Chapter 20 - Moving On Up

She dreams about the baby growing inside of her every night. She wonders if it'll be a girl or a boy, what she'll name it, if it'll have her lighter skintone or Zac's chocolate brown.

She never thinks of telling Zac, however. She'll take his calls, of course, but when neither of them bring up the possibility of seeing each other in person again soon, she decides to hold her tongue.

After all, this child doesn't need a father. Didn't her mother teach her that when she raised Tiara and all three of her siblings by herself?

[Alma then proceeded to lose a bunch of her pictures in a freak accident]

The days pass quickly, however, and before she thinks she could be prepared, she finds herself in labor. Taxis are rare here in Appaloosa and she knows Athena is far too busy with her son, baby Alec, to help her to the hospital.

It looks like it's up to the magical glowy light of Sim labor to carry her through it.

She names her daughter Megan. Zac is still completely unaware, and Tiara plans to keep it that way for as long as she can. Sex is a part of life, she decides, and so is pregnancy and parenthood. If she is confident enough in herself to go out and have sex with a man that she barely knows, then she is certainly strong enough to raise the baby by herself.

Her few silent hours of sleep at night, between Megan's need for milk and clean nappies, is often interrupted before the sun has even risen by Toulouse. Lovely cat, him.

But she finds she sort of likes her life now. She's been promoted to lyricist of a local band. Her days are filled with her daughter and her cats, and her nights are filled with writing songs and helping the band rehearse.

Appaloosa Plains certainly has...interesting babysitters.

The cats are the ones who really rule this house. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

As a way to network and a way to celebrate her promotion to lyricist, Tiara decides to throw a party and to invite over her closest friends in the industry, as well as her sister. It's more of a dinner party than anything else, though the only thing she knows she can make that will be delicious is Autumn Salad, but it works.

"How's the salad, ya'll?" she chirps happily.

The response is mixed, but at least no one is vomiting.

Dancing is a must as well. Gotta break in that new stereo somehow!

Gussie Bell takes her by the hand with a grin, quirking a brow. "Now, Miss Toft," he drawls, the Southern accent thick in his words as he spins her in a quick circle. "I'd be right pleased if you let me have this dance."

She giggles. "Of course."

Gussie's a fine man with bright blue eyes and a quizzical haircut that no doubt is his attempt to hide his premature balding. He keeps them laughing at work and always manages to hold her stress at bay when she's fighting a particularly tricky line to rhyme.

He also seems rather attracted to her more...amiable features, as much as he might pretend he's not trying to get close to them.

When her legs are aching and a few of her guests have departed, she brushes her bangs away from her face with a laugh. "No more, Gussie. You're gonna knock me out."

His eyes soften as he looks at her with a boyish smile. "All right, all right, fine." He smooths his hair down again as well with a chuckle. "Guess it'd be right selfish of me to keep you all to myself at your own party." The pause is heavy and tense as he leans closer and drops his voice to a warm, baritone murmur. "As much as I'd like to."

Gussie steps toward the kitchen to grab a drink of water and Tiara catches herself staring at him as he strolls away, watching the sway of his narrow hips and the tightening of his muscular arms. "Down, girl," she whispers with a shake of her head as she heads toward the couch.

Jazlyn is pregnant again and therefore spending the majority of her time at the party with her feet up. "Hey, Jaz," Tiara says with the grin. "How're you holding up?"

"Miserably." She casts a disdainful look down toward her swelling ankles with a sigh. "Kanoa's never home, Ethan's growing too fast...Watcher."

Jazlyn's family situation is more than familiar to Tiara at the moment, and she murmurs in sympathy.

After a long moment, Jazlyn sighs. "I'm...I've met someone else, too."

"Really?" Tiara's eyes widen. "Who?"

"I can't tell you. It's still too early. But..."

Jazlyn transitions back into pregnancy talk and Tiara studies her baby bump. Apparently there's just as much sexual freedom down here in Appaloosa Plains as there is in Bridgeport. Heck, that baby probably belongs to Jazlyn's mystery man. Maybe she won't be judged as much as she suspects down here if she follows her mother's lead.

The crowd disperses after another few hours, but Tiara's mind lingers on Gussie even as she feeds Megan her last bottle as a baby. Tomorrow will be her birthday, after all, and she will grow into a happy, healthy toddler.

She remembers the look in Gussie's eyes as they danced, the way that he leaned in close to her, how his Southern drawl sounds more musical than half of the lyrics that she writes...

Damn. Those pregnancy books weren't lying when they said she'd be horny as a hounddog from here on out.

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Still short. Still moving forward. :) Hope ya'll are enjoying, regardless.