Must Love Dogs

Chapter Thirty- Two

A/N: Hey all. Thank you guys so much for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting this little story of mine. I am SOO happy that a bunch of you really like it. 417 reviews...WOW! You all are so sweet to me. :) With that being said, here's chapter 32!

**Side note: Please remember that this chapter begins the 7 MONTH later time jump! **

Enjoy!

Must Love Dogs- Chapter Thirty- Two

….7 months later...

"What made you decide to stay in town?" Bonnie asked, watching Elena slowly take a seat beside her at the restaurant they were meeting at in downtown Portland. She was glowing, smiling like Bonnie had never seen before and part of her knew that it was maybe just the hormones. Because it had been like this for Elena in the last few weeks, one minute she was all smiles and the next the tears would be set off without a clear warning or explanation.

Elena ran her fingers through her hair, sighing deeply before she began to speak. "Mom said it would be better to stick around Portland until the baby was born. She never did get a hold of Stefan and that was her final straw. I don't know what's going on with him, Bon." She closed her eyes and placed both of her hands on her already round 7 month pregnant belly.

"He's a busy guy, Elena. You knew that when you met him. He's got a lot of things going on." Bonnie started to say as Elena scoffed. "And, I don't?" She paused, licking her lips and shaking her head. "I've called him a few times, mostly gotten voice mail. I've sent him things through the mail, I've emailed him and have gotten a few pretty nice emails back every few weeks and then this morning, I receive this from Katherine." Elena said, picking up her cell phone off the table in the restaurant and turning it towards Bonnie's curious looking eyes.

"He's been busy helping me with your aunts real estate search. He also sold the house that he and Rebekah shared. No one has heard from her in like two months. Stefan said something about how he needed a change just a few weeks ago. Something tells me that he means that he might be going somewhere."

Bonnie smiled a hopeful look in Elena's direction while handing the cell phone back to her. "Well, at least you know that he's alive." She chuckled, hearing Elena exhale heavily.

"I just- Part of me thinks that I should have gone to Florida. Maybe, it would be different right now. I wouldn't be feeling so alone in this whole pregnancy thing." Elena admitted, feeling Bonnie's warm hand caress the top of hers as she squeezed tightly on to her fingers.

"You're not alone in this, Elena. You've got me, your brother, your mom. Who has been so damn supportive of you and who's helping Jeremy create a nursery inside of the house as we speak..." Bonnie's voice trailed off suddenly as she smacked her forehead and cupped her hands over her mouth.

"Crap, I wasn't supposed to mention that." She uttered out, watching Elena's gloomy stare brighten just a bit.

"I know." Elena said softly, staring down at her cell phone in hopes of maybe Stefan calling her or even text messaging. She hated what she had done to them, making her own heart ache for him while forcing him to feel like a stranger to her.

"You said you could do this alone. But, he argued with you and told you that if you needed him that he'd be there in a heart beat. Elena, it's been months and all I've seen since you doing is working at that little art gallery down town for just a few short hours as an intern, binge eating and watching reruns of the golden girls on TV. Honey, you need to pull yourself together before this baby comes along." She heard Bonnie advise as she looked up at her and then back down at her hands.