A/N: There are all my happy readers! Thanks so much for the reviews, folks. Glad to know y'all are still with me on the Zade fluff train ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 32

"I'm not saying it's her fault, Annabeth, I am simply saying, if Zoe didn't have to visit the bathroom quite so much, we might actually get to hear some more of her exciting news without dying of curiosity in the in-between time!" Lemon was explaining as Zoe returned to the living room.

"I am so sorry," she apologised, manoeuvring herself down into the armchair. "Seriously, Lemon, trust me, nobody is as sick of the stupid number of bathroom visits than me."

"Oh, you must be havin' such a hard time of it all," Annabeth sympathised. "I mean, a baby of your own, I have to admit, the idea sounds appealing as a future plan, but at this time in your life? It's all so complicated."

"You're not kidding." Zoe rolled her eyes. "But we're making it work. As I was saying, the plan is for me to go to UA and then on to medical school after that. It'll mean me and Wade being in Tuscaloosa for a large part of the year, but at least we'll have each other, right?"

"It sounds like you have things all figured out, Zoe Hart," said Lemon, taking a long sip of her iced tea. "You know, most people will tell you they never thought they would see a day when Wade Kinsella would step up to his responsibilities in such a way, or more accurately, to some other man's responsibilities," she noted, "but I knew."

"You knew?" Annabeth echoed, eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes, AB, I most certainly did. Now, I know Wade seems wild and easy in his ways with women, but ever since we were kids, he has never once been bad or vicious, just rambunctious, and hit so hard by his mother's passing, of course. I always thought someday he would rise above his upbringing and have a life as big as his heart. I believe that he deserves better than he has had to endure, and I also believe that, with you, Zoe Hart, he has found true love and can finally build that life he's supposed to have."

"Oh, Lemon," said Annabeth, waving her hand in front of her face. "That was beautiful."

"It really was," Zoe agreed, crying horribly. "Why would you be so nice like that when you know how bad my hormones are?" she asked, reaching for the box on the coffee table.

Lemon apologised as she handed her friend the tissues. Of course, she hadn't meant to cause an upset, Zoe knew that as well as anyone. Not that Lemon wasn't fully capable of cutting people down to size and reducing them to tears at a moment's notice if she wanted to be cruel, but this was all kindness and truth. She just wanted Zoe to know how glad she was that she and Wade had found each other.

"You're gonna make such a sweet family." AB smiled, even as she dabbed at her own eyes. "I can't imagine a cuter picture than you and Wade and a tiny little baby girl to raise up between you."

"Of course, I suppose you'll be waitin' until after the baby comes to have the wedding," Lemon mused then, taking another sip of her tea. "I don't suppose anybody will say too much about that. After all, both those that believe Wade is the baby's father and those that think otherwise seem to be very accepting of the whole unconventional situation."

Zoe had been taking a drink from her own glass then and suddenly started choking right around the word 'wedding' being spoken. Annabeth tried to aid and comfort her until she got her breath back and stared wide-eyed at Lemon.

"Hold on a second, nobody said wedding," she told her definitely. "I mean, me and Wade, we plan to live together and raise this baby, but nobody ever, ever said anything about getting married."

"Well, my dear Zoe." Lemon shook her head, a burst of incredulous laughter escaping her lips. "You don't really intend to build a life like this without the foundation of a good solid marriage contract?"

"Uh, yeah, I do," her friend told her easily. "I am twenty years old, Lemon, with a baby on the way and a career to build. Not to mention a father I never even knew existed a year ago, and basically a whole new life I was not expecting," she listed off easily. "I am so not in a place where I would even think about getting married. Frankly, I'm not sure if I ever will be."

"Oh, Zoe!" Annabeth gasped. "You don't mean that. Marriage is a fine institution."

"And as the old saying goes, 'Who wants to live in an institution?'" said Zoe without pause. "I saw my parents... my mom and Ethan's marriage fall apart, not to mention so many of Mom's friends' marriages and my friends' parents' marriages. Come on, Lemon, even your parents."

