The next day-

Jessica sat on the couch while Jane and Lillian were asleep.

She stared at her phone gazing at Danny's phone contact. She felt like she was being punched in the stomach. She was so scared to just call him. She waited for him to call, but knew he was just waiting for her.

Just call him Jessica. It can't hurt. He was your best friend.

Jessica grew the courage to press call

"Hello, this is Daniel." He exclaims

Jessica took a deep breath. "Daniel, hi. It's me, Jessica. Jessica Lange."

...

"Oh Jessica, I honestly didn't think you would call. How are you?"

"I'm good, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

"Of course not. I'm always available, well sometimes. Life of an ophthalmologist, huh?"

"I guess so... Danny, if you're still interested, I'd like to get together."

"Really? Okay! Great, I'd love too. I miss you."

"I leave Sunday. What day is good?"

"Today! How about I meet you at Gail's, four thirty?"

"Oh, okay. I'll see you then."

Jessica's heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. She didn't have have to prepare for seeing Danny. It was happening all so soon. Jessica quickly sat up and ran into Jane's room when she herd her up.

"Jessica?" Jane giggles as Jessica walks in

"Jane, I don't know what I'm doing!"

"Me neither!" Jane sets Lillian in her bassinet a gives Jessica a silly look.

"Jane... I'm seeing Danny today."

"Daniel Huston! The love of your life! The man I wished was my boyfriend?"

"He's not the love of my life... But we are going to Gail's for dinner. I'm so nervous! I haven't seen him in forever. What if he's still mad!"

"He won't be mad! I thought it was a mutual agreement for you two to break up?"

"That's the thing... It wasn't. We just ended things. I guess in a not-so-pretty way."

Jessica never told anyone but Sarah about how she left things with Danny. She didn't plan to tell anyone else. It was something too personal. Jessica couldn't tell. She felt ashamed and selfish. She never got over the breakup with Danny, when it happened she was so depressed. She struggled with depression for a while after her fathers passing. She knew after Albert died that she could never  be the same and worried she wasn't enough for Danny. She just left and never looked back.

**

That day Jessica tried to calm her nerves and not think about it much. She couldn't, but she didn't know why she did. It was only a get together. They were just going to catch up, that's all that was going to happen. Jessica kept telling herself that. Jessica hoped that he wouldn't bring up the past and how she left things. Only because she promised herself she would leave if he did bring it up. It was hard enough for her to leave him, she never wanted to relive it.

Jessica wore skinny blue jeans with a beige sweater and curled her hair. She wanted to look her best.

"Look at aunt Jessie! Doesn't she look gorgeous?" Jane says walking into Jessica's room with the baby.

Jessica turned around and giggled holding her hands out. "Aww look at you Lillian! You're just gorgeous!"

"I don't think you want to hold her, she's been throwing up." Jane says with a pout

"Oh, okay. I hope you get better little girl."

"Are you excited?" Jane makes her way to the bed and sits down.

"No, I'm so nervous. I haven't talked to him in years, ever since I left."

"I bet it will be fine. Danny's a good man Jessica... A lot of us actually kept in touch with him. He's our eye doctor."

"Really? I didn't know that everyone kept in touch with him." Jessica widened her eyes and looked at Jane.

"He was like family Jessica, you don't just stop talking to family."

"I know..."

"But I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?"

"Well, you aren't just going to go to dinner. Are you?"

"Yes! It's just dinner Jane!" Jessica giggles

"I'll just stick with see you tomorrow."

**

The car ride over to the restaurant was the hardest. Jessica's nerves made her feel so sick.

Don't be like this Jessica. You're just catching up, I mean you owe the guy. Just be yourself. It's not like you are going to date or anything.

Jessica walked into the restaurant and saw Danny waiting for her at a table near the window. Gail's is the place that Jessica and Danny went to all the time for dates. Ironically Danny picked the same table that they usually sat at when they were younger.

"Jessica, wow. You look great." Danny smiles standing up and pulling out the chair across from his for Jessica.

"Thank you, you look great yourself." She nods and sits down.

Danny sits across from her and smiles. He couldn't stop smiling.

"I'm glad you wanted to catch up. I was nervous that you would never call." Danny was softly

"I didn't think I would either, I guess I was nervous." Jessica clenches her teeth and giggles

"What are you going to order?" Danny says gazing at the menu.

Jessica looks at her menu and giggles.

"Let me guess, wedding soup and a club sandwich?" He says looking over the menu.

"How did you know?"

"That was your favorite. I hope your taste buds haven't changed."

Jessica shakes her head and sets down the menu.

After they order they begin catching up a bit.

"So you have your own practice?"

"Yes. It's great, I kinda get to pick my own hours. I love helping people too."

"You always did... That's great Danny."

"I didn't think I would ever be an eye doctor, but hey! People change, right?"

Jessica cleared her throat. "They do"

"Jane was telling me that you went to Europe? How was that?"

"It was absolutely amazing. I had a great time, I miss it. But I was ready to come home. I missed New York."

"Ahh, you're still living out there?"

"Yes. It's great. I work for NYC MAG. But I'm on leave right now, just taking a break so I can maybe finish up my book."

"You must be happy out there. You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you... I hope you're happy to."

Jessica felt like she was just punched in the stomach. Sitting at the table with Danny brought her back to too many memories that were a bit overwhelming. She looked back at all the times they spent together and how happy he made her and how happy she was with him. Sitting with him made her question why...

After dinner Jessica and Danny were still talking. They opened up a lot more and let out lots of laughs. It was great. Jessica didn't feel so tense anymore. It was like old times in a way, Danny always made her laugh, and Jessica always made him blush.

As the conversation expanded, they got into the past.

"Remember when there was that big rainstorm at the lake and my truck got stuck? Oh my gosh I was convinced that my father would find out and beat the shit out of me!" Danny exclaims leaning over the table.

Jessica covered her face and laughed uncontrollably. "I remember. The truck was new too. I felt so bad. But that was a good day."

"It was a good day. May of 2007 the end of freshman year. I just got my license and truck. That was the first day we ever went to the lake and I asked you to be my girlfriend. Do you remember?"

Jessica's smile went away. . Her face went blank. She nodded and fixed her sweater.

"I'm sorry.... I just have to ask. What did I do wrong? Why did you leave? What happened?" Danny exclaims. He was so desperate to know.

"Danny, I really can't do this." Jessica situates herself in the position to stand up.

"Wait, you owe me. You just left. You left me with one letter and I never herd from you again."

Jessica shook her head and stood up.

"Thank you for dinner, but I have to go." The table became awkward.

Danny threw a tip on the table since he had already paid. And raced out the door.

Jessica ran out as quick as she could and to the car.

Danny chased after her. Once he reached her he took her hand but she pulled away. Tears had already fallen from her eyes.

"Jessica, please! You were the love of my life! I love... loved you. To this day I still beat myself up wondering why you left. We had a plan! We were going to be together, forever." Danny says breathlessly

Jessica turned to Danny with mascara running down her face.

"Danny...  It wasn't you, it was....

It was hard for me to leave. I didn't want to, but I had too." Jessica says softly.

"Then why? Why did you leave if it was so hard. I get that you were going through a hard time, but you shut me out. I tried to help you through your depression. I never left you. I thought things were perfect."

"Please! Stop!" Jessica raises her voice.

"Please! Tell me!"

Jessica looked away from Danny then held her chest. She then turned back to him and took a deep breath.

"I was pregnant." She says in shaky tone falling to the ground slowly.

**