Page 11 of Going Home

She leads Lacey to the seats Lex is surprised are set up already, and she kneels down in front of Lacey. "What's with the freak-out, babe?"

"Do you need me?" Colt asks, sticking his head out.

"No, go to the clubhouse. I'll meet you there shortly."

He winks at her, which oddly comforts her racing mind, and he disappears. Lacey's trembling hands pull Lex back to the situation at hand, and she shoves something at Lex.

Looking at the images, Lex's heart races. "I don't think I understand."

"I'm pregnant," Lacey says as Lex stares at the ultrasounds in her hand. "Five months."

"You're... What now?"

"Uh huh."

The thought momentarily paralyzes Lex. Lacey has been plagued with miscarriage after miscarriage due to her past trauma, and the memory of the last time it happened feels like ice flowing through her veins. It almost cost Lacey her life, and Lex still bears the scars from being forced to intervene. Lex’s actions that day, and Lacey’s subsequent committal into a state-run program are what saved her. If it weren't for Lacey's current state of mind, Lex would be pacing and tugging on her hair in a similar panic.

"Wait, five months? That's further along than you've ever gotten, right?"

"I know!" Lacey shouts as more tears come. "Lex, what am I going to do?"

"Lacey!" Psycho shouts from inside the house.

And cue the next freak-out.Lex walks to the sliding door to see Lacey's husband frantically walking around the house. "I really wish I was in Summerville," she mutters before opening the door. "Psycho."

"Who the hell are they?" Psycho asks, pointing to a frightened Hailey and Lucas. He waves when Noah and Calla both smile and wave enthusiastically.

"Long story. I'm guessing what you're looking for is sitting on my back porch."

Hailey stares with wide eyes. "Who the hell is that?"

"That's Uncle P!" Noah says. "Don't be scared of him. He just looks scary."

Pointing at her son, Lex just nods. "What he said."

Psycho crouches down in front of Lacey when Lex returns to the porch, his eyes wide. "What the hell? You leave with a just a note, and you're sitting here crying. Baby, you can't do that to me!"

When she doesn't respond as she sobs, Lex jumps in. "Hey, Psycho, remember at the wedding when I said Lacey looked like she was glowing?"

"Yeah. Did that hurt her feelings or something? That was months ago."

"Well," she says, holding the ultrasound out to him. "Kind of?"

"You're pregnant again, Lex?"

Shaking her head, she holds in her breath. "Not me. Congrats... Dad."

His brows furrow before they shoot up and hide beneath the brim of his cap. He looks first at the ultrasound and then at Lacey. Then back at the ultrasound and then his wife. "What?"

"I'm five months along," Lacey says, her voice cracking. "It's the furthest I've ever gotten, and I didn't even know I was pregnant. What if I screwed something up already because I didn't know? What mother doesn't know she's pregnant, let alone five months along? I should've been taking vitamins. There are classes you have to go to. What if I missed the deadlines and don't get to learn what to do? There's so much—"

"Okay, first of all, let's stop for a moment before we pass out," Lex says. "Did the doctor have any concerns about the baby when you got the ultrasound?"

Shaking her head, her shiny red hair falls over her shoulder. Shiner than normal.Yep, girlfriend is definitely preggo."No. He said the baby's healthy."

"Well, that's a great start. So, clearly, nothing's been screwed up. And as for the classes, trust me, I can give you a thirty-minute rundown that's cheaper and so much quicker."

"It's a real baby this time," Psycho says and sits down on the chair next to Lacey, his eyes never leaving the image in his hands. "If we lose the baby, it's a real baby, Lace."

---