Disclaimer: views expressed by the Davis' do not reflect my own. They are rude, for lack of a better word, toward pre-marital pregnancy. That's a warning, if that kind of thing makes you uncomfortable. NSFW due to themes.

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Lucy and I sat on my couch, sifting through wedding dress websites. She was leaning her head on my shoulder while rubbing her stomach.

"I quite like that one," she said pointing at a cream colored dress that was decorated with lace and a long train. I clicked the dress' picture to get a better look.

"It is very pretty, Luce," I agreed, "but you know I'm too clumsy for that five foot train."

"It's behind you, ya goose," she pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm just not gonna take the chance."

"Okay, okay," she chuckled, throwing up her hands in mock surrender. She pointed at another one, this one being long, probably to my ankles, and vintage looking. "That one's really pretty."

"Oh heck yeah," I smiled, getting a closer look at it. "I want this one. This is the one."

"Well slow down there, speed racer," Lucy said, lifting her head from my shoulder, "shouldn't you ask Alex first?"

"Pfft, he doesn't give a sh*t," I laughed. "He'll say, I bet you, 'Len, you will look gorgeous in anything'. I know he cares and all, but he doesn't exactly, you know, say so. Well, usually."

"Okay, but are you sure you want to order your dress online?" she asked.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Well, the measurements could be way off."

"I could always get it altered," I shrugged.

"You're very nonchalant about something as big as this," she assessed. "If it were me, I'd be freaking out making sure everything was perfect and nothing could go wrong."

"Eh, I guess I'm confident," I responded. "Besides, it's my wedding. I have a good feeling about it."

"Wish I could get married," she said in a huff. "Ross seems zero percent interested at the moment honestly."

"Maybe he's waiting for a better time," I suggested.

"What better time than when I'm knocked up!"

I laughed and set the laptop on the coffee table, "I see what you mean."

I stood up and walked into the kitchen. I leaned back against the counter and yelled out to Lucy.

"Hey, how long ago did the guys leave?"

"Uh, maybe two minutes ago," she said back. "Why?"

"I'm hungry!" I exclaimed. She laughed and responded with an 'of course you are'. I open up the fridge and take out a soda. "Want a coke?"

"Water, please."

I grabbed her a bottle of water and made my way back to her. Before I could reach the couch there was a knock at the door. I continued over to Lucy with furrowed eyebrows.

"I wasn't expecting guests," I said, stating the obvious. I hand her the drinks and walk over to the door. I open it up to see my mom and dad on the other side. I was surprised, to say the least.

"Hello, Lena!" my mom said cheerfully. I heard rustling on the couch behind me and I assumed it was Lucy scrambling to cover her stomach.

"Oh, hey," I said, not hiding my surprise. "I wasn't expecting you guys."

"We know that," Dad laughed. "We just wanted to drop by!"

"Oh, um, come on in then," I said uncomfortably.

I was incredibly nervous about their visit. Firstly because I knew there was no way to hide Lucy. She wasn't very far along, but her pregnancy was definitely noticeable. Secondly because of what was sure to ensue because of the pregnancy.

The two of them stepped into the apartment and, upon seeing Lucy, were shocked.

"Oh, Lucy!" Mom exclaimed. "You're here as well. Lovely!"

"Yeah, hi, Mom," Lucy said weakly. She drew back to the arm of the couch a bit and took a huge swig of her water.

"Well, what's up with you?" Dad asked, taking a seat on the chair diagonal to the couch. Lucy didn't say a word, she only cleared her throat. "Well, Lucy? Not afraid of your old man, are ya?"

"O'course not, Dad," she finally responded. "I'm just, uh, feeling a bit,um, off. Yeah, off."

"Where's Ross then?" Mom questioned as she sat on the couch that Lucy wasn't on. I sat beside Lucy. "He should be with you, taking care of you, not leaving you with your sister. Though, I would trust Lulu to take care of you."

Mom smiled at me after her lopsided compliment to me. I smiled weakly back, not approving of her words. She didn't pick that up.

"He went to get pizza with Alex," Lucy said defensively.

