Lizzie stretched as she got out of her bed. She made a quick check to see that Krista was still sleeping, then quietly walked to the kitchen to start the coffee.

"Beat you to it", a voice said from behind, and Liz turned to see Nicole curled in a large chair in front of the window.

Liz laughed, "You're an early riser too?"

"Yeah... it's genetic, I think. Dad was always up early, from what I remember."

"For me it was Mom. She tried to be quiet, but I could always tell," Lizzie said, having grabbed her own cup of coffee and joined Nicole by the window. "It was hell on my dancing, though. Late nights and early mornings almost killed me in the beginning. And when I go back, I'm going to have to train myself to sleep later again."

"That's right, Sharon said you were a dancer. She's very proud of you."

"Thanks, I'm very proud of her, too. She seems to be really enjoying her new job. Well... I guess it's not new anymore, but it's still hard to believe after all of those year behind a desk, that she's running a big homicide department now. Has your dad always been a homicide cop?"

"Um... yeah, as long as I remember, anyway. I imagine he did other things in the beginning, but he's been with this department for almost a decade, then another homicide department before." Nicole shrugged, "He seems to like it."

"Better him than me," Lizzie said with a shudder.

"You and me both. What was your mom before?"

"Ah... she was Internal Affairs most of my life."

"Oh, the police who police the police. I bet that made her popular."

Lizzie nodded, then took another drink, "Some times it was really hard on her. She'd send us to bed and then I'd see her wiping tears. She was just trying to do her job, and the other cops treated her like she was the enemy. We didn't go to many department events for families."

"We didn't either. I suppose if we'd been living with Dad it might have been different, but my mother kept us as far away from that as possible."

"She didn't like your father being a cop?"

Nicole rolled her eyes, "She didn't like my father, period."

"Oh, that's couldn't have been fun."

"No... I don't know if the things she's told me are true or just her version, but all of them have my dad being a deadbeat trouble maker."

"Andy? I've just met him but that doesn't seem like him at all. The guy I see is really sweet and considerate, and he's so good to my mom. After all the crap she went through with my father, I didn't think she'd ever trust a man in her life again, but she trusts your dad. How long have they been together anyway?"

"Beats me. The first time I ever met her was my wedding last summer. Mom was making Dad miserable, as usual, and Dad got fed up and said he wasn't coming to my wedding. Next thing I know he changed his mind and brought a date."

"Huh..."

"Sharon didn't say anything to you?"

"No... I just heard about him a few days ago when Mom said she was leaving Rusty here and that she and Andy had to go to Montana to get Krista. I asked Ricky, and he can't remember Andy's name ever being mentioned either."

"That's strange."

"Well... yes and no, you have to understand with Mom, she keeps the different parts of her life separate. Work didn't come home, and we never saw her office. After Dad left, we didn't hear anything about what he was doing or where he was, and when he would drop in for a visit, Mom didn't tell him anything that wasn't about myself or Ricky. She didn't even discuss my grandparents with my father."

Nicole took everything Lizzie was saying and turned it over in her mind. Sharon liked secrets and her father wasn't always forthcoming. What did that mean?

Lizzie tapped Nicole's leg to get her attention, "Nicole, don't read too much into it. Old habits die hard, especially with someone as stubborn as my mother."

"My father is pretty stubborn too. He's all about making amends and making sure I know he's honest. No one can keep that up for long."

"Amends, like AA?"

"Yeah, Dad's an alcoholic. He didn't tell you?" Nicole shifted in her seat and looked at Lizzie.

"Ah... no. No one said a word. Mom just said your dad didn't drink, but that was all."

Nicole sighed, "More secrets..."

"Mmm... maybe not, it's a touchy subject. My dad is an alcoholic too, and a gambling addict."

"Really?"

"Yup, so proud," Lizzie said sarcastically. "How long has your dad been sober?"

"Oh... about sixteen, eighteen years he says. Mom, is convinced he's still drinking and that he was really getting drunk during this trip, and not going to Montana at all."

"Well, we've got the proof sleeping right over there that he was telling the truth."

"Yes," Nicole acknowledged. "I'm ashamed to admit I worried my mother was right."

"The trust is broken, I get that. My dad stopped the drinking part, I think, but he won't give up gambling. He used to send us money and Mom would send it back because she didn't want us having gambling money."

"Well I guess, if you can afford all this..." Nicole looked around the house.

"Oh, this is my grandparents, not my Mom. No, Dad took her for everything she was worth and then some. Granddad was livid. He wanted to charge my father with every criminal charge he could find, and Granddad is a good lawyer. But Mom wanted to believe he would change... You'd never know it, but under that tough exterior is the world's biggest romantic."

Nicole smiled at that, "Oh, I believe it. She seemed dreamy at my wedding, especially when she was dancing with Dad. They didn't have eyes for anyone else."

"Man, I would have loved to see that."

"I've got some pictures I can send you."

"Would you? Thanks. I miss seeing my mom happy. Dad really hurt her."

"How long have they been divorced?" Nicole asked, shifting her coffee mug to the other side.

"They still aren't."

"What?"

Lizzie put her hands up in defense, "I know, I know... Ricky and I have been trying to push her to divorce for years, but she holds on to her sham of a marriage. I don't get it, and when I've asked her she's told me it's not the business of children to know what goes on in their parents' marriage."

"Huh... so Dad must know she's still married..."

"In name only. Mom had the legal papers drawn up to protect Ricky and me and the rest of her money, but she stopped just short of divorce. They've been legally separated for about twenty years now."

"Why didn't she just get the divorce?"

"I don't know. But maybe she'll do it now that she's got Andy."

"Maybe... you think Dad and Sharon will ever get married?"

"Yeah, I think Mom would want to. She's pretty traditional like that. I mean, she'll live with him and everything, but I don't think that would be enough for her.

"Mmm, Dad's like that too. Mom always said he had a string of women in his life, but I find that hard to believe."

"Well, your dad is good looking enough to have women falling all over him."

Nicole smiled, "Thanks, yeah my dad is handsome, but it's not his style. He wants a commitment, but I think he's scared that he will mess up again."

"I hope he get's over it, because that's a wedding I'd be happy to dance at."

"Here, here," Nicole leaned over, and they clinked coffee mugs.