing over a small bundle in a blanket. When Jane heard them she looked up. Naturally she looked tired but still gave them the biggest grin either of them had ever seen. Finally she spoke.
揌ey guys. Come on over. I want you to meet someone.?/p>
Daria and Trent went over to the bed.
揟rent, Daria. Say hello to Lane.?
They looked at each other then at Roy. Looking back, he said, 揇on抰 look at me. I lost the coin toss. But I get to name the next one.?/p>
Jane joined in. 揑f there is a next one.?/p>
Everybody chuckled.
Jane was home pretty quick. With a new baby in the house things were hectic so Daria stayed for a couple of days to try to help. As long as she stayed out of the kitchen she was actually useful. Eventually Sunday evening came around and she had leave.
Going upstairs, she went to Jane抯 room. When she looked inside Jane was sitting in the chair rocking her son. When she saw Daria she smiled and said, 揌ey.?/p>
揌i.?Daria said. 揕ook, I have to leave.?/p>
揑 understand. Thanks for your help.?/p>
揝ure. No problem. You have a beautiful son there. Take care of him or you抣l have to answer to me.?/p>
Jane laughed. 揧ou got it.?Suddenly her face got serious. 揇aria. Before you leave I want to say something.?/p>
Daria looked at Jane. 揧es??/p>
揇aria. I just wanted to say you抮e closer to me than any of my sisters ever were. Lord knows we抳e been though as much as sisters.?She paused for a second. 揥hat I抦 trying to say is. After all the things we抳e been through I抳e never said this. Now I want to be sure you hear it.?/p>
揥hat.?/p>
揑 love you and after all the things we抳e experienced I抦 hoping you feel the same way.?/p>
Daria looked at her friend.
揑 do Jane. I do.?/p>
The End.
As usual Daria Belongs to MTV. This was written for my own amusement.