(6 years later. Still Trudy.)

I am now 19. I live in a boarding house called Anubis. There's a man who lives here and he only looks about twenty years older than me. If I was his age, we'd be married by now. I've lived here for a year already.

Maybe if I was married to him, he'd stop talking to the raven he keeps on his desk. He calls it Corbiere. I don't really like birds, they scare me. But this one's dead and grossly perfect in preservation.

There was a sharp knock at the door.

"Trudy, answer the door!" Victor called down to me. Of course.

I answered the door and a tiny boy with a mop of dark blonde hair and big blue eyes looked up at me. Honestly, he was tiny.

"Hello, sweetheart. Are you lost?" I looked at this small boy. I knew we were supposed to be getting a child here, but I was at least expecting an 11 or 12 year old.

"This where mummy told me go." The child was so small.

"Is your name Jerome Clarke, my lovely?" I inquired, hoping he was. I'd love to keep this child.

"Yes, miss." He looked over his shoulder, as if hoping his mum would pick him up and give him a hug, but there was nobody else here.

"How old are you, darling?" I felt an electrical pull to this beautiful child.

"I five, miss." Oh, goodness, how could any mother leave such a beautiful and intelligent child with complete strangers?

"Come inside, darling. Are you OK?"

"Yes, miss." His clothes were dirty.

"Are those clothes sore on you?" I looked at them.

"They hard, Miss. I never have new clothes." He looked at me. That did it. This was my new son and I was going to give him everything that so-called mother of his hadn't.

I took him to my bedroom and took those horrible, tasteless clothes off him and put him in a warm bath.

"I'm just going to bin these. I have some other ones somewhere for you, brand new."

I cut up some of the soft blue velvet I had and made the shape of some new trousers and a shirt. Then I used my sewing machine to sew them up. I had some grey boys' pants, so I put them with his new clothes. Then I went to wash his hair.

When I'd made sure he was clean and smelled like soap and shampoo not stale bedding and filthy clothes, I got my huge fluffy purple towel and wrapped him up in it. He was only tiny and the towel went around his skinny little body about thirty times.

I drained all the brown bath water and dried the poor boy off. I loved him already. He was my child. I showed him the new clothes.

"Here, sweetheart. I know they're probably not fabulous, but I'm going to take you to the shops when I've dressed you and we'll get you a lot of clothes and things such like, OK?"

"Yes, miss." I put the new things on him, knowing his measurements exactly.

That blue velvet went beautifully with those eyes. I blow dried his hair and fluffed it with the towel, then brushed through it. Then I took him to Victor. I knew we needed a child around and Victor would melt for this child.

I knocked. "Victor, there's something you need to see. Now."

"OK, bring it in."

I opened the door and let Jerome in.

"Ta-da! Here he is. This sweet little boy is Jerome Clarke."

Victor took one look at him, and smiled.

"Oh. Trudy, did you do this? The new clothes?"

I blushed. Yeah, I had, but I didn't want to say it. Jerome spoke up.

"Yes, miss did. She made these. She very clever."

I went even pinker. I'm clever? Wow. I wasn't expecting that at all...

"Yes, Trudy is very clever. She always was. You're very lucky that she's taken to you in such a fashion. She's going act as your mother."

Jerome looked worriedly at me.

"She won't hurt me, will she?"

Victor looked at me. I was as blank as he was.

"Did your mum hurt you, sweetheart?" I looked at him.

"Yes, miss. She gave me slaps to wake me up. If I didn't I wasn't fed for a day."

Victor and I exchanged horrified glances. This sweet child was hurt? Oh, that is it. I'm not allowing that. I gave the sweetheart a hug.

"OK, well. I'll be a new mum to you. This time, you'll have whatever you like. No smacks, you'll have cuddles."

With that, Jerome seemed to relax a bit. Victor seemed to enjoy the sweet boy's company as much as I did. He had compassion for the boy. I didn't blame him. I loved this child.

(That Night.)

I was just going to sleep when I heard soft tapping on my door. I opened it up and saw little Jerome.

"I sorry to bother you, miss. I lonely and scared." He looked nervous, as if I was going to hurt him. I bent down and lifted him up.

"You are coming in here, sweetheart. You can spend the night with Mummy." He pressed his sweet face onto my shoulder. I climbed into bed, holding him close. He seemed to enjoy snuggling up, warm in his new pyjamas.