"Oh, pizza!" my dad exclaimed.

"Never mind what I said before," Mom said. "That was a bit out of line."

"More than a bit, I think," I butted in.

"Right, right, sweetie," Mom nodded and directed her attention to Lucy, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Lucy said, though I knew it wasn't.

"So what are you two up to?" Dad asked.

"Just looking at wedding dresses," I said simply. I pointed at the laptop. "We found the one, I think."

Mom grabbed the laptop and looked at the dress we had pulled up. Her eyebrows furrowed, then raised as if she were terribly surprised. "It's lovely!"

"Thanks, I love it," I smiled. I took the laptop from her, closed it, and set it on the coffee table.

Mom looked to Lucy, who was sitting uncomfortably with a blanket up to her neck. Mom looked her over with scrutinizing eyes. It seemed as though she knew something was off, something blatant, but just eluding her.

"Lucy," my mom addressed. Lucy looked at her, "there's something different about you, sweetie."

"Different?" Lucy asked fearfully.

"Yeah, definitely something. You're simply glowing!"

"Well, like I said, I'm not feeling the best," Lucy attempted.

"No, no," Mom shook her head, "it isn't that. Are you on a juice cleanse or diet?"

"Er, no," Lucy said. I gave her a glance, attempting to say 'you really should've went with that' but she was too engrossed with Mom.

"Oh," my mother sighed. "What could it be? Honey, do you see something different?"

"Yes, I do, Elaine," Dad agreed. "It really seems to be the same subtle difference as to when you were p-"

He stopped. He and mom shared a glance before turning back to their problem child.

"No, no, no," Lucy denied quickly. "I'm not pregnant."

But that was a lie. My parents somehow hit the nail right on the head, leaving myself and, more than likely, Lucy utterly confused as to how they could pinpoint such an invisible difference in a person.

"Don't lie," Mom glared. "I know a pregnant woman when I see one."

"I'm really not!" Lucy lied again. She sat up a bit and silently pleaded for them to believe it.

"Cut the crap!" Dad said angrily.

"Whose is it?" Mom demanded. I looked at my older sister with fear in my eyes.

The way my parents were talking was unlike anything I'd heard from them. And I can safely say that Lucy hadn't either, despite being an incredibly problematic child. The tone in their voices was sharper than a knife and had the same dangerous capabilities, as if they were cutting into you.

I said nothing. I was still the golden child and I was still too scared to speak up against my parents.

"It's obviously Ross'," Lucy answered with the fire I knew her to have instead of tucking her tail between her legs like a puppy that had been scolded. "I'm not a whore, mother."

"Are you sure?" Mom spat back. She leaned back into the couch, crossing her arms and looking to the front.

"We always knew this would happen," Dad said disapprovingly. "You have always been troublesome. Jokes on me for having hope you wouldn't turn out so badly..."

"Mom... Dad..." Lucy whispered, tears falling from her eyes. I couldn't imagine how she felt. The absolute and utter disappointment from your parents must be a very heavy weight. "He's... he's a good g-guy. He l-loves me."

"Oh, I'm sure," Mom scoffed. "Out for pizza? As if! Probably ran off from Alex. Halfway to Scotland now, I bet you."

"He would n-never-" Lucy began but Dad cut her off.

"I bet you he would! Just like a man to do that, ain't it? But I bet you a million dollars Alex wouldn't do such a thing. No, sir. Lena knows how to pick a man. Wouldn't even think of touching Lulu in such a way until there was a ring on 'er. I bet you, I bet you."

And there it was. The inevitable comparing of Lucy and I. It always happens. Mom and Dad make up whatever makes them feel most like I'm an absolute angel and degrade Lucy along the way. I've never liked it but I've never stood up for Lucy either. I'm twenty-five now. It may be time for a change.

I looked to Lucy. She'd given up trying to defend herself and Ross. She retreated further back into the couch and looked down, feeling like absolute scum, I'm sure. Seeing my dear sister like that made the choice to speak up easy. I mustered up my courage and, for the first time in my twenty plus years of life, spoke against my parents.

