"Like did you ever go to school with one? Or perhaps, maybe, I don't know, work with one? Have one as a neighbor? Or a boyfriend? Or a boss? Or possibly a cousin? He could just be about anywhere. Mom's not kept up with him. She never really told me much. Just his name and where she last heard he was living. Apparently they dated in college and went their separate ways when she found out she was having me. All I have is this picture from her college years."

Honestly, that little girl praddles on for ages and hands me the photo. The man in the photo resembles the Will that I saw in other pictures.

Some part of me just slips away into a panic mode. My thinking is not clear.

"What are you saying? Are you saying your mother told you that a William Traynor is your father?"

"Haven't you been listening? Yes. Now, how about we order something?"

"Any details other than this photo?"

"He had hair like me, Mum said. His mother's name is Camilla, father is a -um- well, I can't remember his name, and I think a sister. Why has something come to mind?!"

A explicit word swept across my brain that I won't say in front of this girl.

"Let's go." I snatch her by the arm and bloody run.

"Where are we going?!"

"To stop Will!"


I'm pretty sure that I almost broke the door off the annex when I finally drag Lily there. I scream and pound until a terrified Nathan flings the door open with a golf club hidden by his side.

"Lou? Have you lost your mind?!"

"Possibly." I burst through. "Is he here? He's not gone yet has he? NATHAN, WHERE IS HE?!" I yell as I move room to room. "Will?! Will, where are you? Please, don't be gone already."

"He and his parents have gone on ahead to the airport to get him situated on the plane. What in the world is happening?"

"I have got to get to him. Are you leaving now?"

"No, I'm not-."

"No. I have to get to him now. Right now."


The taxi ride was the most nerve racking drive I've ever been on; with giving Lily the quickest of all explanations on her father's condition and mission, but it still hardly made sense to her. It doesn't even make sense to me.

Nathan is the calmest of us.

Once in the airport, I buy three tickets to the plane that Will would be boarding or may have already.

At this point, I just know that Lily is going to have a horribly bruised wrist.

As I round the corners and terminals, I stumble repeatedly.

"Will! Answer me, Will Traynor!"

Yes, this does look like something from a cheesy romantic-comedy.

When we're stopped by security I tell them that I'm sorry, but that the love of my life was leaving without knowing I am pregnant and that I wanted to tell him in person because we've tried so hard for so long. Stupid, I know, but I don't have time for the legit reasoning for why I'm running ans screaming. But we are escorted rather quickly and when I see him and he gives that little smile of his, I cry and drop Lily's wrist.

I run and actually collapse onto Will.

"Dear Lord, Clark, are you trying to give the whole airport a good scare? What is the matter with you? And, what in the world are you wearing? One good sneeze and your breasts would pop out."

"Shut up and listen. Shut up, Will." Phew. I didn't realize how out of breath I am. "Listen." I slump onto the floor. Will, looking bewildered, turned his head to the young lady. Then, giving that ever so consistent look that I received when I first met him, Will looked at the girl like she could be stupid.

An expectant security guard stands over us and Nathan seems to have read my thought because he asked for a moment of privacy.

"Lily, go ahead."

"D-did you ever know some-so-someone named Tanya? Uhm. Tanya Houghton."

He's making her nervous and rattling her with those stern looks. Then again she just came face to face with her father for the first time.

"Sure, I did."

"College girlfriend, right?"

"Why is any of this relevant?"

"William, is everything alright? What is all this shouting?" Mrs. Traynor clacks her heels down to us and takes a glance over the group. "Who is this girl?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

Everyone just takes turns gazing without understanding at each other. Nathan to Will, Will to Lily, Lily to me, me to Mrs. Traynor, and Mrs. Traynor to Nathan.

"Oh for goodness sake! It's your daughter, Will! Don't go, please. You have a daughter."

The tic in his jaw starts while silence hangs over us.

"That's quite a low blow. I mean, I know that you don't want me to go, but it's my decision. You bring an actress here with some sloppy story thrown together from the facts I let on about. Out of all the people I trust, I thought you understood me the most."

"Don't be so stubborn. Look at her. That hair color, her eyes, that complexion."

"If you're my daughter, then why have you never bothered to come forward until now? Why wait all this time?"

"My mother kicked me out of the house two nights ago, told me to go find my father that maybe he could do something with me. I never of you. I mean, I knew that the man she was with wasn't my father, but I never knew who was. She never even told me your name until she kicked me out."

"Tanya Houghton kicking out her own? That woman wanted children more than anything. She'd cherish her children, I'm sure of it." Will scoffs.

"She didn't want me. She didn't want you to know about me. I wanted you all of my life. I just don't know what to say. I dreamed of this moment all of my life. I thought I'd find you and you'd suddenly love me and want to know all about my life and want to take me in. I thought you'd want me in crappy piano lessons and be into volunteer work. But, just like the everyone else in my life, why don't you go ahead and leave me too? I just have to be the stupidest person in the world to have actually believed that I was capable of being loved. But, why don't you just go ahead and kill yourself? I don't mean anything to anyone, I might as well die too." She throws the crumpled photo at him and turns to leave, but I grab her.

"Lily, don't talk like that." I reach out for her.

"No! I thought I actually would find a home where I was wanted. I thought there was a chance for me to be raised in a home where I looked forward to being there. Not being the scrappy hand-me-downs of an abandoned relationship. Neither of my parents want me! Don't tell me not to speak how I want!"

Nathan picks up the picture and shows it to Will then passes it to Mrs. Traynor.

"Yes, I remember this awful girl." Mrs. Traynor rolls her eyes back. "And, you're saying that you're my son's daughter?"

But, before any of us looked back up, Lily was gone.