The morning after they returned to Arlen, Boomhauer stood happily in the alley, not even bothering to suppress his smile.

"You're looking much better today, Boomhauer," Hank noticed.

"Did you get her back?" asked Bill.

"Yep."

Dale cheered, "Hooray!" and raised his beer high in the air.

"Peggy saw her today, and she said Leah looked awfully happy. I'm glad you two got things worked out."

"Thanks, Hank. And thank you, Bill, for uh, motivating me."

Bill patted him on the back.

"You'd do the same for me. Hell, you have done the same for me."

Boomhauer was incredibly relieved to have Leah back in his life. Even though she was only gone for a couple of days, it felt like a painful eternity. He never wanted to go through that again, and he never wanted to put her through that again, either.

As the weeks went by, he doted on her, more than he always did. She had begun feeling very nauseous and fatigued from morning sickness, and he did everything he could to comfort her and care for her.

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," she sighed. She had just gotten done throwing up after a dizzying bout of nausea, as she had done every day for the past week.

"Like what? All I see is the beautiful mother of my child."

That brought a small smile to her face before she collapsed in an exhausted heap onto the couch.

She was beginning to wonder if she would ever feel normal again. She couldn't run, she couldn't do Tai Chi or yoga, everything was too tiring and she felt too ill. But, only a couple of weeks to go, and apparently the morning sickness would drop off. She wished she could sleep until then.

They were still waiting to tell everyone the news. Neither of them were in any rush. Leah suspected her co-workers might have had some idea, as she was having rough mornings every day at work, but they didn't mention it to her.

Boomhauer was still nervous about the entire thing. It was almost absurd to imagine that he was going to be a father in the spring. That was only a few months away. He wasn't ready, not at all, but he was trying. He was trying for Leah. If it were anyone else...absolutely not.

But she was worth it, as difficult as it was…

Finally Leah reached her second trimester, and was beginning to feel much better. Her energy was back, and she was able to run again. She was feeling rusty, but hoped to reach her old stamina in due time.

One evening they sat together after work, discussing their days over dinner.

"I was thinking," she began, "We should announce it in some big way. Maybe have a party and tell them all at once."

"Alright."

"Did you want to do something else?"

"No, that's fine."

She gave him a discouraged look.

"I want you to be part of this too."

"I am part of it. I liked your idea, so I agreed to it."

She sighed.

"Alright. But it's your baby too, you know."

"I know."

"So it's okay to be interested in things regarding the baby."

"Leah, I am interested."

She shrugged and looked morosely down at her plate. "You still don't act like it."

He knew that to be true, because he wasn't entirely interested. He was still more nervous than anything else. But he didn't want her to be upset, or to feel like he wasn't fully present.

"How do you want me to act?" he asked, genuinely wanting to change.

"Like I haven't handed you a death sentence."

He didn't feel as though he treated the situation that badly, but must be he did. He resolved to try and act a little more positive… if that was even possible.

The following weekend, Leah arranged a typical pool party with food and friends. She invited all of the neighbors to the party, including Luanne and her family, and, of course, Mia. She was excited to announce the news to everyone, and was looking forward to everybody's reactions.

She told her family a few days beforehand, and Boomhauer told his. His mother screamed and started sobbing, causing his father to wrench the phone from her hand and ask who died.

"No one. Just… having a baby," mumbled Boomhauer.

He could hear his mother crying "I'm so happy!" in the background.

When the day of the pool party came, Mia came over to Leah's house to help her set things up. They both wore short, flowy cover ups over their swimsuits, and their hair was pulled up off from their shoulders.

"I bought this little kiddie pool for Gracie," Leah showed Mia. She put it under the shade of a tree and filled it with fresh water.

Mia helped her bring out tables and chairs and fill a cooler with ice.

"Hank is bringing the grill," Leah said. "I'm glad he likes grilling so much. I'm hardly asking a favor of him when I put him on grill duty."

Mia stood at the pools edge, watching as the clear water glittered under the sun. "I can't wait to swim!"

"Me too. It's going to be so much fun!"

Leah thought about the big announcement she would be making later. Her stomach fluttered with both excitement and nerves. She was excited to share her news with everybody, but also a little nervous about how Boomhauer was still feeling about it all. He was making a true effort to be supportive, but she could tell he still wasn't fully invested in the actual baby itself…

"Mia, you're my best friend."

Mia looked surprised at that, but soon her face broke into a smile.

"You're mine, too."

Leah was happy to hear that. She was so thankful Mia had come into her life, bringing in laughter and harmony.

"I'm going to be sharing some big news at the party today, but because you're my best friend, I wanted to tell you first."

Mia nodded for her to go on.

"I'm pregnant!"

And, as a true friend would, Mia jumped up with joy and cheered in delight.

"That's great! Are you excited?"

"I am, and as time goes on I'm getting more excited. But Jeffrey, well… He never wanted kids. I fucked up my birth control and then this happened. He's still getting used to it, but he's not, you know… happy about it."

