Okay, kids. We have skipped ahead a few weeks in the story. Maureen is 13 weeks pregnant (11 weeks since the in vitro).

In this chapter there are some fun hidden references. I'll give a huge shout out to anyone who can get them all so be on the look out. Hint: Do your Idina Menzel homework!

By the way, for those of you who didn't get the Nathan Arson thing...try adding a "JO" to the first name and an "L" to the last. Get it now? I thought so.

Anywho, enjoy!

Chapter 25

"Baby, we're supposed to meet Nathan in half an hour. We need to get going," Joanne called back from the kitchen to the bedroom where Maureen was getting dressed.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'," Maureen huffed, hopping into the kitchen on one leg trying to jam her foot into her white canvas slip-ons.

"Sweetie, didn't you wear those pants yesterday? And the day before?" Joanne asked, looking Maureen up and down and noticing her denim overalls.

"Shut up," Maureen said, hanging her head a little in embarrassment. "They're the only jeans that don't make me feel like I'm being cut in half."

"Well, baby, maybe it's time you thought about-"

"AAH! Don't even say it!" Maureen said cutting Joanne off as she stomped her foot on the hard wood floor, finally able to slide her heel into her stubborn shoe. "I am not getting maternity clothes! I will not make myself look like a circus tent! I just won't! It's not going to happen."

"And just what do you plan on doing for the next 6 months? Eventually these bad boys are start getting tight too," Joanne said, tugging on the straps of Maureen's overalls that were already starting to get a little snug around her belly.

"I'll live in sweat pants," Maureen shot back.

"For six months? Baby, that's a long time to be wearing nothing but sweat pants."

"I dunno. We'll figure something out! I don't feel like talking about it right now. Plus, like you said, we need to get going. Meeting Nathan in half an hour," she said in a sing-songy voice, tapping her watch and grabbing her purse. "We don't wanna be late."

Joanne rolled her eyes.

It was now early September and Maureen was in her second trimester. They had already been back for their second appointment with Kate and things were still looking good. The baby was even more cooperative this time. Kate was able to find the heartbeat right away and had estimated the baby's due date at March 4.

Maureen's morning/afternoon/evening sickness had gotten considerably better. She was getting her energy back and was starting to return to a somewhat normal routine that was, for the most part, vomit free. Her hormones had also begun to balance themselves out a little and Joanne was able to start using fabric softener in the laundry again. Though this is not to say that Maureen didn't have a swing now and then, but that had been the norm even before she was pregnant.

Over the past month they had gone with Nathan numerous times to look at houses and though they had seen many beautiful homes in fantastic neighborhoods and great school districts, none of them quite felt like home.

"So what's the story on this house?" Maureen asked as they drove out of the city, following the directions Nathan had given them.

"It's about 10 years old," Joanne began as she merged into highway traffic. "The family who lives there now has been there for about 5. They say they love it, but they have three children who are getting older and they just need more room."

"I just hope it's not tore all to hell with three kids having lived there for five years," Maureen said, flipping down the visor to keep the late-morning sun out of her eyes.

"No, actually Nathan said they have kept it in really great shape. It's three bedrooms, two and a half baths, finished basement with an office and a bar, an in-ground swimming pool and big fenced-in back yard. Just what we're looking for."

"Eh, well see," Maureen said shrugging. Maureen had let herself get excited every time they had looked at a house and ended up being disappointed every time so she decided she was going in with no expectations this time.

After a 30 minute drive from their apartment, they pulled into a cozy, yet beautiful subdivision: Amory Heights. Most of the houses were big, but not extravagantly so. They were all well kept, with neatly mowed lawns. A wide, smooth side walk outlined the road. It was your typical suburban neighborhood and though Maureen had vowed, not so many years ago, that she'd never be a suburbanite, she stared in awe of the family sitcom-like community that rolled past the passenger side window.

"Wow, nice eh?" Joanne asked, gazing out the front windshield at the suburban landscape that sprawled out in front of the Camry. "What is the address again?"

"530 Syosset Circle," Maureen said, reading from the creased piece of legal pad paper in her lap.

"I think this is it right up here….."Joanne said, pointing to a beautiful brick home on the cul-de-sac just up the street. "Yeah, there's Nathan's car. This is it." She pulled into the drive way behind Nathan's BMW.

Maureen's heart immediately leapt when she saw the house. She didn't know exactly why, but this house felt different. She looked at the house and could imagine herself and Joanne living there; raising a family there.

As they parked the car in the driveway and got out they saw Nathan coming down the walk to meet them. "Howdy," he said chipperly, extending his hand.

"Hello," Joanne replied, extending her hand to shake his. "Hope you haven't been waiting too long."

"No, no, I've only been here a few minutes. You're right on time," Nathan gushed slightly, shaking Maureen's hand as well. "The Martins have been expecting you."

