AJ sat on the corner of the street with a beer can in his hand. He hand lost his job just six months before. He moved in with his mother but on one condition he needed to get a job. He tried and tried but no luck. AJ eventually gave up, His mom kicked him out. He got an apartment in up town Orlando…but it sure didn’t last very long without a job and no money. He was forced to live out on the street since. AJ reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of her…Joyce. He remembered her pretty blonde hair and her pretty blue eyes…she was the love of his life.

~ Flashback ~

AJ nervously sat in his seat at the restaurant. He didn’t know how he was going to manage doing this…or even being able to spit out everything he wanted to say to her. He has been waiting for her to get out of the bathroom. Every time he looked at his watch he got more nervous. He saw Joyce walking down the isles. She smiled and sat down.

"Alex are you okay?" she softly asked.

"Yes…I am fine"

"You’re sweating like a pig" she giggled.

"Just do it now AJ…before you chicken out" he thought to himself

" Joyce…there has been something I have been meaning to talk well I guess I should say ask you about and here it goes…the day we first met back in high school I could have never imagined being with anyone else…so what I am trying to ask you is would you marry me?" AJ asked pulling the little black box out of his pocket. Joyce looked at the ring and sighed.

"Alex we need to talk"

~ End Flashback ~

AJ remembered the look on his face when he said those words. He thought the whole world was going to come down on him. That’s when everything started to go down hill. He started not showing up for work…being late for work…or just plain walking off the job site. All he wanted was her. She was ‘the’ one for him.

~ Flashback ~

"AJ I love you really I do…I couldn’t imagine my life without you. And even though we have been going out for so long…I feel like we need a break from us. I don’t know how long…and I don’t know when I will be ready I just need some time to myself. I am really sorry I had to do this to you…and especially tonight. I was going to do it earlier but I just didn’t have the heart to tell you…please don’t be upset AJ…I love you honestly I do…I just can’t deal with this anymore," AJ sat there and couldn’t believe this was happening….on the day he proposes …she wants a break. The only girl who loved him like she did and she dumps him," Alex are you okay? Please say something?"

"I am fine…just a little disappointed and shocked I guess. I will be all right…you can go a head and leave if you want to"

"Alex…I am not going to leave you. Besides you brought me here and I don’t have any other way of getting home we can still be friends, right?" AJ nodded his head.

"I can’t believe she did this to me! After all the time we spent together in high school and all the memories we shared together you think she would have said yes…we can still be friends, but I wish that ‘special’ touch was going to be there," AJ thought.

~ End Flashback ~

AJ felt a single tear drop roll down his cheek. He looked up and saw a familiar face walking his way…Joyce…walking with a stroller. He waved to her…no response.

"I must be dreaming," AJ whispered. As Joyce moved closer she recognized the face.

"Alex?"

"Yes"

"Is that you?"

"Yes…yes it’s me Joyce"

"Why are you sitting here? What happened to you?" Joyce asked.

"Well I lost my job…I have no money…I am basically a bum on the street," he replied. Joyce was surprised," Surprised?"

"Just a little…I have been trying to contact you…I called your mother she says she hasn’t heard from you in months…come with me to my apartment Alex. We’ll get you cleaned up" Joyce helped AJ from the curb.

"So what have you been up to?" he asked.

"Well…nothing much really. I go promoted at my new job…I am now head editor at Carter Productions."

" That’s cool Joyce…you deserved it" They walked in silence all the way to Joyce’s apartment.

"This is a nice apartment Joyce"

"Thank you…listen Alex…I really want to talk to you…" She said putting the baby in her crib," It’s about the reason why we went our separate ways"

"Joyce I understand what happened…no need for an explanation"

"Alex you deserve one…I owe you one...come and sit down," AJ followed Joyce into the living room," Before you asked me to marry you well actually 3 months…I found out I was pregnant…and I got scared…I didn’t want to tell you…I…I thought you would get scared and run away. I saw your face when Kevin and Kristen had their baby in high school you didn’t want to be a father for a long time and when I became pregnant…I didn’t want to tell you. I kept it from you. And that night you proposed I got…I got scared so I said no. I haven’t been with anyone else since Alex…" AJ was surprised. He doesn’t have a job and how he has to provide for a kid. He was a father.

"What’s her name?"

"Her name is Jimena…she was born just 2 weeks ago…her birthday is the same day as yours Alex…January 9th"

"I have a daughter? Joyce how am I going to provide for her? I don’t have a job"

"Alex…we need some extra help around the office at work basically just filing papers things like that"

"Sounds good"

"I will take you shopping tomorrow for some clothes…and Alex I will take you up on that question…I have missed you so much" she said planting a kiss on AJ’s lips. He missed that so much.

"I still have the ring…it’s at my mothers house…or so I hope. I love you Joyce I always have and I always will," he kissed her back.

"I will always love you Alex Mclean," AJ walked over to the crib where Jimena was peacefully sleeping. He ever so gently picked her up. She yawned and slightly smiled at AJ.

"Hi Jimena I am your daddy," he kissed the top of her head," And I will never leave your side baby girl…I will always be here" Joyce walked behind AJ and wrapped her arms around him…they were now a family.