A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

"Georgia, why don't you slow down a little on your pony?" She continues giving her Radio Flyer Bounce Pony a fit while I help hold her in place. Raygan is watching her sister from the floor. "Raygan, do you want to ride your pony?"

"No.", she answers as she gets up and runs out of the room. I hurriedly pick Georgia up so I can catch up to Raygan. Just as I'm about to step into the hallway, I see Christian has the situation under control and Raygan in his arms.

"Where were you going?", he asks, kissing her through her giggles. He then kisses Georgia and me. "What are you ladies up to?"

"Georgia was on her pony, and Raygan was watching."

"Let's go downstairs for a few minutes." I nod and follow him downstairs where Taylor and Gail seem to be waiting on us. "I asked Taylor if he and Gail would keep on an eye on the twins while we talked." I'm almost certain he wants to discuss the situation with Clarissa. It was hard listening to her being verbally abused Saturday was shattering but having to leave her was even worse. Christian promised that he would do everything he could to help her. One thing about my husband is he always keeps his word.

"Go to Ms. Gail and Mr. Taylor.", I tell Georgia and Raygan as Gail and Taylor take the twins. "Mommy and Daddy will be back soon, and then we'll have dinner." Christian and I go to the study where he picks up a folder from his desk. We sit down on the sofa while I await the reveal of the folder's contents.

"First of all, how have you been feeling today?", he asks.

"I've been a little tired, but I took advantage of the girls' nap time and had a nap myself."

"Music to my ears. You need all the rest you can get which reminds me that Mom's friend Vickie said she would stop by when it was convenient for us so we can discuss one of the nanny positions. We still need to find someone to fill the other spot."

"Gail and I were talking about this topic earlier. What do you think about Gail switching to nanny? She already does excellent when she and Emily watch the sweet peas. We can still hire someone to help her and get another person to take over as housekeeper." He leans back on the sofa and processes my suggestion.

"Georgia and Raygan love Gail and would be more comfortable.", he says. "It would also be easier for them to get adjusted to being looked after by one new person as opposed to two new people."

"Yeah. So?"

"I like the idea. Now back to what I want to discuss with you." He holds the folder up and sighs. "Before I show you this, I need you to promise me that you're going to let me take the lead with it. Deal?"

"Deal."

"The owner of the house where we dropped Clarissa off is a forty-year old woman by the name of Donna Myers. She's never been married but has one daughter...Clarissa. Donna's worked in odd and end jobs for most of her life but nothing lasts for long. Her mother passed away a few years ago, leaving the house which Donna and Clarissa live in. The neighbors have complained about Donna being drunk and disorderly in her yard, but nothing has been done. However, she's been arrested for DUI three times, the most recent being two months ago."

"How does she support herself and especially her daughter?", I ask as I feel even more devastated for Clarissa.

"Clarissa's grandmother left some money to her mother. I assume that's what she's been using to get by. Five thousand dollars was placed in an account for Clarissa, but it can't be touched until she turns eighteen which is in October. Welch spoke with the attorney in charge of Clarissa's grandmother's estate. He's the only one who has access to the account but said Donna has contacted him about getting into it."

"So she can take her daughter's money? Unfreakingbelievable. The woman's probably wasted all of her money and sees an opportunity with Clarissa's account."

"The attorney denied her request. He's making sure the money stays in the account. Although five thousand may not seem like a lot to some, Clarissa's grandmother saved it over the years in hopes of helping Clarissa go to college."

"I just don't understand how a mother can be so selfish and not give a damn about her child." Christian's face tightens as my words roll out. The reminder of what his mother put him through surface. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault my birth mother loved her crack.", he shrugs. "I don't remember a lot of my time with her, but being screamed at stands out. When I heard Clarissa's mother the other day, I felt like I was back in the run down apartment I used to live in. I was lucky that I was found by my parents. Now I plan to return the favor and help Clarissa get out."

"What's the next move?"

"I placed a call with the Department of Children's Services who said they would look into Clarissa's home life. With Clarissa not having any other family, she'll be placed in a group home if the DCS finds anything.", he answers.

"A group home.", I sigh.

"She'll be taken care of there. She can leave when she turns eighteen."

"And go where?" I'm beginning to get frustrated, not with Christian but at the hardships Clarissa was handed. "I don't want her to sleep on the streets."

"Ana, it won't come to that. We won't let that happen."

"Maybe we can let her stay here. We have more than enough room."

"I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. Yes we do have the space and the capabilities to let her stay, but we also have two babies and two others on the way who are going to need our undivided attention. As much as I'd like to do whatever I can for Clarissa, I don't want to do so at the expense of our kids. We'll figure something out.", he says as the partially closed study door opens. Running into the room with Taylor trailing behind is Georgia.

"She's fast.", he mutters, catching his breath. Christian gets up and scoops Raygan in his arms.

"You're being a little mischievous today, huh?" Raygan puckers her lips and kisses Christian's cheek. "Aww."

