A/N:I just want to get everyone prepared. Grandpa and Nana Reid have some things to tell Spencer and Emily. First, Diana has some things to tell Emily. Get ready.

Chapter 14: Nana talks to Mommy

Present Day

The Reid-Prentiss Household

The Next Morning

Just like Emily promised, Grandpa and Nana Reid were there when the girls got up. The girls were excited, and started asking Nana a thousand questions. It took both Emily and William a little while to get the girls focused, dressed and out the door for school.

After the girls were gone, the adults had breakfast, and William supervised Diana taking her medication. He took the rental to see Spencer at the hospital. Right before he left, though, he said," Diana, don't forget to call Dr. Norman. He's expecting your call."

"I'll remember. Go talk with Spencer."

After he left, she looked at Emily and said," Emily, I think it's time we had a talk, about Spencer and William."

"Oh?" Emily had always found Diana a little hard to read. She had always assumed that Diana shared Spencer's anger towards William for leaving. Right now, however, she got the feeling Diana had some compassion for William. The truth was Diana's tone of voice was one Emily often had, when she was explaining Spencer to people.

"You wanted Will to come here, because of something was bothering Spencer. You want him to talk to Spencer."

"Don't you think it's about time the two of them talk about it?" Emily asked Diana.

"About what?"

"Diana, you know what. He puts on a brave face, but Spencer is still profoundly upset by his father abandoning you two."

"He didn't."

"Yes he did."

"No, Emily, he didn't."

Emily sighed. It was like this with Diana sometimes. She didn't know where she was or what had happened. There was a time when Diana thought Emily was a grad student of hers Spencer had a crush on.

"Diana, William left you two when Spencer was 10."

"He stopped living with us, that's true, but he didn't abandon us. And if Spencer is upset, he should be upset at both of us, not just Will."

"Diana, it wasn't your fault."

"How do you know Emily?"

"Diana, William chose to leave you and his son."

"Emily, you know what Spencer thinks he knows. You and I both know how extraordinary Spencer's mind is. But we also know how unreliable his memory is regarding deeply emotional times."

"What are you saying?"

"I think it's time you know about what happened. I want William to tell Spencer, but I don't think he will."

"Of course not. Why would he want to explain why he left?"

"He's afraid of doing more damage."

"What more damage could he do?"

"Has Spencer ever talked to you about the night the girls were born?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I know what happened that night. I know how bad things got. Your mother was there. So was William. He was a business trip, and called about getting together with you two. You were on your way to the hospital though, because you couldn't feel them kick."

"What's your point?"

"They did an emergency C-section on you. After the girls were born, you developed an infection. Spencer was afraid you were going to die."

"I know that." It was almost a whisper. They didn't talk about that night, but she knew how bad it was. She knew how scared Spencer got that night. It was one story she had no intention of telling the girls for a long time.

"Did you know he broke down in the waiting room?"

"Again, Diana, why does this matter?"

"Because, when he thought you might die, he was afraid of being a father. And that's when William told Spencer the truth."

"What are you talking about? What truth?"

"Spencer told you I gues, that before he left William and I fought all the time. Did he tell you what we fought about?"

"It was about your health. I guess it was getting too much for Willaim to deal with every day."

"Not exactly. He wanted to commit me, like Spencer did. Only I wouldn't let him."

Emily considered that for a minute. "Why didn't he? I mean, Spencer had no trouble committing you. And William's a lawyer, so he would have had an easier time doing it. If that's what he wanted to do."

"Except he's my husband, and I was holding him to two promises he made the day Spencer was born."

"Promises?"

"I made him promise not to ever take Spencer away from me and not to put me in a hospital unless I consent."

"Why did he make that promise?"

"New fathers make promises, especially when they love their wife. I told you, he didn't abandon us. I told him to leave. He couldn't stand what was happening to me. He couldn't stand that I couldn't see I needed to be in a hospital. And he couldn't break his promise to me. I told him if he wouldn't stop talking about hospitals, he had to leave. So he left."

"Diana, that doesn't make sense."

"It did to us. Aren't there things that make sense to you and Spencer that don't make sense to any one else?"

The two women sat in silence for a while. Diana broke the silence. "I have to call Dr. Norman for our daily phone session. But I want you to read these, you need to read these." Diana took some letters out of her journal and placed them in front of Emily. Then she walked into the kitchen to use the phone.

Emily read the first one. Looking at the date, it would have been a few weeks after William had left. It read:

Diana,

It's been only a few weeks since I've seen you and I feel empty inside. I don't think anyone realizes it, but you would if you saw me.

I don't regret the promises I made or keeping them. I only regret the consequence. Say the word or come see me and I will come. But I still feel you need help. More help than I can give. More help than just doctors appointments can give.

You know I'm right. Someday, I hope you call or write or come and say you're ready. Until then, I will respect your wishes. I have already made sure you and Spencer will be taken care of until then.

I only ask one thing of you right now, don't tell Spencer about the promises. Don't explain it to him. I know he's a wonder, but he's not ready to understand this. Let him a child. We both know how extraordinary he is, but let him a boy for right now. He doesn't need to understand this. I know he will come to hate me for a while, but if it means he can be a boy for a while, I will bear it.

I think you owe me at least that much.

Emily put the letter down. She had to think about this for a while.