"I should have come to you first; you're the smartest person I know." Trent admitted to her while still looking into his hands. She sat silent next to him in the Lane living room, listening to him. "This whole thing with dad- kind of took me by surprise." His hand found hers next to him on the couch. "I guess I just needed to sort some things out. I'm gonna head out-" he gave her hand a gentle squeeze before leaving. She stayed there a few moments more looking into the space that he walked out of long after he'd left.

He didn't even look at me. I know he's hurting, but that's what I'm here for- to help. I can't help him if he won't let me. I just wish that he would talk to me…..

"Hurts don't it? Well get used to it; that's what the men in this family do best- leave." Penney's unsympathetic voice spoke from the doorway. The young woman on the couch remained unmoving. Penney came closer as she spoke, "Well, look at Wind; do you see his wife anywhere around and on such a mournful occasion. Why do you think that is? I'll tell you," she'd rounded to face the young woman still sitting on the couch, "'cause instead of staying and working through whatever their current problem is, he ran back home like always. Now Trent is following suite. He hasn't stayed her one night, nor has he bothered to have a decent conversation with anyone here. He just swooped in to brighten mom's day for a few moments and now he's probably going back to some grungy hotel to shack up with one of his on the road groupies or maybe he and Monique-"

"Penney, that's enough." Summer came into the room taking strong and sure steps.

"I should be going," the young woman rose and after giving each woman a cursory look, she left.

"Thank you for coming," Summer said softly and the girl nodded before leaving. Summer turned back to Penney. "I know that you are going through pain, but you aren't the only person that lost here; he was our father too- Wind, Trent, Jane, and mine. You don't get to corner the market on missing him. We all do."

"Really- sis? Cause from where I'm standing everyone has taken this to be another opportunity to wallow in the cesspools of their own lives. Jane has a parade of friends wiping the corners of her eyes, and oh- did I mention the 'boyfriend', that just happens to be our old teacher. They were out there on the lawn pawing each other, like it was okay or something. Then there's Wind-doting on Jane like she really needs another groupie in her mix and the pathetic thing is, she doesn't even notice him- not if he isn't Trent. Ah yes, Trent…..the musician. He spent his entire life doing exactly whatever he wanted, which was nothing; dad dies and instead of coming home, he decides to stay somewhere else, but oh he does have time to visit an old girlfriend."

Summer looked at her sister that stood there so filled with rage and looking very much like her teenage self.

"And what about me Penney? What is it that I've done to add to your anger?"

"You've-" she looked back at her sister, but her mother's form came into view just behind Summer. Summer turned to look at her mother.

"Mom, can I get you something?"

Amanda looked at her daughters; as awful as losing Vincent had been, it had been so lovely to see all of her children together and since she was widow-

My god I'm a widow now!

As a widow she could remain quiet and watch; this allowed her to see not just the physicality's that they shared with her husband, but the mannerisms that she was certain none of them would ever own up to. Trent had the strongest look like Vincent, in large part because of his hair; Wind has that strong chin, Penney and Summer both carried Vincent's expressions, whether in joyous times or anger like she saw in Penney now.

"Sit down children….." she waited until Penney and Summer both sat down, "you can join us too Jane, Wind." She called out to the other two siblings that had remained hidden from view in the kitchen. They both came in and each took whatever seats were available. "We never really elaborated about our childhoods- your father and I, well there are reasons for that, mainly my own. Mine was not a joyous situation and when I met your father we shared similar feelings of loneliness. I had no family and he often felt alone in his large family. Our connection was immediate. His family was not too happy about our union either." Amanda shook her head to free herself from the pasts sticky fingers before continuing. "I know that each of you have your issues with your father and I, such is the case with most parents; I just want you all to know that though you may not understand it, your father and I gave you all the very best that we could by allowing you the freedom to be the wonderful people that you are. Each of you," she looked from person to person with a partial smile on her lips, "have such talent and gifts. It has been such an honor to be able to hold back and allow you all to grow; we have always been so proud of how well you've all done. Summer, you put all of your focus on making sure that your kids are taken care of, whether they like it or night; Wind, you still fight the good fight for love without letting it get you down, Jane you're going to college and from what Helen Morgendorffer tells me, you are flourishing beautifully while doing something that you love, and Penney you're still trying uncompromisingly to make a difference in places that are in great need of your strength and conviction. There's no need for you to be so angry, each of us feels it and we all deal with it in our own ways; it is important for us to remember that no matter where life may take us, we are family. We are the Lanes." They all sat in respective silence for a while until one by one they went back to their respective rooms and thought about what would be next for them collectively and individually.

Hotel room….

He didn't ask you to come, why are you here? You said that you wanted to give him space. Turn around and leave.

She stood in the hallway, arm raised to knock on his door with her doubts about this surprise visit plaguing her.

This is what supportive girlfriends do. They give- um- support, in this case Trent might not know that he needs this support…..but he does. He's probably been drinking with the guys or writing some maudlin music. Good thing I brought some comfort food with me. Here goes everything.

She knocked on the door and took a deep breath.

"Hi, you a friend of Candy's?" the bleach blonde that answered the door asked in far too perky a tone for this time of evening.

"No- I- I must have the wrong room." She paused a beat, "Is Trent here?"

"Ummm, let's see," the blonde went back inside, leaving the young woman at the door feeling suddenly very foolish.

"Hey, what's up?" Nick's half naked form appeared at the doorway. "Trent's not-"

"Stop."

I'll be dammed if I start crying over something as- as- typical as this. He knows I'm here, so he has to know what I think could be happening in there. Why isn't he here telling me some incredulous story about what happened? –or at least attempting a lame assed one?

She handed Nick the basket and walked away forcing her head to stay high. She wanted to be sad, but her anger was holding tight.

You jerk! Blowing me off, so you could get your jollies from some- some- Candy!

"Ow!"

"Hey, watch it!" Shalah's voice seemed to come from nowhere. Her friend had barreled into her without so much as noticing that it was her. "What're you doin' here?" Shalah took one look at her and knew that she was clearly pissed about something.

"Having a drink downstairs." She spoke in clipped angry tones. Shalah followed knowing that this could lead to some very out of control behavior. They sat at the bar and Shalah watched as her friend downed a couple of shots and effectively began to launch into the musings of the faults of every man everywhere.

You owe me for this Lane…..

Shalah listened with growing amusement at the young women's sometimes spot on observations about the opposite sex. And the night moved on…..