"I'm not so perfect," I blurted. Mom let out a laugh.

"Don't be silly. You have never done a thing wrong," Mom dismissed.

"Nothing?" I repeated. "That's what you think, but trust me, I've done plenty!"

"Oh and what have you done?" Dad asked, clearly humoring what he thought was a lie.

"Alex," I said without thinking. So I suppose he was right to think it was a lie, but he is absolutely never going to know that.

"What?" Mom and Dad said at the same time. Lucy picked her head up and looked at me in surprise.

"Oh yeah," I nodded. "We do it all the time! All the time, everywhere, and hard."

At this point, I wasn't entirely sure what I was talking about. I just figured the more I say about sex, the more they'd lay off Lucy.

"I beg your pardon!" Dad yelled.

"So much sex! So, um, kinky? Yeah, kinky! Dirty, dirty stuff, and even right where you're sitting, Mom."

Mom shifted uncomfortably for a second and then stood. "I have heard absolutely enough. You know what? I'm leaving. Come on, Mike."

Dad stood up and followed Mom out the door in a huff. After the door slammed closed, Lucy rocketed to me and wrapped me in a giant hug.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh," Lucy cried, "I can't believe you just did that for me."

I hugged her back, "I had to. They were eating you alive."

"I just can't believe you said that," Lucy laughed lightly. She pulled away and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"It was awful awkward," I chuckled before adding, "And a lie but they don't need to know that."

"You're the best," she smiled.

"I just did what I knew I should have," I shrugged. "No need to make me a hero, Luce."

After that, we turned on Netflix and tried to forget about the previous events. Only a few minutes later, Alex and Ross walked through the door with two pizza boxes and a case of Pepsi.

"Yo, what was up with your mum and dad?" Alex asked, sitting on the couch my mom had previously been on. I moved to sit next to him and Ross took my seat.

"We passed them in the hall and they looked about ready to murder us," Ross added.

"I'd rather tell you later," Lucy said. "It's a whole thing."

"Um, okay," Ross said, "if that's what you want."

The four of us enjoyed our pizza and Back to the Future, my favorite movie. We all ate way too much pizza, especially Lucy. We talked and didn't bring up what had happened even once. Eventually, Ross and Lucy walked back to their apartment and Alex and I had to clean up.

Alex and I laid in bed talking about the incident. He was incredibly angry about my parent's actions. I'm sure he wanted to go off on them, but I made him promise not to.

"So you really said that?" Alex asked, very amused.

"Yeah," I said, slightly embarrassed. "I don't know why exactly. It just came out."

"That's hilarious," Alex laughed. "I can't believe they believed you."

"Me either," I sighed, bemused. "I'm glad I said it, but I still feel guilty about lying."

"It doesn't have to be a lie," Alex said simply, placing his hand on hip, tucking his thumb under my shirt and drawing small circles on the skin.

"I suppose not," I said. "But I would prefer it to be."

"I understand," Alex nodded.

"But I do quite like what you're doing there. It's comforting."

"Oh, I'm glad, Len."

I wriggled closer to him and kissed his cheek. I then nuzzled my head into his neck. "I'm stealing your warmth for my own."

"I see that," he laughed. He moved his hand from my hip to my lower back, still under the shirt. This I was okay with.

Even with the limited touch I allowed him, he still managed to make me feel great. To me, it seemed as though he were Midas and everywhere he touched turned to gold beneath his fingers. I felt valued as if I were golden and I couldn't help wondering how he did this. His touch was the most comforting, hypnotizing, and exciting thing knew in this world. And I couldn't wait for more.

.....

There it isssssss. So it took longer than expected but it's here and hopefully worth the wait. Honestly this was a tad uncomfortable and awkward for me to write but whatever. It's been awhile since I've written so sorry if it isn't the best. I'm getting back into the swing of things, I promise.

The attached picture is Lena's wedding dress. I think it's gorgeous! I'm still trying to figure out how to get the pictures of Lena and Lucy up. It's eluding me for some lame reason. Thanks for reading!

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"Don't count your chickens before they egg," - Ross O'Donovan, date here