Yes, Lucy is going to be a multi-chapter! Enjoy this chapter, yeah? :)

"Dude, I am so glad you two worked everything out. I got kind of scared for a second there. I thought you two were going to break up for good. You make a fantastic couple and it'd be a shame to lose it! Amber almost died when she found out about the divorce. You're lucky, she was going to create a serenade sort of thing and try to get you two back together." Alfie grinned at his best friend from across the table.

He, Jerome, Eddie, Fabian, and Mick all sat around Eddie's kitchen table. It was their monthly guy's night in. The girls went out while they stayed at home. It had been an arrangement that their wives had made for them when they first moved back to Liverpool to be together again. They decided that living in the same neighborhood, on the same street, across from each other's houses, would be a great idea. And it had turned to be one of their best ideas. They were even closer than they ever were in school. They were a family; one big, happy family.

"Yeah, Patricia was pretty upset about it, too." Eddie spoke up, boredly shuffling a deck of playing cards.

They had planned to play a few rounds of poker, but Jerome had promised Mara he wouldn't risk any money on 'such a pointless game'. Jerome rarely lost the games but he swore he wouldn't play. When he had told his friends so, it resulted in all four of them, pulling out their cell phones and activating a whip sound effect from an app, causing Jerome to roll his eyes at the thing that had backfired on him.

"Trixie was upset about Mara and I almost breaking up? Hmm, interesting. I think that would qualify as blackmailing material." Jerome mumbled, taking out his phone and typing down the information on a memo pad.

"Yesterday, I came home to Joy sitting on the couch, sobbing into a tub of chocolate ice cream, watching some stupid teen pregnancy show, where one of the main characters lost their newborn baby." Mick rolled his blue eyes at Hollywood's idea of entertainment.

"Are you sure she wasn't just crying about the show?" Fabian asked, sipping from his glass of water, careful not to accidently pick up one of the four beers that were on the table. He was never one for drinking.

"Yes, she kept wailing, 'Why? Why? Why did it have to happen? They made a perfect couple! Lucy should have brought them together, instead of push them away from each other!'" Mick cried in a high-pitched voice, arms flailing about wildly.

His friends chuckled at him before everything fell into another comfortable silence.

"But I think that's true. Mara and I are a lot closer than we were before. We know each other better, we're even more comfortable to talk than before, and I possibly even love her even more than I did before." Jerome sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair.

"It makes sense; it takes a strong couple to get through something so tough." Fabian stated with a smile. He looked down at his phone as it beeped, signaling a new text message. "I need to go; Nina wants me to pick up the kids." He sighed, standing, and walking to the door.

The others held up their phones and activated the whipping sound, which caused them to laugh and a light blush tint Fabian's cheeks.

"Shut up…" he muttered and left the house.

Eddie stood. "I need to head out too. Patricia's been really moody lately; it's kinda scaring me.

"Maybe she's pregnant." Alfie suggested with a wink.

"Hahahaha," the blonde froze for a moment when the thought finally sunk in. "Great. Another nine months of pure torture."

"Hahahaha." Jerome teased, a mischievous glint swimming in his blue orbs.

"Hey, don't make fun; remember when she was giving birth to Lacey? She broke my arm during labor."

"Oh, yeah," Jerome grinned. "That was actually really funny."

"And painful. Later." he saluted and downed the rest of his beer.

"Woah, calm down, mate, you sure you'll be able to walk back to your house?" Mick grinned. "I'll escort you."

"Dude, I'm fine," the American chuckled but let the shorter blonde follow him out of the house.

"And then there were two." Jerome mumbled and sipped his beer.

Alfie turned to his best friend and grinned. "So, if Mara does get pregnant, and if it's a boy, what are you going to name him?"

Jerome raised an eyebrow at his dark-skinned friend and chuckled. "I don't know, Mara's not pregnant, or else she would have told me, and we always agree on the name."

"But a suggestion," Alfie prompted.

"Matthew," Jerome said after a minute.

"And a girl…?"

Jerome's heart wrenched. He had never really thought about that. If they did have another girl what would they name her? Could they really have another girl and love her as much as Lucy? Jerome suspected that they could, but he wasn't sure. How would Mara feel about having another girl?

"Jerome, you alright, you kinda zoned out." Alfie asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Alfie apologized softly, slouching in his seat awkwardly.

"Alfie, what if Mara and I just can't have kids? Or at least living kids. Do you think it's possible that we'll never have a child of our own, and we'll have to adopt? I won't be able to handle that. I want Mara to be happy, and she wants a baby—"

"Just, as much as you do."

"Yes, but could it have anything to do with me—"

"Alright, you need to get that out of your head, and don't you dare suggest divorcing Mara and letting her go to someone that can give her a family. And don't say you've never thought about that, because I know you do. Dude, you and Mara both want kids, and if you can't have them together, you'd go for adoption. You want to have a family together no matter what. Mara would be happy with any kind of kid you'd give her. You're also being just like Mara about this. It was not your fault; it was not Mara's fault. It just happened. Miscarriages happen all the time. It wasn't your fault. It happened, and it happened for a reason. You said it yourself, it brought you two closer together, don't let it tear you apart. And don't be stupid."

