After coming home from the honeymoon, life seemed to go back to normal. Wade was back at work, which he was very much glad to get back to pushing people around. Adele, Molly and Peter had come back from a trip to California which Wade had treated them to. They were all back and smiling, Adele returned back to school and Molly and Peter enjoyed it at home. I was at my art gallery and after seeing the beauty that was France I felt so inspired to paint. The city of Romance had become my muse and I was cooped up in the back, sitting on a chair and painting for hours. I heard someone's shadow cast behind me, I span around to see who it was. It was déjà vu. "John?"

He hovered above with his hands in his pockets and that grin with those dimples appearing out of his cheeks. "Hi Lea."

To be honest, I was little stunned to see him. "Hi" I said softly.

John pulled a chair and sat next to me, "Beautiful painting... I can see France definitely brought out your artistic side."

"Thank you, it was lovely there. I really enjoyed myself" I said happily.

"I'm happy you did. I went to the house but Molly told me you were here" he said, "I just wanted to see how you were."

He was checking on me? "I'm fine, how are you and Alex?"

"She's good" he paused, "That's the reason I actually came to see you."

I didn't quite understand. "What's wrong?" I asked worried.

"Nothing... she's pregnant!" he exclaimed, "I'm going to be a Dad!"

While I was happy for him, the news didn't appeal to me as much as it should have. "Congratulations..." I managed to say.

John's cheerful face turns glum, "I'm sorry Lea... I know how upsetting it was for you when you lost the baby. That was so stupid of me to just blurt it out like that."

I felt guilt ridden, "No that's okay- I'm genuinely happy for you two, you're going to be parents."

"Thank you Lea, you're the first person I've told" he said, "I cannot tell you how happy I am to be a Dad."

"Well at least with Alex you would never have the problem of knowing whether the baby was yours or not" I joked.

He laughed, "Yeah well, I wouldn't have minded so much if that baby had been mine." Now that he said that there was this awkward tension between us that I did not enjoy.

John stood up from his seat, his hands sliding back into his pockets. "I guess I should go then and let you get on with your day, I just wanted to see you. I missed you" he said, "I haven't seen you around much lately."

I didn't even think that he would miss me. "I miss you too John, maybe we could go for lunch or something" I said, "As friends of course, we're both married now."

He chuckled, "Sounds great, well I'll see your husband tonight anyway for the soccer night."

I cringed, "Just don't say soccer in front of him and you'll be safe."

"Wade's a great character" he said smiling, "Thanks for the tip."

"You're welcome... I'll see you later then" I said standing up. His hands came out of his pockets and wrapped around my body. He then dropped his arms to his sides and smiled again before he left. I sighed heavily and then took a seat again.

"He was hot!" voiced a female walking toward me. She was tanned, with big brown eyes and straight brown hair with an adorable British accent.

I laughed shaking my head, "You need to keep him out of your sight Layla... he's married."

"So this is the famous John that you almost married, he's hot... Why didn't you marry him?" she asked.

"He's nice but not the one for me" I said, "Anyway my actual husband is much hotter."

Layla giggled, "Of course he is, he's British like me."

I had hired Layla to be my assistant at the gallery a few weeks ago. She was a great girl, who was very responsible in taking care of the gallery when I was not there. She had studied art and she was very sweet when she wasn't prowling on married men. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Sit in my apartment and eat a lot of take away" she said shrugging her shoulders.

"Tonight you're not! Tonight you'll come with me on this girl's night" I said, "I want you to meet my friends and maybe even John's wife."

"Just as long as you don't tell her, that I called her husband hot" she said.

"I promise" I said.

"Alright, but will we get to see John later?" she asked biting her lip.

"Um...no!" I said shaking my head.

"Okay I'll come" she said, excitement filling her voice.

...

I was putting on my knee length red tulle dress for the girl's night that I had planned. I spent all last night making sure everything was set. I stared at my reflection as I put another coat of mascara on lashes. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. Wade was wearing his favourite Preston North End jersey. It had the number 7 as well as the name Barrett printed on the back. I'm sure if he could wear only one piece of clothing for the rest of his life this was it. "Don't you look nice?" I said as I walked over to him. I leapt onto my toes and pressed my lips to his, "You would have made one very sexy soccer player. Maybe you could swap the jeans for football shorts?"

