Rose shook her head, fighting against what her subconscious knew for a fact by now. "I'm getting old," she hissed at the logical conclusion. "And I'm getting fat." She refused to accept what the voice of logic was telling her, the voice that sounded remarkably like that of her father.

"Honey?" Herbie asked, entering the small room they shared "unbeknownst to her girls." He kneeled behind her on the bed, wrapping both his arms around her waist so that his hands rested on the slight swelling of her stomach. "What's wrong?"

"I'm getting old. And fat," she sighed angrily, still refusing to acknowledge the truth aloud.

Except he wouldn't mind, wouldn't react with anger and sadness as she had. Herbie would be overjoyed when she told him the truth. And that just upset her more. It's easy enough for him to be overjoyed. He clearly wouldn't be thinking what this would do to her.

"Aw, Rose! You are not! You're young and beautiful!" he told her, planting kisses along her neck.

Instinctively, she raised one hand, her fingers threading in his salt-and-pepper hair as she guided his mouth to her pulse point. "No, I'm not. I've put on… Some weight. And now I'm going through… Menopause."

"What?" he chuckled against her skin.

"Don't play dumb with me, Herbie. You know it's been over two and a half months since… I-Well-Since it's been that time of the month," she whispered harshly, as though she was too embarrassed to even go into such things when it was just the two of them. "And I've put on so much weight!"

He turned her so that she was facing him, "Honey, you know I love you, regardless of your weight-"

Rose scowled, angry that he was acknowledging her weight-gain.

"And you're the perfect weight!" he quickly added. "And regardless of whether or not you're through with 'The Curse.'"

"But I don't want to be fat and old! How am I supposed to make up acts for the kids if I'm fat and old?" she whined, pouting.

"Rose, you're not fat. And you're not old," Herbie whispered, his breath was hot in her ear and sent a shiver down her spine as he slid a hand up her thigh. He worked the buttons of her blouse with one hand as he gently caressed her milky thigh with the other.

Rose's eyelids fluttered close, succumbing to him as he trailed feather-light kisses down her neck.

"You're young." He kissed her pulse point. "And vibrant." Another kiss, just above her left breast. "And sexy." He dragged his teeth across the black lace of her bra, relishing in the light moan that caught in her throat as he teeth grazed her nipple.

"Herbie-!" she gasped, her hands flying to his neck and pulling his mouth to her own. She sucked hungrily on his lower lip, climbing onto her knees and scooting closer. He pushed her blouse down her arms, pulling back to drink in her image.

And then it seemed to click in his mind.

"Rose," he whispered, his eyes going wide as she leaned in for another kiss, her fingers reaching for his belt. "Rose." She ignored him, nimbly unbuckling his belt before unbuttoning his pants. "Rose!" Herbie pulled away from her, gasping and smiling despite his shock at what he'd just figured out.

"Herbie, wha-"

"You're not 'fat and old.' You're pregnant!" he exclaimed happily, leaning back towards her and kissing her swollen stomach repeatedly. "Hello in there, little baby!" he cooed, hugging her around her middle.

With an angry sigh, Rose dropped her arms limply to her side.

She had known he was going to be overjoyed when he found out. He obviously didn't realize what this meant. After all, touring? Being on the road? That's no environment for a baby to be born into. They'd have to either give the baby up-- which Herbie would never agree to-- or settle down until the baby had grown some.

So her promise to June that she would headline on Broadway? She wouldn't have time to make baby June into a star. She'd be too busy with this… Parasite growing inside of her. And Lord knows this child would never be able to sing. She loved Herbie dearly but she was well aware that the man couldn't carry a tune with a bucket-- he was always flat. So she wouldn't be able to work the new baby into the act. … Except for maybe as the cow.

And she'd have to follow through sooner than she'd planned with her promise to marry Herbie. It was highly unacceptable to have a baby out of wedlock. So she would have to waltz down the aisle for the fourth time.

And she'd have to face up to her father and stealing his stupid plaque because Herbie would, no doubt, want him to "give her away" at their wedding.

This was a nightmare! And Herbie, clearly, had no idea how dreadful this was! He was still lavishing her swollen tummy with kisses and cooing to their unborn child in a cheerful voice.

"Oh, honey! This is wonderful! June and Louise will just love their new little brother or sister!" Herbie smiled, finally leaving her stomach alone long enough to press an excited kiss to her lips. "…What's wrong, Rose?"

"It isn't even born yet and you're already pushing me to the side," she scowled, narrowing her eyes. "I'm not just an oven, Herbie."

"Of course you're not, honey! I didn't say you were!" He grinned, "This is probably just hormones cause of the baby. You know I love you, Rose."

"No, this isn't hormones, this is anger. I'm angry, Herbie!" she retorted.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked, concerned now.

"You can't just get me all worked up and then get distracted by… This," she pointed to her stomach, disgust written into her features.

Fortunately, Herbie missed the look of revulsion on her face because he'd begun placing slow kisses on her stomach again. This time, though, his kisses trailed upwards as he covered one of her breasts in hot kisses and kneaded the other slowly.

Almost immediately, the anger and disgust faded from her features. Her mouth fell open in a silent moan as heat surged at the apex of her legs. "Her-Herbie," she swallowed, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

He worked his free hand between their bodies, sliding her skirt down her legs before pushing her panties down to her knees as well. And then he'd pushed her onto her back, slipping her skirt and panties from around her knees as he trailed hot kisses down her swollen stomach.

"Oh, God… Herbie," Rose breathed, arching into his touch. She was vaguely aware that he was paying special attention to her stomach, still covering the bump with kisses as she spread her slowly with two of his fingers. And then he was kissing her there and she could barely breathe as she writhed with his every breath.

He curled his fingers upward, pressing against her g-spot and eliciting a series of several sharp gasps. "Thank you, Rose, thank you. I love you," he whispered, his lips brushing her clit and making her cry out as pleasure assaulted her system.

"Her-Herbie!" she groaned, her head thrown back into the pillows as she pulled fervently at his arms. "I need you-want you."

"You have me," Herbie assured. "You and the baby both have me, always."

She ignored his comment about the baby, allowing herself to get lost in the sensations that were working to slowly overwhelm her. "In-Inside," she breathed, her hips bucking.

Rose felt his lips and tongue leave her, ceasing the havoc they were wreaking on her body, before he pulled his fingers from her as well. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving as she struggled for a proper breath, as he unzipped his pants and kicked them off his legs. He covered her full lips with his own and swallowed her moan as he entered her, her juices coating both their tongues now. She broke their kiss, gasping and panting desperately as she squeezed him between her thighs, allowing him deeper.

If she hadn't been teetering on the brink of her climax, if promising colors and stars hadn't been clouding her vision, she would have noticed that Herbie had left a considerable amount of space between their torsos as though he was afraid of hurting their unborn baby. She shivered beneath him, her muscles contracting powerfully around his length and making him spill into her suddenly.

"Herbie!" she moaned loudly, her orgasm crashing down around her even as Herbie forced him to roll away from her. Pleasure continued assaulting her system as she gasped desperately for air. Even in her pleasure-fogged mind she was practical, filing this mild transgression of his away for future use.

But for now, she just curled against him, molding her body to his as she began to fall asleep. "I love you, Herbie," Rose whispered as he encircled her protectively in his arms.

"I love you, Rose," Herbie whispered back, smiling as one of his hands rested on the swell of her stomach.

Maybe he was right… Maybe it was the hormones from her pregnancy.