Jerome stared at him silently.

"What?" Alfie scoffed.

"Nothing," he chuckled, shaking his head. "I've got to go as well. You gonna be okay by yourself? Isn't Mini-Alfie coming home in like, ten minutes?"

"Yeah, I need to keep the cookies away from him, or else Amber will have a cow." Alfie rolled his eyes.

"Why does she make cookies before meals, if they aren't going to last until after meals? Make them afterwards." Jerome shrugged, standing up and slipping on his grey blazer.

"I don't know, I suggested it!" his friend defended himself.

"I'll see you later, Alfighto." The blonde chuckled, sending him a wink and heading for the door.

"Remember what I said, Jerome Clarke, don't be stupid!" Alfie called out to him as he crossed his yard to his own house.

"Thank you, Alfie Lewis; I needed everyone from here to China to know I'm being stupid!" Jerome hollered back.

Jerome ignored Alfie's lame comeback and hung up is coat on the rack as he stepped into his house. He bounded up the stairs to the bedroom he and Mara now shared again. He whipped his black tie off his neck and left it on the back of the rocking chair that was set at the foot of their bed. He felt like taking a quick shower, to clear his mind and help him think more clearly.

The warm water and steam did him good. He felt clean. Big whoop. He wanted to know the answer to his questions.

He planted his hands on the bathroom counter and took a deep breath, watching silently as the steam slowly left the mirror, allowing him to see himself. He brushed his bangs out of his eyes once he could see himself clearly. He ran a comb through his blonde hair, only to have it fall back over his forehead a second later. His hair was a lot longer than people thought it was. If it was wet, or he didn't style it, it just swept over his face. No one knew that, except for Mara and Alfie.

As he slipped into a brand new pair of jeans, he froze, looking down at the trash bin beside the sink. It looked disgusting, he knew that much, but he bent down and peered into the bin. And possibly, one of the biggest grins ever smiled, grew on his face.

"That's so fantastic, Patricia!" Amber squealed, hugging her friend tightly.

"Yeah, thanks, Amber, but I've been pregnant before; don't really think it's the best experience of my life." the auburn haired woman chuckled, pushing her away.

"Does Eddie know?" Mara asked, sipping from her tea.

"No, not yet, he just thinks that I'm mad at him about something. No one tell him, I'll do it myself."

"Do you want to do it before or after I tell Jerome that I'm pregnant?"

The women froze.

"What did you just say?" Joy asked, a grin slowly forming on her face.

"I'm pregnant." Mara repeated calmly, knowing that in a moment, they would all squeal their heads off. Well, except for Patricia. She may be a mother, but that doesn't mean she doesn't get annoyed by "girly" things.

"And you haven't told Jerome." Nina said, once they had settled down from the news.

"No…"

"Didn't he say he wanted to try again? Wasn't he the one that convinced you to? Why keep it a secret?" Amber questioned.

"I'm not keeping it from him; I'm going to tell him tonight."

"Oh, have something special planned, eh?"

The girls jumped and turned to glare at Eddie, who leaned against the doorjamb of the living room, arms crossed over his chest, suggestive look on his handsome face.

"How long have you been standing there, Cockroach?" Patricia demanded, narrowing her eyes at her husband.

"Just long enough to hear that Mara's pregnant. Congrats, little girl; Jerry will be happy. What are you all doing here anyway? I thought today girls' day out?" he raised an eyebrow at the women.

"Yeah, we decided to stay in." Joy shrugged,

"'Kay, have fun, I'm headed upstairs." He smiled, advancing toward them, only to swoop down and kiss Patricia's forehead, making her bat him away, and then walking back out of the room.

"Well, then, I think I'll head back to my place since the guys must be finished." Mara stated as she stood, smoothing out her purple blouse.

"Okay, see you later, and congratulations, again!" Amber grinned, wrapping her arms around her friend and holding her close.

"Thank you, Amber." Mara smiled.

She hugged the rest of them and congratulated Patricia on her pregnancy one more time. "Love, you guys, I'll see you later."

"Good luck!" Joy called as the raven haired woman left the house.

She pulled her coat tighter around her. It wasn't necessarily cold, but she felt nervous, and the most she could do was play with her coat. She didn't have a pencil to bite, or a table to rap her finger tips on, or music to sooth her rapidly beating heart. She was going to do it. She was going to tell Jerome that she was pregnant. And she hoped that he would be happy like Eddie had said.

He could have had second thoughts over the past few days. He could be upset over Lucy again. He could be at home, nearly in tears. Mara's pace picked up without realizing it. She wanted to comfort her husband, and make sure he was okay.

You know the drill! And if you don't...click that review button and tell me that this story will be totally awesome!

I don't know how long this will go on. But, I have ideas for future chapters.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. -Philippians 1:21

-Rachel