"What are you and Papa going to do about Anna?"

Elsie sighed. "That's none of your concern right now. Your Father and I have talked to her and we all will support her with whatever decision she makes. Also, it's not my story to tell. Anna may tell you in her own good time or she won't."

"Oh Okay." Thomas paused. "What are you going to do about Papa?"

Elsie rolled her eyes. "Your Father and I have a lot to talk about. We'll sit down with you and your sisters when everything is settled between us."

"When will you speak to us?"

"I don't know Thomas. We'll let you know when." Elsie said exasperated. Thomas nodded. "Now get some sleep, Dear. It's been a long day."

"That's an understatement." He said softly as he rolled over in bed, falling right to sleep. Elsie held in a chuckle and closed the door behind her when she got up from his bed. She leaned back against the door and shook her head, still smiling at her sons wit. Charles gave her a confused look as he walked from the other end of the hallway.

"Your son." She said softy.

"What about him?"

"He has his Father's sense of humor." She whispered. She pushed herself from the door and walked up to him. He smiled softly. "I told him it had been a long day. He said that's an understatement."

He chuckled. "That's my boy."

"Yes. Well," Elsie turned towards their room. "Shall we? I'd rather get this over and done with."

"May I speak to Anna first?" Charles asked.

"If she's still awake, I'll check on Gwen." She said softly and moved to Gwen's room.

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"Anna?" He said softly as he stuck his head into the room.

"Papa?"

"May I come in?"

"Yeah." She replied hesitantly sitting up and watched him as he came and sat where her Mother sat earlier. He grabbed her hand and held it between his large hands.

After I few seconds he finally spoke. "You know, you remind me of your Mother when she was pregnant with you."

"How?"

"Well she was about 4 months or so along when we met. She didn't tell me she was pregnant until she was 5 months. She didn't quite show so she didn't have to worry about me finding out until later. When she did finally tell me, she was expecting me to leave her." He explained softly as he rubbed her hand. She watched him with bright tearful eyes. "As you could expect, I was upset." She smiled. "I told her I thought we had a strong enough relationship that she could tell me something of this nature. She said that she didn't want to lose me because of some mistake she had made. I had to explain to her that, even though we hadn't known each other long, I cared her enough, to accept her with a child. " He finally looked at her. "I have never came to regret that decision. Do you know why?" She shook her head slowly. "Because, I became a Father, when she was born. I knew I couldn't abandon her, like her real Father did."

"Is that the only reason, Papa?" Anna asked.

"Of course not." He replied softly, looking back at their hands. "I know I made a mistake with having an affair. I just hope your Mother can forgive me."

"What about Gwen and Thomas?"

"I hope they will forgive me as well as you, for treating your Mother the way I have these past few months." He tried to explain. She shook her head. "I want you will forgive me, Anna."

"Why should I?" She asked sternly pulling her hand back.

"I can't give you a reason to forgive me. I did a horrible thing."

"You did."

"Yes." He cleared his throat. "Well, I'll let you get some rest, I need to speak with your Mother."

She nodded. "Papa?"

"Yes?"

"Don't be surprised if she doesn't forgive you."

"I'm not expecting it."

"Good." Anna replied. "Night, Papa."

"Good night." He responded, kissing her forehead and left her room.

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Elsie was sitting against the head board with Gwen resting her head on her chest while running her hands through her daughter's hair.

"Are you going to kick him out?" Gwen asked softly.

"You don't need to worry about that now. Your Father and I will figure things out between us and then talk to you three when we've come to a decision."

"Is what Thomas said true? Are you and Papa going to get a divorce?"

"We'll let you know when the time comes. I'm not sure when your Father and I will get things settled between us."

"Okay." Gwen said burrowing herself more into her Mother's chest. Elsie pulled her close.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, Mama. You've done nothing wrong."

"This was the last thing that I had expected to happen." Elsie explained. "I never wanted this for you children."

"Well it's too late for that Mama." Gwen said.

"You're right. Now we just have to adjust to what life has thrown at us." Elsie replied softly. "Now, you should get some sleep." She stood up and tucked Gwen in and kissed her forehead.

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He walked into the room. "Is Gwen in bed?"

