Saving Grace

I sat on the sidewalk, watching in twisted and sick pleasure as John scrubbed his car free of my breakfast. It serves him right for making me seem incompetent in front of his brothers.

"I told you I was going to throw up," I said as I dipped a French fry in my vanilla shake.

"I didn't think you were serious!"

"You obviously thought wrong. You never, e-ever doubt a pregnant woman, John," I said with a smirk.

He turned to shoot me a glare before his eyes softened. "How can you eat after you just threw up?"

I shrugged and glanced to the McDonald's across the street where I had ordered myself an early lunch. "I'm hungry... You want some?" I asked holding out my fries.

He frowned. "No, you ruined my appetite for the day, thank you very much."

"No problem."

I ate a little bit more before turning my attention to my bare toes as they buried themselves in the small amount of gravel sitting in a small mound against the curb. My gray Converse were tucked away in the trash can along with nearly a whole roll of paper toweling.

I tried my hardest to save one of my favorite pairs of comfortable shoes but unfortunately for them, my stomach acid and breakfast combo ruined them. "How's that going?" I asked, batting my eyelashes innocently at him as my feet slowly started to get torn up by the rough ground.

John just scowled before mumbling under his breath something along the lines of, "Nick owes me for this..."

I smiled in satisfaction before pulling myself up from the sidewalk I had perched myself on. I padded across the car wash area to the gas station to use the bathroom, leaving without John noticing.

I walked out of the restroom minutes after entering it, slightly disgusted at the fact that I actually used a public bathroom much less walked around in it barefoot. I stopped when my eyes fell upon a pair of simple, yet somehow hideously ugly flip-flops. With a slight hesitation, I picked them up along a pack of mint gum- despite my hate for it- to freshen my breath.

The woman behind the register glared at me when I set my two items on the counter before pointing to a sign which read No shirt, no shoes, no service.

My eyes widened at her, unbelieving. "I wouldn't be buying shoes if I had a pair with me," I stated. "Can I buy the shoes, put them on and then purchase my gum?" I asked, a little desperation leaking into my voice.

She blinked her very round hazel eyes at me before snapping her gum. She shook her head slowly, her black ponytail swishing only a little.

I was ready to walk out when John strolled in, holding his hands out as if they were diseased. He didn't notice me, or maybe he did and just ignored me, but either way he walked directly into the men's bathroom to undoubtedly scrub his hands free of my vomit.

I turned back to the employee, whom was standing behind the counter yet with a bright orange shirt on. She somehow managed to pull the color off, whereas I couldn't wear orange unless I wanted to look like a hunter or one sickly woman.

"C-Can I please just buy these? I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place at the moment," I tried once again.

"There's rules that everyone has follow, Ma'am. You're no exception to them."

I wanted to bash my head against the counter or reach over and strangle the girl who appeared to be just a few years younger than myself.

"Do we have a problem here?" John suddenly asked from beside me, causing me to jump.

I quickly composed myself though my hand stayed resting over my heart. "I'm just trying to buy shoes and gum but..." I trailed off, pointing to the poster that the lovely worker had showed me.

"I see," he said, glancing down to my bare feet. Before I realized what he was trying to do, he slid his TOMS off and nudged them toward me with his toes. I studied them confusedly before finally comprehending what he was doing.

I slid my feet inside the canvas shoes before turning to the girl and reaching for the cash in my pocket.

"I'm not letting you buy these Ma'am."

"She has a shirt on, she now has shoes on, she can purchase what she wants... Or do I have to talk to your manager about my girlfriend being discriminated against?" John asked, his green eyes turning completely serious.

I watched as a little fear sparked in the unfamiliar girl's eyes. "I don't think that will be necessary, Sir."

John and I walked out side by side after I gave him back his shoes and slid my new flip-flops on. "I was going to just buy them for you but I thought 'hey, why not make this more difficult than necessary'?" John admitted as we walked back to his car which was apparently cleaned up now with the exception of multiple stacks of CDs in the backseat laying across the seat and littering the floor.

I smiled. "That was genius!"

He smiled and watched as I picked out a stick of gum and popped it in my mouth. "I thought you didn't like mint-flavored gum?"

I paused, my brow furrowing. "I don't, but my breath smells like vomit a-and fries."

He cringed a little at my bluntness and reminder of what he had just cleaned up though I was a little mesmerized that he had remembered that tiny fact about me. I was even more amazed when I remembered that we hadn't been on speaking terms when I had said that.

I felt an odd, awkward sensation of my heart swelling with happiness.

Despite the joy I felt, my head went into a shocked and frustrated state of mind. I thought that my tiny crush on John would have disappeared now that I was back together with Nick- now that I was carrying Nicholas's child- but apparently I had been wrong.

It had to be hormones. It just had to be.

There was no other logical explanation for my irrational feelings.