Well here goes chapter 3, hope you guys enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW!!

Chapter 3

"Hey," Melinda said, wrapping her arms around her husband.

"Hey," he replied sounding distant.

"Honey, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's uh...no, I'm lying. Mel, we need to talk."

"Okaaaay," she said, walking over and sitting on the couch. "What's up?"

"Well, you see, I lied. Tracy was more than just a 'friend', she was my college girlfriend." Melinda tried to be serious.

"Jim, it's fine. I figured that and it's okay that I wasn't the first woman you slept with." Jim laughed uneasily.

"Mel, I know, but, it's not that." Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Oh what, are you having an affair with her?" she said, not a hint of seriousness in her voice. Jim stayed silent. Suddenly worry overcame his body. He loved Melinda and Leah with all his heart but he suddenly felt as though this would be the one thing that would tear that apart. "Jim, don't tell me it's true?" Melinda said, waking him from his thoughts, anger rising in her voice.

"No, no, that's not it either. You know I wouldn't do that. You know that," he replied, trying to reassure her.

"I'm not sure I do," she said quietly, hoping Jim hadn't heard her.

"Mel," he said looking deep into her eyes.

"What Jim?" she asked, tears in her eyes.

"I love you, okay, and NOTHING is ever going to change that. Not even death. You're the love of my life and I would be utterly stupid not to realise how lucky I am, to have found you."

"You're lucky I'm such a big suck," she said, collapsing into him. Jim smiled and kissed her forehead. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too, Mel," he answered. After a few minutes, Melinda broke free of his embrace. Jim smiled and she smiled back.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked, having had forgiven Jim. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Well there's honestly no easy way to say it, I just need to know that you trust me."

"Jim, I trust you."

"Okay, well, I have a daughter, other than Leah." Melinda's eyes grew wide and she looked like she was going to tear his head off for a brief moment. She inhaled deeply and shed the look. "Mel?" he asked, a slight sense of terror in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm...fine. I'm sorry that was just a really big shock. I mean, I would have NEVER expected this but, I trust you and I know you would have told me if you have known."

"Oh Mel," he said, pulling her tightly into his arms. The two just sat there, enveloped in each other's embrace.

"Jim," she said suddenly.

"Yeah," he said pulling out of the embrace and looking at her.

"What does she want? Tracy."

"Well," he said, wrapping an arm around her, "It seems Mikayla is a very brilliant little girl."

"Mikayla?" Melinda asked, looking up at her husband. He nodded.

"Tracy wants to send her to private school but the tuition is a little too much for to afford on her own. She wants my help to help pay for Mikayla's schooling."

"Did you accept?" Jim shook his head.

"Of course not. I would never just hand over that much money without consulting with you and besides, I'm not handing over any money until I see the girl; in person." Melinda nodded and Jim pulled out a photo. "This is her," he said, showing Melinda the photo. She smiled.

"She looks a lot alike Tracy, it's the-"

"Smile," the two said together. Melinda smiled and looked back to the photo.

"Leah has the same one. I guess that's a Clancy trait that your children inherit." Jim chuckled.

"Yeah..."

"Hey," she said looking up to him.

"Sorry, it's just, I feel horrible for letting her live a life without a father. I'm so happy Leah doesn't have to go through it but I just...I want to be involved in her life." Melinda's heart broke at the sight of her husband, so vulnerable and hurt.

"Jim, it's not your fault. Tracy would have contacted you if she wanted you in her daughter's life. If anybody, it's Tracy's fault so don't blame yourself and if you're asking for my permission to be involved in Mikayla's life, no one's stopping you. Maybe we can all be one happy family." Jim smiled.

"You sure you're okay with this?" Melinda nodded.

"I'm sure. I'd love to meet her and I'm sure Leah wouldn't mind a big sister."

"Mel, you're amazing."

"I know," she said getting up. Jim got up too and kissed her passionately on the lips. "Mmmm, I could get used to that," she said breaking away. "So how many more unknown children are there?" she teased.

"Not funny!" Jim exclaimed as he followed his wife up the stairs to check on their sleeping angel.