"You mean the family is here?" Maureen asked, as Nathan started to make his way back down the walk and motioned for them to follow.

"Yeah. I've told them all about you." Maureen nervously swallowed hard. She had always been proud of her sexuality and of her relationship with Joanne, but she was a little nervous about how this suburban family would accept and act around the two lesbians who were looking to possibly buy their home.

However, when Nathan opened the door and ushered her and Joanne inside, Maureen's tense attitude seemed to mellow as she found genuinely happy, smiling faces looking back at her. A tall, dark headed man, probably in his mid 30's stood just inside the entrance way. Next to him stood a petite blonde woman of about the same age. The woman held a little girl of about 2 in her arms. As they stepped awkwardly inside and glanced around, Maureen also noticed two young boys playing checkers in the living room floor. She guessed them to be about 10 and 8.

"Maureen and Joanne, this is Stu and Helene Martin," Nathan said, stepping between the two pairs of people. Maureen and Joanne smiled awkwardly as they each shook Stu and Helene's hands.

"It's nice to meet you," Joanne said politely. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you," Stu said. "It's great to meet you two! Nathan has told us some wonderful things about you."

Maureen noticed the little girl in Helene's arm looking both at herself and Joanne shyly, becoming aware of the fact that she did not know the two women standing in front of her. "Hi there," Maureen said quietly, smiling sweetly at her.

"Can you say 'hi' to Maureen and Joanne, Cara?" Helene asked, bouncing the little ragamuffin girl on her hip. Cara snuggled her nose into Helene's neck, but waved shyly back.

"That's sure is a pretty name," Joanne said, tilting her head to meet the little girl's gaze. Cara smiled timidly.

"A pretty name for a pretty girl," Maureen added.

"Tell them 'thank you', Cara," Helene said, but Cara simply buried her head bashfully into her mother's shoulder.

"Boys, come here and meet Maureen and Joanne," Stu called to the boys in the living room. After finishing their last move, the boys got up and walked to where the group was standing. "These are our boys, Anthony and Adam."

"Hi," the boys answered in unison, obviously wanting to finish their checker game.

"Well, let me show you around," Helene said, leading the girls into the living room.

"Yes, please do," Joanne said, loving what she had seen of the house so far and anxious to see more.

Helene moved from room to room with Cara still on her hip, showing the girls the house and asking friendly questions like how long the two had been together and how Maureen was doing with her pregnancy. Stu followed, smiling quietly, adding tidbits about what bathroom fixtures he had replaced, what shelves he had put up, and what rooms he had painted.

As they followed Helene around the house, Maureen and Joanne fell more and more in love with the house and before the tour was even over, Maureen had her heart set on it. They would share excited looks and smiles as they moved about the house. Every once in a while, Maureen would like a breathy "wow" escape her mouth as she entered a new room. Neither one of them could put their finger on exactly what it was that made the house so beautiful and loveable, though Joanne thought it might be the comfortable, lived-in atmosphere. It just felt like home.

The tour ended in the backyard where the girls marveled at the large patio, the crystal clear, kidney bean shaped pool, and the huge oak tree that towered above them and shaded them from the blazing mid-day sun.

"Well, that's pretty much it," Helene said, using her hand to keep the sun out of her eyes. "To some it may not be much, but it's done us well for a long time."

"It's beautiful!" Joanne chimed, taking in the bright scene around her.

"Well, what do you think?" Nathan asked. He had been following behind them as well throughout the tour, but since Helene had taken over tour guide duties Nathan had remained pretty quiet. So quiet, in fact, the Maureen and Joanne had almost forgotten he was there.

Joanne glanced over at Maureen, raising her eyebrows as if to say, "Yeah, what do you think?" even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer she would get.

"I love it! When can we move in?" Maureen said jokingly, though she really wasn't joking. Everyone laughed.

"I'm thinking we'll definitely be in touch!" Joanne said confidently.

"Fantastic!" Nathan said.

"Great!" Helene said, setting Cara down in the grass.

"It was nice to have met you!" Joanne said, extending her hand to Helene and Stu once more with Maureen following suit. "Thank you so much for showing us around."

"No problem! It was nice to have met you too," Stu said.

"Hope to see you again," Helene added.

"I think you will," Joanne said as Maureen, and herself made their way to the gate that led out to the driveway. Stu held it open as they exited the yardand Helene and Cara stood in the driveway waving as Maureen and Joanne got into their car and left.

"Baby, I want that house! We have to get that house!" Maureen said as they pulled away, her face pressed up against the window as she tried to take in every detail of the house as they passed.

"I know. Me too," Joanne said, anxiously gripping the steering wheel. "I really didn't want to sound too eager, but I think I might call Nathan's office as soon as we get back to the city! I don't know what it was about that place…..it just…."

"….felt like home?" Maureen asked smiling.

"Exactly," Joanne said, nodding, "It felt like home."

TBC...