By Her

Part 4

By Missy



SERIES: By Her
PART: four of four
Author: Missy
Email: lasfic@yahoo.com
RATING: PG-13 overall, for dramatic angst.
PAIRING(s): L/L (what else? *pins 'shipper button to forehead*)

DISTRIBUTION: To LW, Kai, and FG so far; any other archives are welcome to ask (Please Email Me), but disclaimers must be included, my email left intact. send a URL, and provide full disclaimers as well as credit me fully. Please inform me if you are going to submit my work to any sort of search engine. Please do not submit my work to a search engine that picks out random sets of words and uses them as key words, such as "Google"

Please contact me in order for this story to be placed on an archive, or if you want know of a friend who would enjoy my works, please email me their address and I will mail them the stories, expressly for the purpose of link trading. MiSTiers are welcomed! Please do inform me that you'd like to do the MiSTing, however, and send me a copy of the finished product. I'd also love to archive any MiSTings that are made of my work!

DISCLAIMER: Laverne and Shirley, of course, not my property and belongs to its creators.

CATEGORY: Drama, L/L
CANNON/SPOILERS: Late Milwaukee era; post Officer Norman Hughes and Laverne's Bad Girl Period
FEEDBACK: PLEASE?!
SPOILLER/SUMMARY: Lenny and Laverne have a secret...
NOTES: Inspired by the Beth Hart song "By Her"; what else screams L/L but the lines "She gives it away, and you're fascinated by her"?

Also, an apology to Ashley and OTF, whose fics amalgamated in my head and sort of help produced the end scene; am I sappy yet? ;-)

****

Days fled by, weeks, which turned to months. Shirley settled into a frantic routine which involved working overtime at Shotz to make up for Laverne's lost salary, then rushing to the hospital to remain vigil over Laverne's bed.

Laverne, for the most part, hated her hospital captivity; the doctors wanted to keep her on bed-rest, and didn't trust the notion of the young family leaving their care. Laverne was insulted by the obvious implication; she couldn't care for herself. Her father raged against the doctors on her behalf, but they refused to release Laverne until her blood pressure stabalized.

The only things that seemed to make it better were Lenny's constant visits, and Shirley's presence. The little brunette had recognized within a day's time that Lenny wasn't going to go anywhere, so she had no option but to accept him. In truth, his entire demeanor had changed over the course of Laverne's hospitalization. He was deathly quiet and very serious, which frightened Shirley to a point, as she knew that they were changes brought on by fear.

Frank had accepted Lenny, too, but more because Lenny had buckled down and was in the process of making a good, honest living. He had been bumped up the Shotz food chain and was now a dispatcher, and whatever money he earned was put away to pay for Laverne's hospital bill. Frank's respect for Lenny seemed to grow when he understood that his Muffin was taken care of.

Something Shirley still couldn't do, even though she was coming around to the realization that Lenny loved Laverne deeply.

Whenever the two women were together, Shirley studiously avoided the subject of Lenny and even of the baby; they spoke about the weather, the hospital, some flowers Laverne had gotten. Shirley finally got up the courage to discuss the situation with Laverne on the day of her release from the hospital.

"Are you sure you're doing the right thing?"

Laverne gave her an odd look; she had been in the process of cherishing the fact that she was, for the first time in weeks, fully dressed. The maternity pants Lenny had picked up for her were just about the right size.

"Yeah, Shirl," She smiled, "Don't ya see? Everythin's gonna be fine." She smiled conspiratorially. "Lenny asked me to marry him last night."

"What?!" Shirley squealed, unable to hide her horror.

"It was real romantic," She sighed, fluffing her pillow and pausing to hug it, "As romantic as ya can be in a hosital. He hid the ring in my pudding.."

Shirley squealed once more.

"What is your problem, Shirl?!" Laverne cried, "I'm marryin' a sweet guy who loves me!"

The words came from Shirley's mouth without her permission, "You're marrying a moron."

Laverne stiffened, and even Shirley's regret couldn't save her now. "Get out." She snapped.

"Laverne, I didn't mean..."

"GET. Out." When Shirley didn't move, she tossed a pillow at her friend, "You heard me! If ya can't say nothin' nice about Len, I don't want ya round no more!"

"But Laverne..."

"OUT!"

Shirley retreated, tears in her eyes.

*****

The girl's relationship proceeded to deteriorate. Laverne never returned to work; she had been fired during the month she'd spent in the hospital, and even then she didn't need to, thanks to the increase in Lenny's salary. One afternoon, returning home from work after a day of slaving away, Shirley came home to a half-empty apartment, Laverne had arranged for her things to be moved out, and Shirley spent an entire night sobbing in distress.

Through the grapevines at work, she heard details of her own best friend's wedding; they would be married in a church, a big church, and FONZIE was going to be there. The date filtered down through the days, and as it approached she grew more miserable.

On the Saturday before the big day, she journeyed to the Pizza Bowl for dinner, only to find it closed for the rehearsal dinner. Now panic set in; Laverne was excluding her from her life entirely!

At two in the morning, after one more night in which she soaked Boo-Boo Kitty to the fluff in her own tears, a knock sounded at her door. It was insistent, and not Carmine; in fear, she rushed to the door in her nightgown.

And there stood Lenny.

"Shirl..."

She slammed the door in his face; unfortunately, it was unlocked, and he pushed his way into the domescile. "Shirl, we gotta talk!"

"No we don't!" She snapped, "This is all your fault, Lenny!"

"Why?!"

"You took Vernie away from me!" It sounded so childish, saying that out loud, but in Shirley's heart, it was the truth. Lenny shook his head, pained.

"We didn't mean ta fall in love, Shirl." He protested, "It happened, I can't help it that it happened.."