"What were you saying about her being mischievous?", I tease.

"I don't recall making such a comment.", he laughs. "Does this look like a mischievous face?" As if cue, Raygan turns and bats her long lashes.

"Jason, you need to run a little faster.", Gail giggles while coming into the study with Georgia.

"Or Raygan needs to run a little slower.", he tells Gail.

"I feel terrible for her.", Haley murmurs after I fill her in on Clarissa. "You said she's going to stop by one day."

"Yeah. I told her I'd give her the book she had the other day. I've got it in one of the drawers along with some other books she might also like. Reading is a perfect escape from real life even if it's for brief."

"We've got company on the way.", Sawyer says with a nod towards the door. Clarissa cautiously walks into the store. She freezes upon seeing Sawyer. "I'm not going to call the police on you."

"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused the other day.", she tells him. She glances at the counter where Haley and I are standing. "Ana said I could stop by, but if I'm not welcome, I'll completely understand. My behavior during my last visit was inexcusable."

"We all do things we aren't proud of.", Haley replies. "You're more than welcome here." After grabbing the bag holding the book she tried to steal the other day in addition to the others I picked out, I move towards Clarissa.

"Here's the book. I also have four other books you might enjoy. They're poetry compilations." She slowly takes the bag, studying it until looking up with tears.

"I don't get you. Why are you being so nice to me when you don't even know me?", she asks.

"How about we go and talk? It won't take long." I almost expect her to say no, but she surprises me and nods. "This way." She follows me to the office where we sit down in the orange leather chairs Gwen found a few weeks ago. "When we took you home the other day, we couldn't help but hear yelling."

"I'm sorry about that." She becomes jittery, tapping her finger against her knee. "My mom can be a little loud."

"It sounded like more was going on. Does she act like that a lot?"

"Again, I ask, why do you care? All you basically know about me is that I like poetry."

"I tend to be good at reading people and know when someone needs help. Clarissa, your mom sounded drunk. Is that a common thing in your house?", I ask.

"If by common you mean everyday, then yeah, pretty much. She likes her alcohol. I've tried to get her to meetings and even rehab. She went to one meeting and said it wasn't her thing. I try to stay out of her way most of the time by burying my head in books.

"Has she ever hit you?"

"A few times when she's been drunk. I shake it off and tell myself that she won't remember it." I want to scream at her mother and demand that she wakes up to see the pain she's causing. "I need to go but thank you for the books. I appreciate them more than you know." While she's placing the bag inside her purse, I reach for a piece of paper and write down both my phone number and address.

"I want you to have my number and address. Call or stop by if you need anything even if you think it's nothing." She takes the paper and shoves it into her pocket.

"I'm sure I won't need it but thanks."

"I've got a confession.", Grace says as we're sitting in the living room with our banana pudding following dinner. She took me up on my dinner invitation after I learned both Christian and Carrick would be working late. "I'm kind of glad Carrick and Christian couldn't have dinner with us. I like our dinners and after dinner talks."

"I like them too. Georgia and Raygan seem to as well." Georgia and Rayagn had dinner with us, jabbering throughout, but they fell asleep shortly after we finished eating. Grace helped me tuck them in which Christian was sad he wouldn't be here to do.

"They're going to be adorable flower girls in the wedding. I can't believe it's three weeks away. I asked Elliot if he's nervous, and he said not at all."

"They're going to have a wonderful marriage. Elliot and Emily compliment each other well." Sawyer comes inside the house from doing his perimeter checks. He smiles at Grace before looking at me oddly. "What's wrong?"

"I was out front when a taxi pulled up. Uh, Clarissa is here and needs to talk.", he answers. I put my bowl on the coffee table and stand, sensing Sawyer is holding back from me.

"What are you not telling me?"

"I'll go and get her."

"Clarissa is the girl you were telling me about during dinner.", Grace says. She and I discussed Clarissa briefly after sensing something was bothering me. I'm about to respond when Sawyer comes back into the house with Clarissa holding on to him for support. Her lip is bloody and her eye is black. "Oh my god."

"Clarissa, what happened?", I ask while Sawyer and I help her to the sofa. She sits down and shakes her head in silence. "Did you mother do this?"

"She was out of vodka, and I refused to go buy her more. She was already wasted. I didn't see her fist coming towards my face until it was too late.", she sobs. "Then she shoved me towards the door and told me to get out and never come back. She kept screaming as I ran down the steps. I ended up tripping. That's what happened to my lip. Anyway, I walked until I saw a taxi. I gave him your address. I was in such a hurry that I didn't realize I didn't have the money to pay him until I got here." She points at Sawyer. "I swear I'll pay you back when I get the money."

"Don't worry about it.", he tells her.

"We should get you to the hospital to get you checked out.", I say.

"No. I'm fine. My eye hurts a lot, but that's the extent of it. I didn't mean to interrupt your evening."

"I'm glad you came here. You're going to be ok."