Leah looked distantly out across the gentle waves.

Mia tried to comfort her. "Well, it's a lot to take in. It's a big adjustment. I think some men take longer to be happy about it because they're not the ones experiencing it."

"That's true."

"Don't worry. I know he'll come around. Especially after the baby comes, and then he can actually see it and hold it."

That thought reassured Leah better than anything else had by that point.

"Thank you. You're right," she smiled.

Everybody soon began arriving. Most of them wore swimsuits and carried towels under their arms.

Boomhauer walked in. He immediately went straight to Leah and kissed her right there in front of everyone. She really appreciated how unafraid he was to show affection to her in public, especially now more than ever.

"Glad you could make it," she joked.

"I'd never miss a chance to see you in a bikini."

Leah looked at him suggestively, and he pulled her closer by her waist. She giggled when he began whispering in her ear, but pushed him away when Peggy and Luanne, who was holding Gracie, came over to talk to her. Mia broke away from Bill and went to visit with them, too.

Hank had followed in with his grill and began setting it up on Leah's patio. Boomhauer, Dale, and Bill joined him, and they all broke into the cooler of Alamo beer.

"Yep."

Boomhauer heard Bill groan under his breath. He turned to see what the trouble was, only to look at the entrance of both Octavio and John fucking Redcorn. Why has he been sniffing around Rainey Street so often lately?

"Dale," grumbled Bill, his glare pointed dead on Octavio, "Why the hell is he here?"

"He and I have a promising business venture to discuss."

"And John Redcorn?" Boomhauer asked, annoyed.

Dale shrugged. "He's my friend."

"It's not your party to invite people to," Bill pointed out.

"Oh, Leah doesn't mind." He raised his voice and called, "Do you, Leah?"

Across the yard, she turned away from Peggy and Luanne, and began walking with Mia over to Dale and the others.

Before they could reach the guys, however, John Redcorn slid in front of them.

"Leah," he addressed, gracefully and respectably, "I hope you don't mind I'm here. Dale invited me, and he said you wouldn't mind."

A gruff voice chimed in. "Yeah, Dale invited me too."

Octavio came over to them, and stood a little too close to Mia for Bill's liking.

"The more the merrier," Leah smiled, "But you have to swim!"

"I plan to," John Redcorn nodded seriously.

Octavio was offering Mia a joint before Bill intervened.

"Come on, Mia," Bill muttered, and led her away elsewhere. Octavio looked steadily behind them.

Leah swept away to greet the rest of her guests, while Boomhauer kept a watchful eye on John Redcorn.

Boomhauer wasn't a jealous person, really… but considering John Redcorn had tried dating Leah in the past, and the fact that he had no qualms against pursuing taken women… well, it couldn't hurt to be careful.

Leah and Mia ended back over to where Luanne and Gracie were playing. Leah looked like a natural when it came to Gracie. She seemed to know exactly how to interact with her, even getting her to laugh and clap her hands. Boomhauer liked the sight of it… the sight of Leah being a mother.

He wasn't sure how he could ever be a father. He couldn't picture himself holding a baby, or doing the right things to make one laugh. He couldn't picture a baby in his life at all, it was still too irrational of a thought.

Hank called them all to eat, and Boomhauer's stomach dropped. Leah was going to tell everybody soon.

When he and Leah went to make their plates, she bumped playfully against him, and grinned up at him with sparkling, hopeful eyes. It was an exciting day for her...if only he could share her feelings. He mostly felt a sense of dread where any excitement should be.

Everyone sat down at the picnic tables and Hank said grace. He gave thanks for neighbors, family, and togetherness, and before finishing he added "thank you for the propane that helped facilitate these incredible burgers."

Once Hank was done, Leah stood at the head of the table and brightly looked out at them all.

"Boomhauer and I have something we'd like to announce!"

She looked at him expectantly, so he stood up beside her, and tried his best to look contented.

"We are both very excited to have all of our friends and neighbors here today. When I moved here over a year ago, I didn't know anybody, I didn't have anybody. But right away you all stepped up to welcome me and be there for me. Even though my family are all in a different state, I still have you all as my Texas family, and I'm so thankful for that. That's why we're both very excited to share some news with you all...we're having a baby!"

The entire yard was silent. Leah was beaming as the news began sinking in. Suddenly, everyone began cheering.

"Oh, Leah, that's wonderful!" Peggy clapped.

Nancy leapt up and threw her arms around Leah while Minh whooped in delight.

"Well, all right," Hank grinned.

Bill looked surprised, yet pleased. "Congratulations!"

"I'm so happy for you!" Mia smiled.

"Having a baby is so much fun!" squealed Luanne. "Well, not having a baby, but the part that comes after. The motherhood part."

Dale's voice carried over the excited murmurs and congratulations. "I can't believe you impregnated somebody!"

John Redcorn looked firmly at Leah, but didn't say anything.

After the commotion began to subside, Leah spoke again. "Thank you, everyone! Now let's eat!"