Chapter 19 tolf

Authors note: FYI I show another side of the pregnancy with Scarlett that I never mentioned before in this chapter. Enjoy and please review!

"So what do you guys think of Ben?" Wordy asks, watching Claire and Ben over Lillie's shoulder.

"He seems nice." Lillie comments, resting her head on Clark's shoulder.

"He answered all Dean and I's questions really well." Clark comments, pulling Addie, who was crawling up to him, on to his knee.

"Yeah, all we need to do now is run a background check on him." Dean adds and Lillie shakes her head.

"Seriously? The poor guy." She says

"Nah, I think it's an excellent idea, keep me in the loop boys." Wordy says and Clark and Dean nod.

"Well Charlie seems to like him." Lillie says, watching Charlie, who was sitting on Claire's lap, babbling at Ben.

"To be honest, Charlie is happy to talk to anyone who will listen." Clark says, laughing as the baby reaches for Ben's hair.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ally asks, joining them at the table.

"Ben. What do you think of him?" Wordy asks and Ally shrugs.

"He seems nice, have you interrogated him yet?" She asks Clark and Dean who nod.

"Obviously." Dean says and Ally chuckles.

"Did he 'pass'?"

"With flying colours, although there's still the background check." Clark replies

"I'm not looking forward to when I get a boyfriend." She mumbles

"Uh...you won't be getting a boyfriend any time soon young lady." Wordy says and Ally sighs.

"I know, I know."

"Do you ever regret it?" Claire asks Lillie later that evening and Lillie turns to her, frowning.

"Regret what?" She asks

"Having a baby so young." Claire replies and Lillie shakes her head.

"Never." She says. "Why?"

"Just wondering."

"You're not... Are you..." Lillie asks, trailing off and eyeing her younger sister who shakes her head.

"No! No no no." She says

"Ok good, you're still a little younger than I was anyway. I would recommend you wait though."

"Yeah I will. Was it hard?"

"Harder than I thought." Lillie admits

"Oh yeah?" Claire asks and Lillie nods.

"Yeah." She repeats.

"How so?" Her sister questions and Lillie sighs.

"I got bullied..." Lillie finally replies, staring off into the distance, watching Clark play with Scarlett.

"Lils, I never knew." Claire murmurs and Lillie nods and smiles at her.

"Good. I never wanted you to. I never wanted you or Ally involved in any of that."

"But what...I mean..."

"It wasn't necessarily to do with me being pregnant because when it first started, I didn't know, so neither did they. But then when it did get around the school that I was pregnant with Lettie, my friends all shut me out. I got mean texts and emails. I was ignored, called names, made fun of. It was horrible and I never ever ever want you or Ally or Lettie, Addie or Charlie or anyone to have to go through what I went through because it was horrific. But Clark was my rock through it all and I can never thank him enough for that."

"And on top of that you had what happened with Ethan Jones right?" Lillie tensed at hearing his name but nodded.

"Yep."

"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to." Claire says and Lillie smiles at her.

"Thanks Claire-bear, but sometimes it's good to get things off your chest, you know?" Claire nods and smiles at her sister.

"Hey girls." Wordy says, walking over to his two eldest daughters. "What are you talking about?"

"Life." Lillie states as Wordy squeezes in between them on the hammock and wraps an around around each of their shoulders.

"Sounds pretty deep." He comments

"Mhmm." Claire murmurs, resting her head on her dad's shoulder.

"So, Ben..." Wordy says and Claire smiles to herself.

"What about him?" She asks

"He seems nice enough. You guys remind me a lot of Lillie and Clark when they were your age."

"How so?" Lillie asks

"Well, you guys were always holding hands, together all the time..."

"We're not always together!" Claire protests making Lillie laugh. "We're not together right now!"

"True..." Wordy says, laughing with Lillie.

"I guess they kind of remind me of Clark and I...a little."

"Well, all your babies have grown up now dad, soon Ally will have a boyfriend and then before you know it..."

"Ally will not be getting a boyfriend any time soon, I've made that very clear to her, she's too young. And anyway, you're all still my babies, you always will be, no matter how old you are."

"I never want Lettie or the twins to grow up." Lillie mutters. "I want them to stay tiny and cute forever."

"Well, you're still tiny and cute." Wordy says to her

"Hey! Just because I'm short, doesn't mean I'm tiny. I'm petite!"

"You keep telling yourself that Lils."

"I am!" Lillie protests making Wordy and Claire laugh.

AN: Please review!