Rose Jones was many things but speechless was not one of them. She was now. She had a choice to make; go with her instinct or be the mother she didn't have?

"Go to the hospital. Make sure you get there quickly then call me & tell me what they said." She went against her instinct.

"Okay, Momma." Her youngest daughter's terrified voice came through the line before she hung up. "Bye."

"Bye, honey." Rose turned off the cordless phone & returned to work. She would worry over her decision until her daughter called her back but she couldn't be the mother hers was.

Superstar Christina Barnes was a great singer, a fabulous performer & a perfect lady but motherhood had never been her number one priority. Rose had wanted to be better so she might have smothered her three children with love to the best of her ability.

She only hoped it worked out in the end…

W.W.W.

Rose picked up her ringing cell phone without checking the screen. "Hello?"

"Momma?" It was her twelve year old, Marcy.

"Hi, baby. Did you go to the hospital like I told you?" Rose immediately straightened up & focused.

"Yes."

"& what did they say?"

"I'm pregnant."

Rose almost dropped the phone. "What?!"

"I'm pregnant." Came the whispered words again.

"How?! What?! What?! How?!"

"I don't know." Marcy sounded confused.

"How could this happen, Marcy?! We had the sex talk!"

"I know but I only had sex. I didn't do anything to get pregnant."

Rose blinked. "Honey, sex is how you get pregnant."

It was quiet for the longest time before, "It is?"

Rose couldn't believe she didn't know! Then again when she, Judy Fabray & Jeannette Chang told their children about sex, they never once said a thing about babies. Rose sighed. "I want you to pack your things. Is the movie over?"

"Yeah. The wrap party is tonight."

"I want you to pack your things. You're coming home instead of going to school."

"I am?"

"Yes. Now tell me exactly what the doctors said."

W.W.W.

Mal Chang sat on the staircase in the Jones residence, waiting for his one true love. His siblings had told him Marcy was coming home today & he'd cut basketball practice to wait.

He tapped his feet against the floor in rhythm to the song in his head. Melodies were floating around in his mind & he knew he would probably practice his oboe for a while to exhaust it.

The front door opened & he looked up, brightening considerably. "Marcy!"

Marcy dropped her bags on the ground & leapt into his arms. "Mal!"

He twirled her around & breathed in her fresh scent. He'd missed her so much! "You're back!"

A throat clearing made him put her down. "Where do you want this, kid?"

Mal turned to the cab driver. "We can take it upstairs."

"Nah, you're just kids. Where do you want it?"

Marcy pointed up the stairs. "The green door. Just set it inside."

"Got it." The driver toted the heavy trunk he was dragging inside & up the stairs carefully. He put the trunk in the room then came downstairs. "Have a good day."

"Thank you." Marcy said as she closed the door.

Mal waited for her to turn around before hugging her again. "How long are you going to be home?"

"I don't know." She patted his back absently. "Where is everybody?"

"School still. Sports practice you know."

"Momma's not here?"

"I don't think so. She's probably still at work. Are you hungry?"

"Um… sure." She took off her winter-gear & followed him to the kitchen.

"Are you in the mood for something creamy, salty, crunchy or sweet?" He opened the pantry door.

"Maybe some chips?" She went to the fridge & grabbed a bottle of apple juice.

"Okay. Want some of mine?" He looked back at her as he grabbed a bag of chips.

"It doesn't matter." She poured a glass of juice & returned the bottle to the fridge.

He shrugged & opened the bag of cheese flavored chips labeled Mai Luna. He shoved it in her face. "Cheesy goodness!"

She inhaled accidentally & her gag reflex hit. She pushed the bag out of her face & ran upstairs to the hallway bathroom, where she promptly threw up.

He raced after her in confusion. "Marce?!" He stared at her as she hurled in the sink. He pulled her hair back for her & rubbed her heaving back gently. "It's okay. It'll be okay."

When she finished, she washed her mouth out & wiped her face. She was quite unprepared for that to happen.

"Are you okay?" He asked nicely.

She nodded. "It's feeling better."

"What was that?" He continued rubbing her back.