Immediately the words were spoken, Zoe regretted them as she watched her friend's face fall. She hadn't meant to do that, but what she said was true enough. So many marriages ended in divorce, there was no way she planned on being just another sad statistic.

A knock on the door caught the attention of all three girls then.

"Well, no doubt that will be George Tucker, come to pick me up for our date," said Lemon, rising from the sofa. "I'll leave you two ladies to continue your very interesting discussions," she said, forcing a smile as she turned to leave.

"Lemon, I didn't-"

"It's quite alright, Zoe Hart," Lemon assured her. "Really, what did you say that wasn't true? Now, you take care of yourself and that little one," she said, coming back into the room to lean over Zoe and give her a brief hug and air-kisses. "I'll see you again before break is over, I'm sure."

The next moment she was gone and Zoe heaved a sigh. "I really didn't mean to upset her."

"She'll get over it," Annabeth assured her. "An afternoon with George Tucker will perk her spirits right up, if you know what I mean," she said with a wink.

Zoe laughed a little too loudly then covered her mouth with her hand. "AB, you would never have said that in front of Lemon."

"You're right, I prob'ly wouldn't," she confessed, giggling herself. "Honestly, the way she goes on sometimes, you would think she hardly even kissed a boy, but I know the kinds of things she and George get up to. Comes from being around her when she's a little tipsy and confessional."

"Well, you can't try that with me, AB," Zoe reminded her. "I wasn't much of a drinker before the pregnancy and now alcohol is completely off limits for at least another couple of months."

"That mean I'm not gettin' any juicy details about you and Wade Kinsella?" her friend asked, nudging her with her elbow. "Come on now, I just gotta know if he's as good as he thinks he is in the bedroom."

"AB!" Zoe gasped, trying to look scandalised, but honestly, she couldn't help but laugh some more. "What Wade and I do in the bedroom is nobody's business but ours. Besides, most of the time, there's not exactly a lot of sexy or romantic stories to share anyway. Not for as long as I'm this big," she said, her arms cradling her enlarged midsection. "You know I have to lay curled up on my side with a pillow between my legs and another one under the bump just so I can sleep at night? Not sexy."

"Aww, honey," AB sympathised, giving her a sideways hug. "So, you and Wade don't...?" she asked, trying to look innocent apparently, despite the question she was asking.

Zoe bit her lip, then lowered her voice when she finally answered. "Well, I didn't say we never did anything..."


"Oh my gosh, Zoe, I am just so happy for you!" Katie enthused, hugging her friend one more time. "I'm just a little bummed that Wade isn't around for my visit."

"I promise you will see him before you head home," Zoe assured her, even as she struggled to lever herself out of the chair to see her friend out. "You're okay at the Whippoorwill, right? I mean, if I'd known you were coming, you probably could've stayed here at the house but-"

"Zoe, it's fine, I swear," said Katie without pause. "That place is adorable and it's only for one night. I'm pretty sure the guy in charge even gave me a discount because I'm a friend of yours."

"Dash isn't usually that generous," Zoe said thoughtfully. "I have a bad feeling he's going to pump you for information about me later. Did I mention he writes for the Bluebell Blawker? He really loves his gossip."

"I promise not to tell him anything incriminating," Katie swore, crossing her heart as she said it. "How about your future plans? Are they a secret too?"

"Not exactly, although I would appreciate not having that end up in the town blog either, so..."

"Consider these lips sealed," said Katie, making a motion that drew a zip shut across her mouth. "Unless Wade happens to have a twin brother, then I make no promises about my lips at all," she said with a giggle.

"No twin, sorry. He has some interesting friends, but do you really want to date a guy named Meatball?"

Katie's eyes widened at the sound of that, but she didn't get a chance to make a comment. As Zoe opened the door to let her friend leave, they found that Harley was right there on the doorstep, intending to come in.

