HEARTS ARE BROKEN, LIVES ARE SHATTERED
Chapter Twelve

Three Years Later

Clarissa woke up feeling strange, and she went and threw up. "Clare, are you okay?" Lance asked at breakfast.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Clarissa lied; she didn't tell him she thought she was pregnant.

"I'm not stupid. You're sick. You need to go to the doctor," Lance said.

"Fine, but will you stay with me?" Clarissa asked him.

"Yes, I will," Lance said, and took her hand. Suddenly, Devin and Catherine walked in.

That day, they went to the doctor and got good news.

"Well, it looks like she's expecting a baby," the doctor said.

"Really?" Lance asked, holding Devin.

"Really. Just be careful. Don't strain yourself," the doctor told Clarissa.

Clarissa and Lance took Devin and Catherine, who they called Kate, home that day and made their decision.

"Clarissa, we need to go see Rose and Jack," Lance said.

"I agree," Clarissa replied, and two days later, they showed up on the steps of the Dawson home in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

Clarissa, holding Kate, knocked on the door.

*****

Eighteen-year-old Zoë looked around the house. She had just heard someone knock on the door and went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Zoë, is that you?" Clarissa asked in disbelief.

"Oh, my God! Clarissa?" Zoë asked, and hugged Clarissa.

Zoë looked at Lance, which was when Loops and Pogo came running from inside the house.

"What is this?" Clarissa asked.

"These are Mom's dogs, Loops," she said, referring to the one on her right, "and Pogo," she said, patting him on the head.

"This is my husband, Lance Jacob," Clarissa said.

Zoë looked at Lance. She had always hated him, but now he was part of the family. "Well, I guess I have to give you a hug, too."

"This is Devin and Catherine," Clarissa said, picking up her little three-year-old girls.

"Hey, you two," Zoë said, taking them into her arms. "Well, come on in."

Later That Day

Rose, Jack, and Nicholas had just gotten home from grocery shopping, which was when Rose saw a familiar face. "That's Clarissa!"

Rose ran and hugged her daughter and Lance looked down at Devin and Catherine, picked them up, and hugged them.

After everybody came home, Clarissa told everybody why they came back. "I'm having a baby."

The whole family congratulated her. Ruth was happy to hear it. "Do you think it's a boy?"

"I hope so," Clarissa said.

"Well, then, what are you going to name him if it is a boy?" Ruth asked.

"Joseph Allen Jacob, after his grandfather," Lance said, surprising the whole family.

Clarissa smiled; she was glad that Lance had agreed to name the baby after her father. "Yeah. He deserves that much."

Felicity walked in with her now fiancé, Caleb Jackson. "Clarissa? Is that you?"

"Oh, my God! Filly?" Clarissa asked, and ran to her sister and hugged her.

"This is my fiancé, Caleb Jackson," Felicity said, introducing him.

"This is my husband, Lance Jacob," Clarissa replied.

Rose looked at Jack, then decided they would seize the moment and tell everyone about the being inside of her.

"I have an announcement..."

Chapter Thirteen
Stories