"Let's sit down. You might fall out."

"Right here?"

"In my room." She took his hand & led him to her room. "Help me move this."

He looked down at her steamer trunk. "Okay."

They moved it to the foot of her bed. She took his hand again & sat him on her sofa. She crossed her legs. "Do you know where babies come from?"

He shook his head. "No. Do you?"

"Now." He raised an eyebrow & she went on. "Babies come from sex."

His eyes widened. "Really?!"

She nodded slowly. "Yes."

He blushed. "If we ever have sex again, we should use that protection stuff."

"It's too late for that."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm pregnant."

W.W.W.

Rose made sure the kids were practicing in the den when all the adults came over. She knew just by looking at him that Mal knew he was going to be a father. She had no idea on how to comfort him.

"Rose? What's going on?" Marcus Jones was not a man of many words so he usually just cut to the chase. He did so now.

Michael Chang & Russell Fabray were just as impatient. "Is this actually important?"

"Yes." She snapped. "It's highly important."

"What is it?" Jeanette asked.

Her calm tones soothed Rose. "I'm just going to say it. Marcy is pregnant."

It was quiet for exactly five seconds before a wave of "what?!" covered her.

"Marcy is pregnant." She repeated in the ensuing quiet.

Marcus, a dark-skinned man, paled. "No!"

"She is."

"How did this happen?" Judy was blown away.

"She & Mal-"

"Mal?! As in Malcolm?! As in my son?!" Michael stood up quickly.

"You-?! He-?! They-?!" Marcus couldn't finish a thought.

"How could this have happened?!" Russell was very surprised.

"We gave them the talk." Judy added.

"Well there you go."

Rose glared at him. "We didn't tell them that sex led to babies so they didn't realize. Marcy says she didn't use protection either."

"I can't believe this!" Michael paced back & forth. "He's going to military school!"

"Oh no, he's not!" Marcus yelled. "He got my baby in the family way & he's going to do the right thing!"

"That's better. Nothing ruins happiness faster than marriage."

They had three sets of female eyes on them, glaring hotly.

"How far along is she? They should get married as soon as possible." Michael went on.

"Isn't this a little hasty?" Judy asked. "They're just children."

"My parents were engaged as children."

"This is America. I don't think they allow that here."

"Then we'll go where they do allow it." Marcus said. "She is not giving birth unwed."

"How did you find out, Rose?" Jeanette asked.

"She called me & said that she didn't feel well & that she was bleeding. That it wasn't her period because she skipped the last two months. I told her to go to the hospital & they discovered she's ten weeks along.

They had to sew her womb so the babies wouldn't fall out-"

"Babies?!" Jeanette squeaked.

"She's carrying twins."

"Oh my goodness!" Judy had to sit back.

"They sewed her up & said that doing her own stunts on the movie is what started her to bleeding. That if she hadn't come in when she had, she might have lost them."

"Poor dear." Jeanette clucked.

"I told you she shouldn't be doing movies!" Marcus yelled.

"They're for her future!" Rose yelled back. "I didn't have to work a day in college because I had my own money."

"We can send them to any school in the world! What does she need with her own money?!"

"I'm not about to argue with you, Marcus!" Rose blew a strand of hair out of her face. "We need a plan & we need a plan quick! These children will be here in 30 weeks! She can't even take care of children! We might as well adopt them!"

"& let them get off scot-free?! No!" Michael snapped.

"Then what are we going to do?" Judy wanted to know.

"I'd rather them get married. They would grow to resent us if we took their children from them." Jeanette said.

"They should have thought of that before having sex!" Russell said. "You should send her away while in this shameful state!"

"& where is she going to go, Russell?" Jeanette bit off.

"Send her to Richard & Olga."

"My parents?!" Judy was stricken. "No!"

"We're not sending her anywhere! I'm sick of sending my daughter all over creation!" Marcus waved his hands.

"She's sick, Marcus! What else would we do with her?!" Rose realized what she said & gasped.

"Sick? What do you mean sick?" He crossed his arms.

"Nothing. I just meant she has behavioral issues."

"Don't lie to me! What's wrong with my child?!"