"Maybe but I must say, my wife looks gorgeous in red" he said as his eyes trailed up and down. I could feel my cheeks blush; he still made me feel butterflies. The doorbell rung, "Why are these people coming now?" Wade frowned.

I kissed the side of his stubbly face, "I'll get it." I walked toward the front door and opened it. There was a grinning John and Alex standing in front of me.

"Hi Lea" said John with his wife's arm linked with his.

I stood there frozen, all I could think about was that weird conversation that John and I had while in the gallery. I felt Wade's arm grip onto my waist and I came out of my stagnant position. "Hello you two, come in."

"Hello Alex... You want a beer John, you might as well drink since you know nothing about the great sport of football, you're as American as they come" said Wade, his usual deter toward John while being as sweet as candy toward Alexandra.

"Yeah a beer will be fine" said John.

"Coming up" said Wade before leaving the three of us.

Alex looked a little nervous, "Um, Lea could I just use your bathroom please?"

I looked up at John who looked anxious as well. "Sure, it's just down there" I said pointing her in the right direction.

"I'll be right back" she said sweetly.

John and I turned to one another, "Is she alright?" I asked concerned.

"Yeah, she just needed to go to the bathroom" he said, "She drank a lot of water today."

My immediate thought was that it was about the baby, but they seemed to be doing fine. "I completely forgot to congratulate you two about the baby, I'll do it when she comes back."

"Lea, you didn't you tell Wade about the pregnancy?" John asked.

"No I was going to tell him after."

"Well... I need you not to tell anyone" he said, "Not even my wife."

I looked at him absolutely baffled, "What?"

"Here's your beer" said Wade handing him the bottle, "So what are you two talking about."

This incensed anger filled me, John was frankly being uncanny. It frustrated me and was beginning to spoil my night. "John was just telling me that he thinks that soccer is the proper name and not football. I was telling him that its football not soccer but he wouldn't listen to me."

Wade glared at John angrily; it was as if John had stabbed Wade in the heart. John annoyed me and I didn't want to deal with him, so the next best thing was to have my husband make him feel insignificant for a few minutes. "Do you need me to knock some sense in you, John?"

"I... I didn't say that" said John who looked a little worried. Alex returned looking a little worried as to why her husband, was sulking like a two year old.

I grabbed onto her hand and smiled, "Come on let's go have some fun and leave this boys."

"Have fun baby" said Alex as she planted a kiss on her husband's lips. She then turned to Wade, "Please don't kill my husband."

Wade chuckled, "I'll try not to."

I turned to my own husband, "Make sure these guys don't dirty the house too much and remember Adele is here, so make sure to look after her and feed her. And please no weird male shenanigans of any sort; you have a young girl in the house."

"And the nagging begins" said Wade smirking, "I promise to be good, you do the same."

"I promise" I said.

"Well go have fun then" said Wade as he stole a kiss. I kissed him harder knowing that John was watching I didn't really know why I did this but I just thought this would upset him.

...

I had hired a limousine and all of the girls had been picked up. I had told that to Alex, but I guess John wanted to make sure she was safe by the two of them arriving at my house together. All the girls were talking so loud; I could hardly hear myself think. But I could see Layla who was sitting quietly while all the others were chirping away. "You look beautiful."

Layla giggled, "I wanted to look nice for you."

"You definitely will make some heads turn" I said winking at her.

"So these are all your friends?" she asked.

I scanned around the compartment, "I'll tell you who everyone is." I started with the gorgeous blonde who was sitting at the end, "That's Natalya; she was my doctor when I was pregnant and she is currently the girlfriend of Randy."

"Randy? Your best friend Randy? The one you used to be in love with?" she asked.

I smiled after sipping my cocktail, "Yes, there's more twists and turns. Remember the man who you saw today in the gallery?"

She grinned, "Of course I remember John! You were engaged to him before you left him for Wade."

"That's his wife" I said taking another sip of my cocktail.

"She's beautiful" said Layla, "Well John didn't too badly."

I chuckled, "Remind me to not distribute my past relationships with you ever again."

"Never!" she exclaimed, "I love it! So they're fine with you being friends with their partners?"

"Of course! I left John so he went for Alexandra and then they got married. Then I set Randy and Natalya up and they seemed to be going well. But they know I love my husband more than anything in this world, he's greater than any of those guys."

Layla smiled, "You're lucky, Wade sounds like an amazing man."