I was so proud of having a little child needing me like this. He settled down, his head against my chest and his eyes closed.

(Next morning.)

I woke up with Jerome cuddling me, snuggled up as he slept. He honestly looked like a baby angel. He seemed to enjoy using me as a pillow. I had new clothes and pants for him, but I still had to take the poor baby shopping.

While I made breakfast, Jerome sat on the counter and watched. Victor wasn't even awake yet. I knew that it was a little bit crazy. When he did come down, we had our breakfast.

"So what is this little one going to do for clothes, Trudy?" Victor questioned.

"I'm taking him to the shops today, if that's all right?"

"That's fine. The boy needs his clothes." Victor seemed to enjoy having this little boy here too, which really made me happy.

"Do you want come to sops too sir?" Little Jerome asked.

"If Miss Trudy here agrees, then yes."

(Vera.)

I miss Gertrude. Trust her to vanish. By now, she's probably on the streets and pregnant because of some weirdo she met in some freak show of a club. She's never been so sensible she stays outta trouble.

My sister Jasmine's pregnant, but she's not so well. The doctors think she'll die when the baby's born. Damien moved out to live with his girlfriend. I'm living with Mum and Minnie now. I wish I knew where Trude was...

(Trudy.)

We all went to the shops when we were done eating. Luckily we were all dressed. That's when I realised something awful.

I was late this month! I'd never been late a day! Of course, Victor and I had been together for a while before Jerome came...

Oh-oh. If I'm where I think I am... then... HOW AM I GOING TO TELL VICTOR?! Oh, no...

"Trudy, are you OK?" Victor was worried.

"Mummy? Is you OK?" Little Jerome worried too.

"Mm, I'm fine..." I was thinking very deeply. Well, to be fair, I think I might be pregnant with Victor's baby. I do have rights to think.

Victor gave me a quick hug. "Trudy, my dear, I know that look. What's the matter?"

"It's not a lot, I'm just late. You know what I mean."

"Aren't some women just late? It's no big deal?" He was confused.

"I've never been late in my life. It's like my body's always been its own personal clock and calendar."

"Aw. Maybe you've just been late once. You'll be fine, my dear." He tried to reassure me.

"I hope so." Jerome tried to get me to pick him up. So I did.

I carried him to the store. Victor held onto me gently. In the store, I turned and let Victor take Jerome.

"OK, sweeties. You go choose some clothes, I'll get the groceries, then I'll meet you at the clothing department."

"Mummy come too, please?" Jerome touched my neck.

"I have to get groceries, baby. You be good for Daddy, then I'll come back when I have what we need. OK?"

"Yes, Mummy."

I went and started the grocery shopping. I had to buy a pregnancy test, I was terrified. Once I'd finished, I paid and went to the boys. They had a whole trolley full of clothes. I went and chose a new blue dress and some jeans and shirts.

Then I went back to the boys and stood with them. Luckily for me, Jerome needed the loo.

"Mummy, need to potty." He tugged my arm.

"Victor, sweetheart, I have to take Jerome to the loo. Would you wait for us?"

"Of course, my dear." A quick kiss to my cheek, then I took my little boy to the toilets. I told him to stay in the cubicle until I went for him.

In the cubicle, I did the test. It came out...

Positive.

Uh-oh. He is going to hate me forever. I washed my hands, then I got Jerome. He had to wash his hands and I took him back to Victor when he had.

"Hello, Trudy, Jerome. Trudy, are you alright?" He must be able to see how I feel.

"Mm. I'm feeling fabulous." I muttered, but of course I'm not. I'm pregnant. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

Victor knew I wasn't feeling fabulous. Anyone did. Even little Jerome noticed.

That night, as Jerome slept in my bed, Victor came to talk.

"Trudy, what's the matter? You've been very quiet today. You've barely spoken."

I knew he deserved to know. I looked at the sweet little boy cuddled down under my red velvet duvet, the lamp casting a romantic glow that bounced red off the walls and dark red carpet.

"Victor, you're going to hate this and me into the bargain."

He gave me a kiss to my cheek.

"No, that isn't true. Tell me what's wrong, Trudy."

I went dark red. "Victor, I'm... pregnant. I found out earlier today. That's why I'm late. I'm going to have our baby."

Victor looked at me in shock.

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There we are. Another chapter and a little Jerome. Review if you enjoyed, PM me if you have any ideas. Until next update, Random Dizzy. :D