As Bruce crested the stairs he saw Jan and Darlene at the door shivering in the cold November weather and he ran to admit them. Both girls were in their early twenties and very attractive, they had only been working there about a month before Bruce was hired.

They were open and friendly and helped him through some of the awkwardness that many young men face around older attractive women and he was grateful. They taught him lessons based on their experiences.

Jan was a party girl that never went past the tenth grade while Darlene had graduated college with a two year degree in business. Jan had mellowed out when she met her current boyfriend but still occasionally partied like a rock star. Darlene was the opposite and only occasionally partied, she preferred painting and reading.

"Is that Gina's car?" Jan questioned.

Yeah, she must be in the ladies room."

"Nice decorations, you do it?" Darlene questioned.

"No, Gina did. Momma Giambucci's' idea."

Gina appeared and greeted the girls warmly and announced that it was coffee time. Soon all four of them were seated and enjoying coffee and doughnuts.

"It's going to be a busy for a short week and on Friday we will probably get slammed," Jan said between bites of her jelly doughnut."

"Why is that?" Darlene questioned.

"Black Friday shopping," Gina responded.

"I'm going to make an extra pots of pizza and spaghetti sauce and a few batches of pizza dough to cover our ass," Bruce responded.

At 11:00 am the doors were opened for business and Bruce headed back to the kitchen to start his work. As soon as he was behind the kitchen doors Jan turned to Gina.

"Well, did you make your move?" she asked hungry for gossip.

"Yep, last night and this morning."

"So? How was it and how far did you get?" Darlene questioned.

"He is a great kisser and that's as far as it got. He actually stopped when the doorbell rang," Gina commented sadly.

So that's that? Jan commented rising up and grabbing her coffee mug and placing it behind the counter.

"No, I will try again," Gina informed them.

Any further discussion was interrupted by the phone ringing with the first of the carry out orders and the arrival of guests for the dining room. Bruce managed to avoid Gina by keeping busy in his kitchen and leaving it only to restock the plates and silverware and bring back the tubs of dirty dishes.

Before he knew it 6:00pm had arrived and he saw Momma Giambucci enter the front door along with Craig, the weekend man. Momma admired the job Gina did with the decorations before she headed to the kitchen.

Bruce handed her a list of items that they will needed and she promised to call the supply company tonight and place the order so it could be delivered tomorrow. Bruce bid her a good night and exited out the back door. It was about a minute or two later that Gina entered the kitchen.

"Bruce leave?" she asked her Mother.

"About five minutes ago, her Mother answered as she was punching in the phone number of the supply.

"Coward," she said under her breath ,but her Mom heard it and hung up the phone as she glared at her daughter.

"Gina, what are you doing to that nice boy? Your brother told you that he is seeing somebody."

"Yeah, some puta that got herself knocked up at sixteen."

"The heart want what it wants. You leave him alone or else."

"Or else what Mama?"

"I will ban you from coming here," her Mother responded in a tone to let her daughter know that this was not an idle threat.

"Whatever," Gina responded as she exited the kitchen and headed back up front.

It was about 6:30pm that Amber walked through the doors and placed an order for a large pie.

"It will take about twenty minutes," Jan told her.

"Its OK, my ride will wait."

"Then please have seat, Jan asked as she began to make the pizza.

"Is Bruce here?"Amber questioned.

"No, I believe he already went home. Do you know him?

"We're friends and go to school together."

Darlene noted the twinkle in her eye at the mention of Bruce's name. Gina was at the steam tables next to the ovens refilling the water supply and Darlene approached her.

"She's here," she said in a low voice.

"Who's here?" Gina responded.

"Bruce's mystery girlfriend."

Gina checker her appearance in the small mirror on the side of the oven then smoothed her clothes before she came around the corner and walked to the counter. When she saw Amber sitting there Gina was stunned by her looks, this girl was really attractive.

'Have you been waited on?" Gina asked in a polite voice.

"Yes, thank you," Amber responded and smiled.

"Great, she's beautiful, polite and has a dazzling smile."

Gina walked around the counter to where Amber sat and took a seat next to her.

"Are you a model or something? If not you should be because you are really attractive."

"Started out to be one, but it just wasn't my thing."

"So, how far along are you?"

"Five months."

"You still in school?"

"Yeah."

"That's got to be rough on you."

"Yeah it is at times."

"She's friend of Bruce, "Darlene interjected.

"Did he to that?" Gina asked in low voice.

"I wish," Amber responded.

Gina was stunned by the response and Amber saw the reaction on Gina's face.

"I guess I should explain that answer?"

"Please do," Gina responded.

 "Bruce is a nice guy and has been there for me ever since school started. The other boys and some of my so called lady friends have abandoned me because of my condition, but not Bruce. He's put up with endless teasing, embarrassing parentage questions and my hormonal rages but has remained a true friend.

"He is a nice guy, we all think so," Gina responded motioning to the counter girls."

"He is beyond nice, he's funny, smart and caring. He treats me like I'm something special and not some stupid sixteen year old that allowed herself to get knocked up. If he was the Father I would know that he would always be there for me."

Now Gina could see Amber's eyes grow misty and her smile grow wider as she talked about Bruce and it made her feel like a total slut for trying to seduce him. This girl really cares about him and it sounds like he cares about her too.

At that point Mama Giambucci came up front and Gina rose from her seat.

"Mama, this is a friend of Bruce. This is my Mother and the owner," Gina said in the way of an introduction.

Amber started to rise to properly greet this older woman but was told to stay seated and she took a seat on her left.

"You call me Monica."

"I'm pleased to meet you Monica, I am Amber."

"Ahh, you Bruce's girl? You are very pretty?"

"Sort of his girl, but pretty I don't think so. Look me I'm as big as a bus."

"That won't last long, trust me. Do I look like I had three children?"

"No, not at all."

Monica turned to her Daughter and in rapid Sicilian said, "This girl is no putan, she is pretty and has manners."

"Maybe I was wrong, "Gina answered in the same dialect.

"Monica stood to leave and addressed Jan," Her pizza is on the house."

"That isn't necessary, she told Monica.

"Never you mind, enjoy it," Monica answered as she headed back to the kitchen.

Amber tapped a number and waited before she snapped the phone shut.

"Anything wrong ?" Gina asked when she saw the worried look on Amber's face.

"Bruce isn't picking up, I hope he's all right."

"You worry too much, I'm sure he's fine."

"I always worry, its my curse. I worry that one day he will decide that he doesn't want to hangout with a pregnant teenager any longer and start looking around for someone else. I worry that some little hottie his own age will decide that she wants him for herself."

Gina notice tears in her eyes as she talked and swore she could feel the anxiety that Amber was feeling.

"Your pizza is coming out now," Jan announced.

Gina helped Amber to stand and gave her a hug, "You are a lucky girl to have found someone so great and I am sure he will be around for a long time."

Amber noticed that Gina had tears in her eyes. They broke the hug and Amber grabbed the pizza box and left. Gina retreated to one of the tables furthest from the door and had a good cry. Jan approached and knelt down next to Gina's chair and wrapped her arms around her and allowed her to weep on her shoulder.

"I feel like the whore of the world," she sniffled as the cry jag subsided. " I had no idea that she loved him so much and he doesn't know it but her loves her too, he better tell her."

"When the time is right he will," Jan reassured her.