Sorry for the delay...but I've tried to log in the last three days without any luck.... darn connection.... LOL...but better late than no update at all!!!!!!!!! Thanks for reading and here's the next chappy...

PART 19

1.5 months later

"Where should we head to next?" Vaughn pulled at his wife's hand, dragging her from one store into the other one in the big mall that they had driven to once they had dropped off the kids at school and then had gone to have a large breakfast.

Sydney was slowly getting irritated of her husband's enthusiastic rythm. Her back was sore, her feet swollen and she didn't even want to think about the head ache that was currently making itself felt. So she just decided to set her mind free, as if nothing was wrong with her and just let her husband enjoy the time doing baby shopping with his 8 months pregnant wife.

Tiredly Sydney glimpsed at the note that she was holding a firm grip on in her left hand "Michael, could we please stop for a while?" as she realised all the things they still needed to buy.

Two weeks ago they'd had kind of baby shower party. Once the twins were old enough they had given all of their stuff away to other people who needed it more than they had back then... Now they needed everything new, as if it was their first born. New baby clothes, which they had plenty off by now. It was even covered up until it would be 2 years old!!!! The last things they needed were definitely the usual stuff; diapers, pacifier, bottles,... etc. It was getting just too much for Sydney.

Her cry thus was not a question, but an order she emitted a little bit too loud. Some people close by turned around wondering what was wrong with the couple. They especially gave Vaughn a stern look as if he had done something wrong.

Immediately concerned he asked "Hm, Syd, are you ok? You sound a little bit down here...."

"A little bit down? VAUGHN!" oh no.... she was calling him by their family name, that wasn't a good sign at all he thought "You've been dragging me along for two hours now, non stop! I'm pregnant for Christ sake!" she burst out, while more people stopped staring at them.

"But Syd, if you aren't feeling fine we stop and I can do the rest, next week." He pulled her over to the next best bench so she could sit down. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"First off, I thought that you might get it by yourself, that a husband is not supposed to burden his pregnant wife along a big shopping mall for hours and second NEXT WEEK? Michael, you've been gone now every week on a mission. If you wouldn't have skipped work today, begging Devlin to get at least one day off, we would have never been here at first place!"

She was definitely mad at him, for what reason exactly he didn't know. Sure enough since last month he was hardly ever home for the weekend. He'd missed on Collin and Timmy's spelling contest, as well as Alex, Oliver and Collin's last hockey game. It was a real shame on him, but he also thought that Sydney would know better than this. It was his job after all... And what should he do besides that? Quit? How was that supposed to happen with a fifth baby on its way. Jobless was definitely not something they needed right now.

"Why are we even fighting here?"

"I don't know Vaughn, I think it's better if you leave me alone for awhile"

Vaughn didn't know what to say. He knew it was useless right now to get to talk to his wife. He was also well aware that all he could do best is leave her this way, even if he didn't want to, she needed her own space now.

He thus simply nodded his head in understanding as they sat silent next to each other for awhile letting the last occurent sink in.

"Give me a call when you're ready for me to pick you up again" he looked at her, hoping she would change her mind but she only looked straight forward not even taking in her surroundings. Vaughn grabbed the stuffed bags from the bench, bend over her head to give her one last kiss.

His eyes met with her emotionless eyes. He knew she wasn't far away from crying so he kissed her lips and cupped her cheek with his right hand one last time, whispering a soft "I love you" before walking away.

Once he was out of sight and Sydney was sure he wasn't going to return upon her, she grabbed her cell and dialed her so familiar number.

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yeah! We had a fight and now I'm sitting here, whimpering like a baby..." Sydney sobbed into her best friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry about troubling you with this"

"Hey it's ok... you'll sort it out anyway no matter what ok?" Francie soothed her in return, one of her arms wrapped around Sydney's shoulder holding her tight, comforting her at the same.

"I have no clue how this all ended up!... I'm just not feeling well right now and Michael isn't much of a big help recently. He hasn't been around much either. I know it's because of his job and I know he loves and needs to do what he does. But still, everything seems to be upside down right now in my life"

"I can understand that Sydney, you're pregnant and the absence of your husband is kind of a loss. You have 4 big children to take care of while he is busy at work and a baby coming very soon. Sure as hell this is weighing on you Syd but I'm sure that Michael is doing all he can to support you."

"Oh God! What did I do?" Sydney exclaimed as she finally realised that Francie was reminding her of the sweetness of her husband. She hid her face in her hands while they talked, sitting at Starbuck's sipping on a Caramel Macchiato.

"Hey Syd! Look at me and listen to me. I'm sure Michael is at home with the boys, waiting for your phone call. He's anxious to know what happened today too. As soon as you're together again in the same room, you'll throw into each other's arm as to never let go ever again."

Francie tried to capture Sydney's eyes with hers. When they did Sydney could only smile. Her friend knew her, no them, so well and she was right.

"Well that's already a good start. Seeing you smile...So what do you think that we go back to that husband of yours huh? I could drop you off?"

Sydney wiped the tears out of her puffy face with the back of her hands, nodding. Francie thus supported Sydney onto her feet and they were both heading to the car.