The next morning Gabriella got up early to make her mother's favorite, breakfast burritos with peppers and sausage and potatoes on the side.

"Don't you touch those potatoes", she warned Leo when she heard him come down the stairs.

"How did you know it was me", he asked amazed. She never even turned around.

"I know what your footsteps sound like", she answers putting a plate of sausage on the island with a smile. Leo just shakes his head as he takes a piece of sausage.

Just then, Maria steps into the kitchen from the stairs. "Good morning", she greets with a smile for her children.

Gabriella and Leo both turn to her with a smile. "Happy Mother's Day", they say in unison.

The happy mother goes to Leo first and plants a kiss on his forehead. Then, she walks around the island to give Gabriella a kiss and hug as well. She sits beside Leo at the island as Gabriella puts their burritos down in front of them.

Gabriella goes back to the stove and brings her own burrito to the island to eat. She stops and prays before starting in on her food, but as she goes to cut into her food she notices the looks on her mother and brother's faces. "What", she asks knowing why they looked so confused, but confused herself as to why they look so upset.

"I don't think I've seen you pray since your papi died", Maria said touched.

It was true. After the death of their father, Gabriella and Leo stopped praying, and, when she got to college, Gabriella stopped going to church altogether. In hindsight, Gabriella realized that, perhaps, that was how Martin was able to fool her. She had been an emotional mess when she got to Stanford, still grieving the death of her childhood hero.

Looking back, Gabriella realized that she was weak. She wasn't strong enough, mentally or spiritually, to resist Martin's sinful charm. Now, she had Troy, a wonderful man, and she was so angry with herself. She hated that she had given her body to a man that she didn't love. Oh, she had thought that she loved Martin, at the time, but, looking back, she realized that she didn't love him quite as much as she loved Troy.

Gabriella knew that she was falling hard for Troy, but she could also see that he was falling for her as well, and, because of that love, he was re-introducing her to the God she had thought abandoned her when her father died.

"You can thank Troy for that, Mama", she explained. "I've been going to church with him and his family."

The Montezes had never been devoted church goers, but both Maria and Jorge were raised Roman Catholic, and Gabriella and Leo had been baptized, but it had been years since they been to confession, let alone mass. As much as Maria wanted to see her daughter with a nice, sweet, Roman Catholic young man, at this point, she would be happy with anyone that got Gabriella back in church. She had been praying for a long time that her baby girl would find her way back to God.

"Do you like the church", she asked shocking Gabriella.

She had been expecting a fight, but, rather than instigate one, she simply answered. "I do. The people have been so nice and welcoming."

"Good, Mija", was the simple reply.

Feeling like she had cleared the first big hurdle, Gabriella brought up her next topic. "I was thinking I might drive around and find a Baptist church. I'd like to go to church this morning." She said all of that with head down, cutting her food. When she looked up she found Leo and her mother looking at her.

Leo looked like he was waiting for the in suing tirade, but it never came. Maria only said, "There's a new church out on Highway 10. I think it's Baptist." Then she looked at Leo. "Son go get dressed. We'll all go to church."

Gabriella smiled pleased that her mother was willing to go to a different church. Meanwhile, Leo looked like he might argue, but it was Mother's Day. If Maria wanted to go to church, then they would.

So, the Montezes dispersed to their seperate rooms to get ready for church. An hour later, everyone was ready and, after Leo Googled the church to find the time that their service started, they headed out the door. When they got to the church they found a packed parking lot. After riding around for ten minutes, they found the last spot, and Gabriella thanked the Lord that He provided it for them. Taking a deep breath, not sure why she was so nervous, she opened the car door and stepped out. The four of them walked into the church and found people milling about, going in every direction. Seeing the unsure looks on their faces, someone finally stopped.

"New faces", he said with a genuine smile. "Welcome to Calvary Baptist Church." The man offered his hand to shake. "I'm Roscoe Green the pastor here."

"It's good to meet you", Gabriella spoke first. "I'm Gabriella Montez. This is my brother, Leo, my mother, Maria, and my grandmother, Valentina."

Pastor Green smiled as he greeted each of them. "It's good to meet you all. I hope you enjoy today's service. I have to get ready. I'll look forward to hearing what you think after the service."

With that, he was off and the Montezes turned to the door of the sanctuary where they saw a kind looking, older man giving out programs.

"Good morning", he said with a big smile. "New faces", he observed and the Montezes all nodded. "My name is Luis Cortez", he introduced himself. As Luis handed each member of the family a program they introduced themselves as well as they walked into the sanctuary. They stopped inside and watched the flurry of people buzzing around the room as they scanned the pews for a place that would fit them all. Finally, Gabriella spotted an empty pew and lead her family that way. As they got themselves comfortable Pastor Roscoe came to the pulpit.