"She is. Went out like a light. Poor dear is confused. I'm sure the day wore her out."

"Hmm...good."

Elsie stood as he sat at the end of their bed. "When?"

"When what?"

"You know when Charles." She said sternly. He sighed. "You need to be honest with me."

"I know, Darling."

"Don't you dare call me that Charles Carson. You gave up that right when you got your secretary pregnant. The only thing you can call me is Elsie."

"Els..."

"Not even that."

"Very well, Elsie." He started. "It was about 5 months ago, when we had a bad argument about what, I can't remember. I stayed at work late to avoid the situation here. She happened to stay late, too."

"Why would she wait until now to bring up that she's pregnant? Why not when she actually found out?"

"She said that she was scared that she would miscarriage and waited until her second trimester."

"I suppose that's understandable. What happened that night?"

"We started talking, had a few drinks, I vented to her about my personal life. One thing led to another."

"Why?"

"I lost myself. I thought I had lost you. She gave me comfort which you didn't give me through out this last year. I just had a moment of weakness and gave into her."

"Was it before or after the last time we were together?"

"Before. The guilt I felt was so immense that I thought that the only way to make it up to myself and you."

"So after being with that woman," Elsie explained harshly. "you thought that you had better make it up to yourself by touching me, making love to me, having me think that we'd get through this. That I'd be alright or forgive you when you'd told me of your so called mistake, that I'd forgive you because we had connected again in a way only a husband and wife should." She paused. "Or were you going to even tell me?"

"I was going to. I never expected her to get pregnant from that."

"Oh of course not. Just because you couldn't get your own wife pregnant the natural way, you never thought other women could either."

He stood. "Your putting words into my mouth, Elsie. Alice.."

"Don't say her name in my bedroom." She hissed.

"Our." He corrected.

"Not anymore."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"What are you expecting me to do, Charles?" She asked firmly. "Let you stay here in the place where we created and built a family, where we made love out of comfort when we knew we couldn't have anymore children? What if I had slept with someone else and gotten pregnant from it? Would you have forgiven me and let me sleep in the same bed as you when you had found out? Beside, you're the one asking for a divorce so you can marry her."

He took a deep breath and sat down again. "Els.." She glared. He ignored her and stood and stepped towards her and put his hand on her cheek. "I am so sorry. I pray that one day you will forgive me. I never wanted this to happen."

"But it did." She said not pulling away with her eyes full of tears. "Why would you do it? After everything that we've been through together? After the children, the cancer." she finished softly.

His eyes welled with tears. "Oh Els." He sobbed. He gently reached to pull her to him. She hesitantly let him. "I'm so sorry. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I hope you will over time." She held him tighter. "That will be a while, Charles. Don't expect it to be any time soon."

"I'm wouldn't expect anything different." He pulled back. "I'll start packing."

"Wait until tomorrow. We both need to get some rest." She explained and went into the bathroom to change.

When she came out he was grabbing his pillows and a blanket from the chest under the window. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to sleep on the couch."

"Not with your back."

"What do you expect me to do then?"

"You can stay until you leave."

"Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything."

"Will it hurt you?"

"A few more nights won't." She said looking down at the floor and went to her side of the bed.

"Alright." He said and left to the bathroom.

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"Are you awake?" She asked to his back. It was almost two in the morning. She watched as he breathed in deeply and turned onto his back.

"I am."

"Sorry if I woke you up."

"You didn't. I haven't really fallen asleep. Too many things on my mind."

"Same with me." She turned to her side facing him. He soon followed.

"When will we tell the children?" He asked.

"Maybe when they are done with homework when they're home from school tomorrow."

"That sounds reasonable to me." He said. He looked down and seen her hand resting between them. He slowly reached out and laid his hand on hers. She looked down at their hands and then up to his eyes. "I love you Els."

She smiled softly and shook her head. "I love you too, Charlie." He smiled back. As the looked into each others eyes, they both unconsciously leaned forward and kissed.

Charles pulled back. "I'm sorry..."

"I'm not." Elsie said cutting him off, kissing him again. They got closer and their kissing deepened until Charles was over Elsie and his leg between hers. Eventually their lust over took them and ended up making love until they were both spent.

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