"What's with the long face?" Mrs. Knight asked when James re-entered the apartment after only just leaving it. "Aren't you eating with Lucy?"

"Now, I'm eating with you." He took a box out of the plastic bag on the counter and opened it to reveal a nice, fancy salad. "I make Lucy sick, so until she gets over this 'morning sickness' thing we won't be spending time together." He stabbed a piece of lettuce with one of the plastic forks in the bag and then before bringing it to his mouth he just laid it back down in the salad. He closed the lid and when he saw Katie enter the room he stuffed the container into her hands, slumping along to his room.

He had closed the door but shortly thereafter it creaked open.

"Do you know how awful it is to hear that you make your pregnant girlfriend throw up?" He said, sitting on his bed, not looking at Katie, but knowing she was the one who walked in sans salad.

"Did she say that?" She sat down on the bed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, but more importantly, I witnessed it, so I know it's true."

"I'm—I don't know what to say," Katie replied lamely.

"You don't have to say anything." He turned to look at her. "I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe I was so stupid to forget the condom. In seventh months a baby is going to be born and I will be responsible for the little being's life. Don't tell Lucy, but I'm not ready."

"I don't think anyone's ready when it happens the first time, but you've got seven months to prepare."

"Will you help?"

Katie blushed. "It's not like I have any experience with this!"

"You're right. You're only fourteen. What would you know?" James put on his best puppy dog eyes.

"You know I'm always here for you."

"I know. Hey, don't get me wrong; I'm really excited about this, just scared, you know?"

"I know."

"Ja-ames!" Someone in the living area shouted.

Anxious, James left his room with Katie right behind him afraid of what he was going to find.

"They, they, you're gonna wanna see this," Alexa said, standing there wet in her bathing suit with a towel wrapped around her. Carlos, also in his bathing suit, pressed play on the TV.

"E! News has more to report on the pregnancy test found at the Palmwoods the other day. A reporter for E! News has found evidence to lead her to believe the test belongs to none other than pop princess, Lucy Sto…"

Before the TV host finished his sentence James bent over and threw up.

"Honey." Mrs. Knight jumped up and patted his back.

James wiped his mouth and was about to say something when his phone buzzed.

"Good news! It's your Cuda making me sick. Love you."

"What?" Carlos and Alexa asked.

James sat down on the couch holding his head.

"This is too much."

"What?" Everyone asked.

"JAMES!" Kendall and Logan burst into the apartment at that moment.

"I know, I know…"

"What are you going to do?" Logan asked.

"I'm gonna have to call my mom tonight," James sighed the biggest sigh he could manage.

After taking a shower, using Kendall's shampoo, Carlos's body wash, and afterwards Logan's hair gel, and now wearing a set of Kendall's clothes, which were a little tight since James was more muscular than the skinny boy, James headed over to Lucy's apartment passing Buddha Bob coming in to clean the mess on the carpet.

"Is it safe to come in?" He popped his head into the apartment.

"You're not wearing Cuda?"

"I took a shower."

"OK. I think you're good."

James stepped into the apartment and Lucy took a deep breath.

"So far so good," she said.

James stepped closer.

"Still good. Come sit down."

James sat next to his girlfriend on the couch and kissed her.

"I'm glad I don't have to spend time away from you."

"Me too." She leaned over and kissed him again. "You smell different. Uh, not bad, just different. I'm used to you smelling like that man spray all the time."

"I smell good, though, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course." She sniffed James's hair. "Doesn't bother me."

"Looks like I gotta stay away from Cuda for a while."

"If you want to be with me."

"My girlfriend or my man spray? Girlfriend or man spray?"

She bopped his bicep.

"All right, I choose my girlfriend." He kissed her cheek. "I got some bad news."

"They found out."

"E! News, yeah."

"So, this means—"

"We have to tell our parents."

Lucy dropped her head into her hands. James rubbed her back.

"It's going to be okay. Your parents finally accepted you becoming a rocker."

"With Kendall's help."

"And my mom finally accepted me living in LA without her."

"With Kendall's help?"