"I know," Shirley responded, "But it still hurts."

"I know; I ain't talked ta Squig in awhile; we're all caught up in this weddin' stuff." She was surprised that, belying his usual cowardice, he wasn't panicking at the idea of marriage.

"Leonard," She noticed, "You're not scared."

He shook his head, "Cause I know it's right." He tapped his cheek, "I been kissed, Shirl. I love Laverne more than anythin', an' I'll treat her good."

Somehow, Shirley understood this; she said, "But you're Lenny!"

"Yeah, an' your Shirley. That's why you gotta come to the weddin' tomorrow."

Shirley blinked at his sentence, then laughed, "Laverne and I haven't spoken for a month."

"She talks about you, all of the time." He insisted. "I know ya think I ain't good enough, but that don't matter. Ya love Laverne as much as I do, an' ya should be the matron of honor."

"Maid." Shirley corrected.

"You're made?" He cowered, but she rolled her eyes and he finished, "Ya know, you shouldn't keep yer nose outta joint about me, Shirl. Yer datin' Carmine Ragusa."

"Excuse me?!"

"Does Mr. Carmine Ragusa look like a doctor to you?"

Shirley paused, giving Lenny a funny look. With those words, the world had snapped into perspective. Laverne had dated tall, chiseled hunks before Lenny, but her love negated what was her type. Shirley had been in search of a handsome, single doctor, and when she looked at her own life the only male constant there was Carmine, her squat little dancer.

"Len?" She said suddenly. His expression was pure puppy dog. "I'll be there."

He broke into a grin, slapping his hands together, "Good!" He frowned a bit, "Can ya sneak there? I can't get the lime-o here without arousin' Laverne's suspicions."

Shirley nodded, "Here's what I'll do..." She leaned in close and whispered her plans to Lenny, fairly certain he wouldn't remember them when push came to shove...


****

The morning of the wedding, Shirley snuck her way into the church, using the back entrance. Just as she had presumed, Laverne stood there, trying to get her hair just right (hopefully to detract from her burgeoning belly). The second she saw Shirley, her pride took over once more.

"Ah no! Out!" She cried.

"Laverne," She announced, "I know you don't want me to go anywhere." Laverne wavered.

"Well, maybe I don't." she replied, "But I don't want ya in this weddin'."

"I'm sorry," Shirley finally blurted out, "I'm sorry I didn't accept you and Lenny being together!"

Laverne shook her head, "It ain't that, Shirl; it was kinda a shock to me, too. It's yer treatin' him like a jerk!" She sighed, "I know ya think he is one; but he's a real sweet guy."

"Do you love him, Laverne?"

Laverne nodded.

"I have to hear you say it."

Laverne took a deep breath and, without hesitation, said, "I love Lenny Kosnoski. I wanna marry him."

Shirley's reaction contained nothing but wide-eyed amazement, "You didn't even stutter. Laverne, you're in love!"

Laverne picked up her bouquet, then tried to pull her veil down over her face. Unfortunately, it caught in her nails, Shirley's response was to spring to her friend's aid, causing the twosome to become entangled in the mass of tulle. Finally, they righted the veil, and Laverne responded, "Thanks, Shirl."

"You're welcome." A tape of the Wedding March slipped into cue, and then she started to sob, "I can't believe I'm not going to be a part of your wedding!"

"Waddya mean?!" Laverne responded, "Yer the maid of honor! We spent the whole week rehearsin' without ya. Edna stood in."

Shirley's jaw dropped, as she realized how deeply her friendship with Laverne truly reached. "Where's your father?"

"By the vestibule."

The two friends shared a hug, then walked, arm-in-arm, to meet Laverne's father.

****

Four Months Later

At least she had been notified this time.

Shirley sat, proud as a peacock in the waiting room, surrounded by Carmine, Squiggy, Frank DeFazio...not to mention a pacing Lenny. She yearned to calm the young man down, but he couldn't stand still for more than a minute.

"Is it supposed ta take this long?" He panicked to Frank.

"Eh, when Laverne was born she took two days."

"TWO DAYS?!" He looked, wide-eyed, to Shirley.

"I'm sure it won't be that long, Leonard," She lied, fidgeting, as Carmine continued to deal cards for her hand. "There, why don't you play 'Go Fish' with us?"

"Len's problem was that he went fishin' where he ain't supposed ta," Squiggy cracked, and a series of glaring faces stared him down.

"Come on, Len," Urged Carmine, "It'll take yer mind off of things..."

Lenny shook his head; fortunately, at that point, a nurse emerged from the room in which Laverne was delivering her child. Lenny ran to meet her, they exchanged a few short words, and he picked the woman up in a bear hug. Dropping her, he ran up the hall and met Shirley, seizing her by the hands,

"A girl!" He said, "It's a girl and they're both doin' fine!"

The group began to cheer; Squiggy produced some cigars, which the gentlemen properly divvied up. As the guys traded backslaps and words of congratulation they raced down the hallway, stuffing themselves into Laverne's room. Deciding that she'd rather see her best friend in a more private setting, Shirley left for the nursery.

Staring at the dozen or so infants laid out in the nursery, Shirley thought of her own dreams; wondering if she should pursue the one Carmine held, or perhaps continue to search for that golden rainbow, the silver balloon; a doctor to call her own. She tried to spot Laverne's baby, and at last she saw a nurse carry a tiny, golden-hared bundle over to an empty bassinet.

Pushing it over to an empty spot, Shirley could clearly make out the child's pink nametag, pasted at the end of each bed. Overwhelmed with emotion, she began to cry.

And Shirley Kosnoski winced away from the light, sucking contentedly at a pacifier, wondering why so many people had cried over her that day.


The End


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