So here we go. A sequel to The Parental Ambition. If you were so very satisfied with the way the first one ended and don't want to chance the story continuing in a way that you don't like, then this is your final chance to run fast and run far. That said, no worries if you do stay and aren't picky, it's not like anyone is breaking up or anything!

So here you go – over a year since The Parental Ambition was introduced, and over seven months since it finished, here is The Sulfer Juxtaposition. Picks up four years later.

I did eighty three disclaimers on The Parental Ambition alone. I'm taking a break on that for this chapter.

"Thank you very much for sharing your stuffed bears with us, Mamie," the preschool teacher, Mrs. Bennet, said cheerfully. "Now, who is next for show – and – tell?" A mass of hands shot up, and Mrs. Bennet smiled and called on the quiet blonde girl in the front row. "Yes, Savannah. What do you have for us?"

The girl stood, faced the class, and held out a picture. "This is my sister. My mommy and daddy made her and now she's growing inside my mommy and we're going to see her soon."

"My mommy made me a brother!" said a red – haired girl sitting off to the side.

"So many little brothers and sisters in everyone's family!" the teacher said, looking at Savannah curiously. At the preschool, parents were required to tell the teachers if their kid was bringing anything for show – and – tell that wasn't a stuffed animal or some other innocent object. An ultrasound shot was definitely something that she should have had a heads up about. Kids started asking questions, especially at four years old.

"My mommy made me a little brother too!" said Jeremy from the back, letting go of the corners of his blue carpet square.

"Your mommy and daddy," Savannah said.

"What?" asked Jeremy.

"To have a baby, mommy and daddy must do coitus."

"O-kay," Mrs. Bennet said, jumping up. "I think that's…"

"What's coitus?" asked the red – haired girl.

"I don't know," Savannah said. "But they have to do it. My uncle Sheldon told me that my mommy and daddy so it so much that he's surprised I haven't had a little sister until now…what?" she asked, frowning and tensing up as Mrs. Bennet put a hand on her back.

"Show – and – tell is over for today," said the frazzled teacher in a loud voice, clapping her hands. "I will get Miss Blake in the room to keep an eye on you guys. Savannah and I have to take a little walk."

"Johnny talked about his baby sister's birthday party!" Savannah whined.

"That's a little different, missy," Mrs. Bennet said, taking the girl's hand. "Let's go see if we can't find your mommy."

"Raj, I am telling you, if you do not make her stay in your apartment, she's going to find herself on the street someday."

Raj took the dog back from the blonde and cuddled it. "I'm sorry," he said, "but she never escaped like this at my old apartment."

"She's lived here for two years, and I can't go a week without opening the door to her barreling inside like she owns the place," Penny said. "Look, when the baby comes, we can't have dogs just bursting in on us. You'd think that living with Scruffy would have bored your dog into obedience."

"Scruffy hasn't been around in several weeks," Raj said. "Until they get back, pup is without influence."

"Well, if she gets in and antagonizes the baby," Penny said, "she'll get some good 'influence' from me."

"It's not like she's going to make a beeline for the crib and…I'm sorry," Raj said upon seeing the stern look on Penny's face. "But she always escapes when Sheldon does his throat singing, can you really blame her? And how am I supposed to prevent her from getting out? I'm not home all the time."

"For starters," Penny said, folding her arms over her stomach, "you can take the doggie door out. If the building manager finds out you did that, he'll kill you."

"No he won't," Raj said. "It's been fifteen years and he still doesn't know the elevator is broken. I'm surprised he knows that you guys live in 5B and I'm in your old place. Though the rent from this place suddenly coming in on time might have tipped him off."

"Yeah, well…" Penny's phone rang as she struggled for a comeback. "I'll just hold that thought." Looking at the display on her phone, she frowned.

"Who is it?"

"The preschool." Penny hit 'accept' and put the phone to her ear. "Hello? Yes, this is her…she did what?" Penny closed her eyes. "Yes, I'll be right there…no, no, I'm fine, I can come. No, it's…no, we're together, you don't need to bother him at work…okay, yes, I'll be there as soon as I can. Okay, thank you." She hung up and let out a heavy sigh.

"Is your back hurting?" Raj asked sympathetically.

"I'm eight months pregnant, Raj, of course my back is hurting," Penny said. "But that's not my main concern right now."

"Is everything okay?"

"Well," Penny said, "apparently Savannah's been picking up a few choice words from her Uncle Shelly."

"I just wanted to tell everyone about my little brother or sister," Savannah said, looking dejected as Penny dragged her by the hand to the car.

"That's fine," Penny said. "And Daddy and I are very glad you're excited, but you don't have to say that word."

"What word?"

"The C – word," Penny said, opening the car door. "Get in, baby."

Savannah crawled in and wiggled into the car seat. Penny fastened the straps as the four – year – old tried to get a look at her mother's stomach. "When do I get to hold the baby?"

"One month," Penny said, kissing the girl on the forehead before shutting the car door and moving around to the other side.

"How long is a month?" Savannah asked.

"Do you remember when you asked Aunt Gilda about how long it was until Christmas and she said 'a month'?"

"Yeah."

"Well, the time it took from that day until Christmas."

"How long was that?"

"A month."

Savannah looked out the window at her class running out onto the playground. "Mommy, why am I going home when everyone else is playing? I was going to be line leader. Ms. Ringer said so."

"You can be line leader tomorrow," Penny said. "We have to go home now. And it's Mrs. Bennet. Not Ms. Ringer anymore. She got married and now has the same last name as her husband."

"I usually remember!" Savannah said. "Most of the times."

"And I'm just reminding you so you will keep remembering just as good as you normally do," Penny said, smiling affectionately.

"Mommy?"

Penny sighed, knowing that her irritability was at her aching feet, her sudden need to pee, and the heat, not just her daughter, and she had to be careful not to let the feet, bladder, and temperature parts of her get angry with Savannah. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Why do you and Daddy not have the same last name?"

Penny almost ran the red light and caught it at the last second, jolting the car to a stop. The man in the car to her left, now with a green light, gave her an angry look as if her near traffic infraction had completely ruined his day. Fortunately for the already stressed out blonde, she didn't see his glare. As was her habit with any unexpected motion in the car, she turned to check on Savannah. She found a daughter completely unconcerned with the rough stop, but who was looking to her mother for an answer.

Penny looked Savannah in the eyes for a moment before pursing her lips, shrugging, and giving an honest answer. "I don't know, Savannah. I don't know. It just never happened."

Quick note here: this will not be updated every other day like The Parental Ambition was. Perhaps once I finish Just The Girl and Blood Trail, my two current WIPs, that can happen. I just wanted to get this out there so people can start following it if they'd like. I'm not saying that there won't be an update until March or anything, but don't hold your breath for Tuesday.

As always, reviews are splendid.