"Well, hello, there," he said, smiling kindly at Zoe's friend. "You must be Katie. I do hope you won't leave on my account."

"No, sir," she told him politely. "But Zoe is getting tired and I'm pretty sure I have to be in the bed and breakfast before too much longer or they might just lock me out."

"I don't really think Dash would do such a thing," said Harley even as he moved to let Katie out of the house and then stepped inside himself. "Still, I do see what you mean about our girl here. Sweetheart, you look like you've done far too much today," he advised Zoe as she yawned.

"I swear I haven't done so much. Mostly just talking to visitors. It's been fun," she said with a smile, "but I never knew just sitting and talking could make me so tired."

"Aww, get some rest, Zoe," Katie advised. "I'll catch up with you tomorrow," she promised, waving as she finally left.

Zoe waved back then leaned heavily on Harley, his arm going around her as he kissed the top of her head.

"Please tell me I won't always feel this tired."

"I promise you'll get through it, honey, but Katie is right, you should get some rest right now."

She sighed heavily, moving to schlump off in the direction of the couch, as Harley closed the door and put his bag and hat aside before joining her.

"You're right, I should get an early night," she admitted, "but I really don't want to need so much sleep. With Wade working so much and me falling asleep so early, we've hardly seen each other the last few days. I can't even remember the last time I got to the Rammer Jammer when he was there. It is not good."

"Well, Zoe, that is something I was hoping to talk to you about... in a roundabout way," Harley started to say. "You know, after you told me about your plans to go to UA and all, and you and Wade agreed to be living together over in Tuscaloosa..."

"Oh, Harley," said Zoe, hands going to her face. "I'm so sorry."

That seemed to cause him some confusion as he frowned at her. "You're sorry?"

"Yes. I just... Well, with the pregnancy and everything, and how things were with you and my mom, I didn't think... I mean, you've been so understanding, it never occurred to me that you'd think it was wrong."

"Wrong?" Harley echoed, a light seeming to dawn then as he suddenly shook his head. "Oh, Zoe, sweetheart, no. I'm not judging your choices. I understand the world is a different place to what it was when I was young, and in any case, as you rightly said, myself and Candice... well, it was hardly in-keeping with old-fashioned values."

"Okay." Zoe sighed with releif. "Well, that's good. I mean, that you're not saying you don't approve."

"I very much approve of the relationship between you and Wade, honey, as you oughta know by now," her father assured her. "I believe you have something real special between you and that you can build a wonderful future together, along with your daughter," he said with a smile. "What I was wondering about were those times when you're not in Tuscaloosa. When you come home for holidays and such, I'm wondering how it's going to be having Wade livin' with his daddy and you livin' here. Gonna be a might strange after you two being together as a couple all the time when you're away."

"Huh." Zoe frowned. "You know I hadn't really thought about that."

"Well, I have, and I think I've come up with a solution that might make things a little easier, and in all kinds of ways" said Harley with a smile. "You know, we have a couple of spare bedrooms upstairs. They need a little work, but one could easily be a nursery for the little one, and another could be converted for Earl."

"Earl?" said Zoe, shaking her head. "You want Earl to move in here?"

"I was thinkin' both him and Wade could find a place here, if that was what they wanted. Moreover, if it's what you wanted, sweetheart," Harley explained. "Not only would it allow you and Wade to be together as much as you wanted, it'd ensure Earl had somebody to watch over him while you're gone. I know he's doin' pretty well staying sober, but I also know how tough that kind of thing can be as time passes."

"And if he and Wade lived with us, they wouldn't have so many expenses," Zoe realised aloud. "Plus, if Wade is coming home to this house every time he finishes a shift, I might actually get to see him once in a while."

"That is another fine notion," said Harley with a chuckle in his voice. "So, you like the idea, Zoe?"

With tears in her eyes, she nodded her head firmly and smiled wide. "I love the idea. Thank you, Harley. Thank you so much."

To Be Continued...