"What about this one?" Tasha gestured toward a graphic tee.

Lux grinned when she saw the skull and crossbones. "That will scare them off," she said, referring to the people who were deciding if they wanted to foster Lux that evening.

"The coast is clear," Tasha reported after glancing around to ensure no one was watching.

Lux quickly ripped the sensor off the shirt, a skill she'd acquired long ago, and put it in her bag. "Most kids have a party for their birthday. I get to be looked at like a puppy to see if I'm the right foster kid for them to bring home," she muttered.

"Like a puppy? No, more like a slave to see if you'll be able to hack cleaning up after them or babysitting their kids," Tasha retorted.

"Hey, I think that's Cate Cassidy from Cate and Ryan," Lux whispered, gesturing to a pretty brunette who had just entered the boutique.

"What is it with you and that show?" Tasha asked, laughing. Lux always woke up early to listen to her favorite radio show.

Cate was in desperate need of retail therapy. This was always a hard day for her. Fourteen years ago today she made the most difficult decision of her life. She gave birth to a daughter, but gave her up for adoption. Her decision had haunted her every day since, but it was especially painful today.

Ryan had known something was wrong. He'd wanted to talk about it, but she couldn't. She couldn't tell him. What would he think of her? He wouldn't want her anymore. So, she'd taken off as soon as they finished the show and ended up at the mall.

"Excuse me," Lux said nervously. Cate looked up curiously. "Are you Cate Cassidy?"

Cate stared at the girl's eyes. There was something eerily familiar about them. Cate felt like she knew this girl, but couldn't place her. "Yes. I'm sorry, have we met?"

"I knew it! I listen to your show every day," Lux gushed.

Of course they didn't know each other, Cate thought. The girl was just a fan. A really young fan. "Aren't you a little young for the show?" Cate asked, recalling that morning's discussion about her many flings.

Lux rolled her eyes. "Aren't you a little old to have commitment issues?"

Cate made a face.

"Sorry. I'm thirteen. I mean, fourteen," Lux corrected, forgetting it was her birthday.

"It's her birthday," Tasha explained.

It was her daughter's birthday, too, and her daughter was the same age as this girl, Cate realized. This girl could be her daughter.

No, that's ridiculous, Cate thought. There were probably hundreds of girls born on the same day as Cate's daughter.

And, this girl didn't even look like her, Cate noticed. She had fair skin and blonde hair.

Can I get a picture with you?" Lux asked, digging through her bag for a camera.

"What?" Cate asked, distracted by her thoughts.

"A picture?" Lux motioned toward the camera.

Cate nodded and casually put her arm around the girl's shoulders to pose for the picture. She felt weird when she touched Lux. She couldn't explain it, but she felt connected to the girl.

Tasha snapped a picture and handed the camera back to Lux.

"Excuse me," a salesperson interrupted. "How would you like to pay for that shirt?"

Lux gave the salesperson a blank look.

"The one in your bag," the salesperson said pointedly.

"Come on," Tasha said to Lux, running from the boutique. Lux hesitated and the salesperson's hand closed around Lux's arm.

"I don't have enough for the shirt," Lux admitted, embarrassed that the radio show host she idolized was witnessing this. She handed the salesperson the shirt and turned for the door, not able to get out of there fast enough.

"Not so fast," the salesperson said, not releasing Lux. "I can't sell this shirt because you ripped the sensor out." She gestured toward a small hole where the sensor had been. "If you can't pay for it, I'll have to call your parents."

"Good luck with that," Lux muttered under her breath.

"What's their number?" The salesperson demanded.

"Do I look like someone who has parents?" Lux said sarcastically. "Ditching school, shoplifting…I'm a parent's worst nightmare."

"If you won't tell me, I'll have to call the police," the saleswomen insisted.

"I'll pay for the shirt," Cate interjected. She didn't know why she felt the urge to help this girl, but she did. She couldn't shake the feeling that she knew the girl.

"No, Cate, you don't have to do that. Really," Lux replied, her face reddening. "Look, just call the police."

"No!" Cate handed her credit card to the salesperson.

"Thank you," Lux said awkwardly as they left the store. "I'll pay you back. I have money…at home."

"It's OK," Cate said gently.

"Lux! I thought she'd call the cops for sure." Tasha appeared as soon as Cate and Lux were out of the store.

"She wanted to call my parents." Lux smirked.

Tasha snickered. "That would be kind of difficult."

Lux remembered Cate was standing there and nodded toward her. "But Cate paid for the shirt. I knew she'd be chill. She always seemed chill on the radio."

"What's your name?" Cate asked curiously.

Lux smiled. "Lux."

"Lux," Cate murmured thoughtfully. "I like that."

"Thanks. It means light. 'Cause I have blonde hair and both of my parents had dark hair," Lux explained.

Cate froze, studying Lux carefully. Lux was born on the same day as her daughter. Lux was the same age as her daughter. Lux's parents both had dark hair. Suddenly it hit her. Lux's eyes looked so familiar because she had Baze's eyes.

Lux noticed Cate staring at her and felt awkward. "Well…thanks. For the shirt. And the picture. We gotta go," Lux said.

"Wait!" Cate struggled for a reason to keep talking to Lux, to find out more about her. "Do you need a ride?"

"Yeah," Tasha said, not looking forward to the bus ride back.

Lux frowned at Tasha. "No, you've already done enough," she said to Cate.

"It's OK. I can give you a ride," Cate assured them.

Cate felt like she was going crazy. She had two teenage girls she'd never met before in her car. One of them had just been caught stealing. She was driving toward a bad part of town. This couldn't be good.

She was trying to convince herself that all of the similarities between Lux and her daughter were coincidences. Of course Lux wasn't her daughter. Who randomly bumps into the kid they gave up shopping? Only actors on bad Lifetime movies, Cate thought dully.

Cate would drop them off and Lux would go home, to her parents. My parents had dark hair, Lux's words echoed in Cate's head. "Wait a minute, your parents had dark hair? What happened to your parents?"

Lux gave Cate an odd look.

"Yeah, Lux, what happened to your parents?" Tasha smirked.

"Nothing. I mean, they still have dark hair," Lux fibbed. "You can drop us off here."

"Here?" Cate looked around. They were in a bad part of town, judging by the graffiti covering the walls, and there were no houses on this street, just dilapidated old buildings.

Lux nodded. "If you wait for a minute, I'll go get money to pay you back."

Cate stared at her blankly, having completely forgotten about the shirt.

"For the shirt," Lux explained. "I'll be right back. Just lock the car doors."

Cate watched Lux and Tasha disappear into a building. She looked for an address and jotted it down to look up later. She noticed several other girls enter the same building and wondered what it was. Lost in thought, she jumped when Lux rapped on the window.

"Sorry," Lux apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you." She handed Cate an envelope with money in it.