"You're getting upset because I slept with other women before we met? We haven't even slept together and you're already getting weird, Sara."

"Could you lower your voice, please? Your daughter doesn't need to hear every detail of our conversation," Sara said through gritted teeth.

"You asked me a question. You asked if I slept with Sofia. I want to answer that," Catherine said, her voice calmer than it had been during her previous response.

"You know what, Catherine. You don't owe me any explanations. We both have pasts. The world just doesn't know all about mine," Sara realized she had gone too far with the last statement.

"I was a dancer," Catherine said.

"A stripper, to be exact, right Cath?"

"Fuck you, Sara Sidle. And as for Sofia—I didn't have sex with her. I didn't make love to her. She fucked me. We went out drinking—mostly to drown our sorrows over what we couldn't have—and she ended up fucking me."

"Oh, so you couldn't have me, so you fuck Sofia. Really bright move there, Catherine. Maybe you should add whore to your job experiences. Nothing makes me want someone more than knowing that they fucked someone else because they couldn't have me."

Catherine quickly crossed the room and slapped Sara hard across the face. Without saying a word, Sara turned and left the room.

Catherine collapsed with her back against the bed and began sobbing, fearing that she had lost Sara without having really had her.

Lindsey was sitting on the couch when Sara entered the living room. Sara sat beside her and said, "Linds, can we talk? I mean, have a serious discussion."

"I guess so. Why would you want to talk to me? I'm just a kid."

"We both know that you're a lot brighter than most people give you credit for, kiddo." Her last remark garnered a smile from Lindsey.

"Look, what you walked in on back there, with your mom and me—I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

"The wrong idea? You mean you two aren't dating?" Lindsey asked with sincerity in her voice.

"No, we're not dating. I had hoped we might, but your mom and I have a lot of different feelings about things. I don't think it's a good idea for us to be together—to date. Your mom is a wonderful woman. She's bright, funny, gorgeous—and incredibly lucky to have a daughter like you. And I'm—well, I'm not certain I'm what she needs," Sara attempted to explain to the teen girl.

"Does this mean you're not going to be my friend anymore, Sara?" Lindsey asked with tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea, Lindsey."

"But what did I do wrong?"

She gathered the little girl in her arms and tried to explain further. "Lindsey, remember how your mom and dad were married once, and then they weren't?"

"Because they fought all the time and daddy hurt her and he drank a lot, right?"

"Exactly. Well, just like your daddy hurt your mom, I'm afraid I'll hurt her too. I was pretty mean to her a little while ago and I love you---and her—too much to ever hurt her. One day, someone is going to realize how wonderful your mom is and will make her extremely happy. And they'll love you so much, you won't know what to do," Sara explained to the youngest Willows. "Do you understand kiddo?"

"Yeah, I guess I do. I wish things were different though," Lindsey said through her tears.

"Me, too," was all Sara could muster to say as she sat Lindsey on the couch, kissed her on the head and walked out of the house.