"Good morning, everyone", he greeted. "Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers." He smiled out to the crowd as the mothers all smiled and nodded their thanks. He smiled and looked down at the program in his hand and launched into the important announcements. Then he smiled out to the crowd again and said, "let's greet one another", as he stepped off of the stage and people started to mingle. Several people came to say hello to the Montezes before everyone sat and the band came up on the stage.

Gabriella listened intently as the music played, and she felt bad, because all she kept thinking was how The Wildcats sounded better than this band. She did enjoy the songs though, and she couldn't wait to get home and have Troy listen to them.

After a few songs by the praise band, the children's ministry leader came up and did a short lesson with the children before taking them off to Children's Church. Pastor Green came up and spoke on Jesus's final moments on the cross when He had taken time to ensure that His mother would be taken care of.

That was a concept that had escaped Gabriella the first time she read it with Troy, but it made sense. Jesus was Mary's oldest son. It would have fallen to Him to make sure she was taken care after Joseph had died. So, knowing that He was dying, He commanded that John take care of her. It was amazing to think that, even as He suffered, Jesus was thinking about someone other than Himself, and it made Gabriella think, Could I do that? Could I put someone else's well being before my own even as I died? She wasn't sure, but looking at Maria, she knew that her mother would do anything for her own children. It was an example that Gabriella would always try to live up to.

After church Leo and Gabriella took Maria and Valentina to lunch and the Downtown Aquarium. The four of them spent a wonderful afternoon together, but, every once in a while, Maria noticed a saddness in Gabriella's eyes. She wanted to know what was behind that look, but she didn't want to have that talk with her daughter in public, so she resolved to revisit the topic later.

Gabriella was sad, but she didn't understand why. She had been so excited to visit her family. She'd been looking forward to it for months. So, why did she feel so melancholy?

The answer came when they got to the lizard exhibit. One look at the scaley, cold blooded creatures and all Gabriella could think about was how much Ethan would love that particular exhibit. At six, lizards fascinated Ethan, but he was not yet brave enough to ask Troy for one as a pet.

Gabriella stopped mid thought. Why was she thinking about a child that wasn't her own? The answer was simple. She was falling in love with both father and son. She didn't know when it had happened, but, she realized now, that it had, and she smiled.

That night, after a wonderful day spent as a family, Gabriella stood in front of her suitcase packing to go home when there was a knock at her door. "Come in", she called.

"Packing, Mija", Maria asked as she walked into the room.

"Yes", Gabriella sighed as she laid another blouse in her suitcase.

"Will Taylor be waiting for you at the airport?" Taylor was one of Maria's favorites among her daughter's friends.

"No", Gabriella answered blushing lightly. "Troy is coming to pick me up."

Maria smiled at that. "Oh", was all she said.

"What does that mean", Gabriella asked knowing there were multiple meanings in her mother's words.

"It simply means, "oh"", Maria anwered, not wanting to give herself away just yet. "So you like him", she continued.

All Gabriella could do was smile. Her smile stretched off of her face. "I like him alot, Mami", she replied around her grin.

All Maria could do was hug her daughter. "I happy for you, Mija, but when do I get to meet him?"

"I don't know. When I get home, we'll talk about it and I'll let you know."

"Sounds good", Maria said as she played with Gabriella's long silky hair. "Good night, Mija. Try to get some sleep."

"Good night, Mama." Maria left the room and Gabriella continued packing until she heard her phone buzzing. She smiled when she saw who was calling. "Hello", she greeted. "Were ears burning?"

"Talking about me again, were you?"

Gabriella giggled. "Only a little", was all she said.

"I miss you", was Troy's only response.

Gabriella gasped softly. "I miss you too", she whispered breathlessly.

"Ethan wants you home too", Troy went on. "He misses you almost as much as I do."

That made Gabriella smile. "Well the two of you don't have much longer to miss me. I should be home by about noon."

"And I'll be at the airport to pick you up", Troy assured. "Isn't it late there? What are you doing still awake?"

The concern in his voice warmed her heart. "I'm just finishing my packing. I'm going to bed as soon as I'm done."

"Okay", he said. "Make sure you're rested. Ethan wants to show you what he taught Bear."

Gabriella chuckled at the mention of Ethan and his new best friend. She couldn't wait to get home to her guys. Her guys? Whem did she start thinking of them as hers?

Probably about the same time that she gave her heart to Troy. She smiled at that thought, because, as scared as she used to be to give her heart away again, she knew that Troy would take care of it.