"He's perfect. I actually really miss him, I hope he misses me. Is that weird? I see him all the time yet I do miss him when I'm away" I said.

"No, it's lovely. You love him a lot that's why."

"Well, anyway. The rest of the girl's I haven't shared any of their men" I laughed, "That's Adele. She works with Wade, is engaged to Phil and is my best friend. Then next to her is Stephanie, she's currently dating my Dad but I see her as like my own Mum. Then next to her is Bethany, she's my cousin. Then there's you and me."

"Well, interesting group of ladies" said Layla.

"They're all very dear to me" I said. Then my interest turned to what was outside the window. I tried to grab everyone's attention, "LADIES! We're here!"

...

Everyone crowded around the television. All of the men sculling bottles of beer and throwing down potato chips down their throats. "I'm going for Chelsea" sneered Phil as he sipped his glass of Pepsi Max.

Wade laughed, "You'd be a fool to do that, Phillip. Of course Manchester United is going to win. Isn't that right, Adele?" Adele was sitting comfortably on her father's lap.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Phil but I have to go with my Daddy."

Wade kissed the top of her head, "Good girl."

"It's alright Adele, you know I still love you" said Phil, "And if you want to swap seats, you can always come to me."

"I think Manchester, will pull this off" said Sheamus as he sat forward.

Wade felt so much glee, "At least you've got some intelligence."

"So how exactly are you and Adele related? I mean I've seen Adele and she looks nothing like you" asked Dad.

Sheamus chuckled, "I know, she's beautiful isn't she. But I'm her step brother, we share the same father. The two of us have always been close but I'm glad to be here with all her friends, she tells me such nice things about all of you."

Dad grinned, "Well we all love her. She and Lea have been best friends for years. She's been like a second daughter."

"I'm glad to hear" said Sheamus his eyes then flickered toward Phil, "She found a great guy as well."

Phil grinned, "Love you too bro in law!" Sheamus chuckled.

Everyone was a little weirded by this borderline topic. "So Wade how was the honeymoon?" asked John.

"Yeah how was France?" asked Randy. "I know Lea has always wanted to go there."

Dad covered his ears, "I don't know if I want to hear this."

Wade shook his head, "Yeah it was good. I tried to be as romantic as possible. You know Paris is amazing in itself so I didn't have to try very hard but she enjoyed it and seeing her happy was all I wanted."

"Aw Wade take me to Paris!" screamed Phil. Wade sighed at him.

"So you're enjoying being married?" asked Randy.

"I love it. Just knowing that we'll be together forever, nothing makes me happier. Yet now I miss her" said Wade as he patted his daughter's hair, "Lea is a great mother to Adele and she's a greater wife to me."

"Well that I can hear" said Dad happily, "You're a great son in law." Wade nodded respectfully.

"How's your girlfriend Randy?" asked John, "I hardly see you these day, I see that Natalya has you roped in."

Randy smirked, "It's not like that, I'm just very happy with her."

"Well I don't know what John is chirping about but I'm happy for you, Randy" said Wade nodding to him.

"Thanks Wade" said Randy, who was honestly a little surprised.

The doorbell rung and everyone stared at the door. "So are we waiting for anyone else?" asked Phil.

"Just one more" said Wade before he left to open the door. "Drew!"

Drew gave his friend a smile but Wade didn't have the same reaction when he saw who followed behind him. "Ivana?"

"Hello Wade" she spoke, her Italian accent echoing.

Wade looked at Drew questionably. Drew must have read Wade's burning question of why she was here.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't just leave her alone" said Drew, "Is Lea here?"

"No" said Wade sternly, "It's supposed to be a guys only night."

"Where is she?" asked Ivana.

"She went out with her girl friends" said Wade, who didn't really want to explain where his wife was.

"Right, she's having a girl only night. But of course I was not invited" said Ivana, "Your wife doesn't seem to like me very much, does she?"

Wade grew frustrated at Ivana and turned to Drew, "Look, Randy is in here and I don't want any trouble. Things are finally alright between everyone and I don't want him thinking that I'm trying to stir up trouble."

"It'll be fine" said Drew, "No one will even notice she's here."

Wade grew even more annoyed, "I think they'll all notice the only woman in the house!"

Drew shook his head, "It'll be fine, relax Wade nothing will go wrong." Drew took Ivana's hand and the two walked inside.

Wade closed the door and his hand met with his forehead as he sighed, "Lea is going to kill me."