"No, actually, Mama Knight, Mrs. Garcia, and Mrs. Mitchell helped."

"Why don't we tell them and then have them call my parents?"

"We need to do this ourselves." James took a deep breath. "Let's call my mom first. She'll probably kill me but it'll prepare us for your parents."

Lucy retrieved her laptop from her bedroom and set it up on the coffee table.

"I need to brush my hair? Do I look all right? I should change my clothes."

James pulled Lucy down to sit next to him.

"You look fine. You're beautiful."

"But, I've been sick all day."

"Babe, you look beautiful."

James opened the laptop, turned on the FaceTalk program, and dialed his mom's number.

"Mom?" He greeted her when her face appeared on the screen. He knew she'd drop whatever she was doing to talk to him and he knew she'd recognize Lucy's number, so he had nothing to worry about in that regard.

"Baby?" She looked like she was sitting in her home office.

"Hey, Mrs. Diamond." Lucy appeared on the screen.

"Oh my gosh!" Mrs. Diamond's hands went to her mouth. "It's true."

"Yes," Lucy replied.

"Mom, Lucy's pregnant," James stated matter-of-factly. "I didn't want to tell you this way."

"I'm too young to be a grandma. You're only nineteen and not married!"

"I'm 21," Lucy said.

"Still not married," Mrs. Diamond contradicted.

"Mom."

"OK, I'm—I'm—should I be happy for you? I mean…"

"We didn't plan this," Lucy spoke, "but I think we're both excited."

"Well, all right, but I don't want to be called grandma. I'm too young to be a grandma."

James let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His mom was okay with it. She wasn't going to kill them.

"Thanks, Mom."

"I love you, Jamie. I'll love my grandchild no matter what. And well, I'd like to get to know Lucy since she's going to be the mother of my grandchild."

James had been afraid his mother would not like Lucy for she was taking his only child away from her, but she seemed okay with it when they first discussed the relationship after she saw the kiss on the Tween Choice Awards. She had gotten together with the Mitchells and Garcias to watch their sons' first awards show.

"You're always doing things to surprise me," she finished.

"We do our best." James managed a smile. "Mom, if the press, paparazzi, whoever, contacts you about this you cannot comment. We're already getting some attention and thanks to the dilweed who broke Lucy's name we're bound to get more. Life isn't fair for Lucy doesn't deserve this." He rubbed Lucy's right hand.

"Neither do you, Babe." Lucy squeezed James's hand.

"Look, Mom, you have to keep quiet on this. News has broken, but we are not ready to go public."

"I—I—you're an adult now and making your own life. As a parent you always hope your child waits, but well, then this happens," Mrs. Diamond sighed.

"Mom, you have to…"

"I'm not going to tell anyone, James. You can trust me."

"I know. I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Baby. Everything's going to be okay."

"I know."

"I'm here for you two, you know that?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Diamond."

"Thanks, Mom."

"I'd love to sit and chat, but I've got a meeting to attend. I'll call you later and we can discuss me making a trip to visit you. I need to get to know my future daughter-in-law."

When Mrs. Diamond's face disappeared from the screen James and Lucy shared a look.

"Oh no, don't get any ideas."

"Aw, but we're having a baby togeth—"

"That's exactly it, James. I don't want to get married just because we're having a baby and I especially don't want to get married while being pregnant. Do I look pregnant to you because your mom caught on pretty well just by seeing my face that I am. Oh my gosh, is my face bloated?" Lucy poked her cheeks. "Do I have a fat face?"

"You have a very loveable, kissable face," James replied between kisses to said face. "I can't believe my mom was so chill. Are you sure we dialed the right number? That was my mom, wasn't it?"

"If your mom is one to have meetings at 7 o'clock at night."

"That she is. Brooke Diamond Cosmetics is her life."

"I—I guess we have to call my parents now."

James stopped kissing Lucy and reached for her hand.

"I'm right here. It's going to be okay."

"You don't know my parents."

James had met Lucy's parents once on that date thing she went on with Kendall. They seemed very strict, uptight, and conservative, so he figured they weren't going to be happy about the news sprung on them.

