"You really have to go so soon?" Phyllis knew she was being selfish, but it didn't keep her from asking the question. Summer had her own life now and should be living it, not feeling compelled to drop in and check on her mother every month.

Summer smiled back at her. "I really do," she sighed, "Chris' family always gets together the weekend before Christmas so everyone doesn't have to be away from home on Christmas. I'll get to meet everyone." After her recent string of disastrous relationships, Chris was almost too good to be true and she couldn't hide her excitement as she spoke about the upcoming family event. Even though, as she happily chattered about her holiday plans, she couldn't help but feel bad for her mother. It had been nearly four year since she'd left Genoa City and, with each passing month, it seemed a little more of her zest for life dwindled.

"You could come with us?" she suggested hopefully, "It would be fun for you to meet Chris' family, right?"

Phyllis laughed softly, immediately recognizing her daughter's propensity to look out for her. "That's the last thing you need—your old mother hanging around." She sighed. "No, honey, you go. You go and live your life. You've found someone that makes you happy and there's nothing more important than that. Don't ever forget it." She felt her voice trail away as her mind drifted back to years ago when the choice was still in front of her.

"You haven't even asked about him tonight." It had become a staple of every one of their visits, with each attempt to cover the true intent becoming more and more elaborate. Tonight was the first time it seemed she wasn't going to ask and Summer couldn't help but wonder why—what had changed. "Aren't you curious?"

Phyllis shook her head sadly, the breath leaving her body in a slow, deliberate sigh. "Not this time. It's time to move on."


"And she didn't push for more information?" Avery poured tea into her mug before filling Phyllis' and pushing it across the table towards her.

"Not really," Phyllis said flatly, already feeling the guilt welling up inside her. "I mean she really doesn't have any reason to suspect anything."

"I guess that's true. You haven't told her anything, right?"

Phyllis nodded, "And before you even start, I know how you feel about it and I can't. I can't tell her this—not now."

Avery shook her head, knowing the argument was a losing battle, but also knowing it was her duty to at least try. "Phyllis—you need support now more than ever. You need your family around you."

"And I have my family," she smiled, reaching out to touch her sister's arm. "I have you. You're here. I'm not doing this alone."

"Of course I'm here and you'll always have me, but you need more than that. You need someone that can be with you all the time, someone you can talk to, someone you can confide in…"

"And that's you.."

"That can't be me all the time though, I've got a job that takes a lot of my time and I've also got that other little person to focus on." She smiled across the table as she watched her sister's face change at the mere mention of her.

"Yeah I know. I know I'm asking a lot of you."

"Hey," Avery said softly. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…I wish you'd think about telling her..or..maybe." She stopped as soon as she saw the look on her face.

"It's not like I haven't thought about it." Phyllis drew in a deep breath. The weight she'd carried for nearly four years now felt as if it could literally crush her. "It was hard enough at first you know, but now…it feels almost impossible. So much time has passed, Avery. What would I even say? How would I even begin to explain this?"

"I don't know," she breathed, shaking her head sadly. It wasn't the most helpful answer, but it was honest. "What I do know is you don't want to wait until…" Her voice broke as she realized what she was saying and to whom. As a lawyer, she'd trained herself to remove the emotion from the situation and see everything objectively—only the facts. She'd become quite good at it—sometimes too good. Her eyes now burned with tears as reality hit. This wasn't a case. This was her sister.

She forced herself to remain composed. The last thing Phyllis needed was to watch her fall apart. She had to be the strong one. "I know we've got the documents drawn up and everything, but that's not something you want to spring on somebody. Just promise me you'll think about it," she managed, willing the tears to dry up.

"It's all I think about, Avery." She glanced back towards the hallway. "You know, she's started asking questions."

Avery closed her eyes. She remembered the phone call, the sobbing so intense that she'd barely been able to make out her words. It had taken her nearly a half hour to discern that she was at the airport and even longer to figure out that she wasn't here for a visit. Phyllis had been an absolute wreck for the first few weeks, questioning her decision daily, sometimes hourly. And then everything changed.

Summer came for her first visit and brought with her news of Billy's engagement to Victoria. Despite everyone's insistence that the nuptials were doomed and that the rushed nature was a sure indication of a rebound, Phyllis took it as a sign. From that moment on, the die had been cast. There was no turning back. Summer and Avery were sworn to secrecy.

From the beginning, she'd been dreading this moment. She knew it wouldn't take long for her to realize there was someone missing from her life. She was precocious and not at all afraid to ask a question.

Avery nodded with a sigh. "I figured she would be soon. She's smart and she's got questions—and you know she's stubborn as a mule. She's not going to quit asking—especially if she thinks you're not telling her the truth." Avery locked eyes with Phyllis across the table. "I can't imagine where she gets that from," she smiled.

"Got to be an Abbott thing," Phyllis joked.

"Right," Avery scoffed. "That little girl is every bit your daughter."