"It doesn't matter. You have me, my mom, Mama Knight, and the guys. We're here for you no matter what happens with your parents."

Lucy picked up her cell phone and pressed a button.

"I can't do this," she admitted. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"You're not going to be sick." James took the phone from her and found the Stones number in Lucy's directory. "Take a deep breath. I thought my mom was going to kill us and she seems thrilled. Your parents may be angry with you, but they'll be even angrier when they find out from another source. Now that people are talking there's no telling who, what, or when that will be." He put the phone up to his ear. "Wouldn't it be better if we did this via vid—hey, Mrs. Stone!"

"Who is this?"

"Oh, I'm sorry for not introducing myself. This is James, Lucy's boyfriend."

"Yes, I thought this was Lucy's number but didn't expect such a male voice. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. Lucy just has something she wants to talk to you about." He put the phone on speaker as Mrs. Stone continued talking.

"You're not getting married are you? She needs to settle down and have a nice career before she gets married. Did you put me on speaker phone? Why did you put me on speaker phone? Lucille?"

"Hi, Mom," Lucy said hesitantly. "No one's getting married. Well, actually Kendall is but he's marrying Jo, so nothing that involves us."

"Kendall's the nice boy who went on the double date with us, isn't he? I enjoyed his company, well, except that he plays in a rock and roll band. You know how I feel about that."

"I know, Mom." Lucy gritted her teeth. "Mom, can you get Dad? I need to talk to him, too."

"John! Lucy's on the phone! Do I need to put this on speakerphone, too? How do I do that? What? Press what? Lucille?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"I think you did it, John."

"Hi, Lucille."

"Hi, Dad." Lucy looked at James.

"Hi, Mr. Stone."

"Hello, um—"

"James, sir."

"Right, right. How are you, James?"

"Good. Lucille—I mean Lucy has something to tell you."

"What is it, dear?" Her mother asked.

"Mom, Dad," Lucy took a deep breath, tears pooling in her eyes. James gripped her hand harder. "Mom, Dad, I'm pregnant."

"What?" Both parents exclaim.

"It's yours, James?" Mr. Stone asked.

"Yes, sir."

"I knew something like this was going to happen. Lucille, the rock and roll lifestyle will only lead you down a path of degradation and sin."

"Mom!"

"This is exactly why I was against you staying in Los Angeles and becoming a rock musician," her dad said.

"What are you going to do?" Her mom asked.

"Have a baby? Be a mother? I'm keeping the baby and raising it."

"I don't think that's wise," Mrs. Stone said.

"I don't care what you think. I'm 21. I've got a good musical career and James's band is doing fairly well."

"You two are both rockers. That is not a stable living condition for anyone. You can't raise a baby there!" Mr. Stone complained. She gasped when James mentioned the amount of money he'd be coming into when he turned 21. "You're still just a child, James."

"I'm 19, ma'am."

"A teenager with his head in the clouds. I am deeply disappointed in both of you," she said.

"It's not James's fault."

"It takes two to tango," Lucy's dad replied.

"Mom, Dad, do you love me?"

"Of course we love you, Lucille. That's a silly question to ask," her mother answered. "We just didn't want this for you."

"Well, it's happening. You two are going to be grandparents whether you like it or not."

"Oh, Lucille."

"Don't 'oh, Lucille" me, Mom."

"You will not talk to your mother that way."

"No, sir, you will not talk to Lucy that way. She is a very successful singer-songwriter. You should be proud of her. She's had two top 40 hits. And she's a very beautiful woman. I love her and she is having my baby. If you can't handle that maybe you don't deserve her."

"Well!" Mrs. Stone exclaimed.

"James is right. If you can't handle this you don't deserve me." Lucy pressed the end button on her phone. That's when the tears decided to fall. James pulled her into a hug. "Did I just cut my parents off?"

"I don't think so. I think they just need to take some time to get used to the news. They're still your parents and they still love you."

Debjohns: Thanks for the suggestion!

(If you read Big Time Baby and are wondering where that story is, I haven't forgotten it, I just got completely wrapped up in this one).