"Mommy!" a strawberry-blonde four year old screeches as she runs through the park.

"Hi baby," her mother smiles as she scoops her up.

"I missed you so much,"

"I missed you too,"

"Mommy guess what?"

"What?"

"I learned how to tie my shoes,"

"Wow,"

"And I can write my name,"

"Wow,"

"And I can read too." she finishes.

"Wow you're getting so grown up,"

"Uh huh. I know I can count to fifty too,"

"Good. So are you hungry?"

"Uh huh. How'd you guess?"

"I don't know,"

"What are we going to have?" she asks as she takes her mother's sunglasses off her face.

"I think there's a happy meal around here somewhere," she replies as she looks around for a second.

"Mommy it's behind you,"

"Oh," she turns around and picks up the bag. When she looks at her daughter again she's wearing her sunglasses.

"You're goofy,"

"I know. Now can I eat?"

"Yes, but let's go sit at a picnic table,"

"K,"

And then she woke up. Those were the days. When all it took to please her daughter was a happy meal. As she thought about that day she could remember quite clearly. It was a week before Ava's fourth birthday. She could even remember what Ava was wearing. A little pink dress with flowers on it, and a pair of white sandals with tiny flowers on them. And of course the sunglasses she'd stolen.

Olivia reaches over in bed and finds that Elliot isn't in bed with her. Someone else was though. She almost has a panic attack but as she reaches her hand over she feels long, silky locks. She knows that it's Ava. She rolls over to look at her daughter. Her daughter stares back at her.

"Why are you awake?"

"I couldn't sleep anymore,"

"What time is it?"

"Five thirty. I figured I might as well just stay up I need to be up in half an hour anyway,"

"Why couldn't you sleep anymore?"

"I just have a lot on my mind,"

"Is that why you're in bed with me?"

"Uh huh, and Elliot fell asleep on the couch,"

"Oh. Are you ok?"

"Uh huh. I'll be fine. I need you to sign my school excuse,"

"Ok,"

Olivia can't see very well because it's so dark. She's startled when something between her and Ava moves.

"Sophia please go back to sleep," Ava begs.

"Why is she awake?"

"I don't know. I went to bed at ten, and she woke me up at one. I had to put her in bed with me to get her to go to sleep. Then at three I fell back asleep. And at three thirty she woke me back up. At four we went back to sleep, until about ten minutes ago when she kicked me in the chest,"

"It isn't any fun is it?"

"Not when she wakes up fifty times a night. She normally sleeps all night. I don't know what's wrong with her..."

"She might be teething,"

"I don't think so I just think she's colicky,"

"Maybe,"

"So how are you?"

"With what?"

"Your wounds?"

"They're healing,"

"So did you tell his kids yet?"

"No, we're going to tell them this weekend,"

"So how are they?"

"Fine. They're slowly, but surely making me fat, but they're fine,"

"Well I should probably get up. I need to feed her before I get ready for school,"

"Ok," Olivia turns on the lamp, signs Ava's note and then Ava leaves.

Ava gets home and does her homework. Surprisingly she doesn't have too much so she gets done pretty quickly. She lets Sarah go home around five thirty. The baby falls asleep so she puts her in her playpen and then goes to grab a bite. While she's in the kitchen there's a knock on the door. She goes to the door, and looks out the peephole. It's Kathleen. She unbolts the door and opens it.

"Come in,"

"Is my dad home?" she asks on the verge of tears.

"He's still at work I don't know when he'll be home,"

"I'll just go then,"

"No come in what's going on?"

"My mom and I just had a fight was all. I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days,"

"It's fine with me, now come in," Ava demands.

Kathleen grabs a bookbag and a duffle bag and comes in.

"What happened?"

"She got mad at me,"

"For what?"

"It doesn't matter,"

"You can tell me. I'm..." she almost lets the fact that she's Kathleen's half sister slip out.

"You're what?"

"I'm here for you,"

"You barely know me,"

"But I'm sure I can probably relate to what's going on,"

"Maybe,"

"Tell me then,"

"Well she's mad at me because I brought this guy home,"

"And?"

"And no one else was home,"

"And?"

"And she kind of walked in on us,"

"And?"

"And she threw a fit saying that I should know better, and all sorts of stuff. She blew it all out of proportion, I don't know why it's such a big deal to her. I mean she sleeps with multiple guys. I mean she thinks we don't know, but it's so obvious,"

"Trust me she has a good reason. She just doesn't want you to make a mistake that you can't fix. One that will change everything. I know that I'm younger than you are, but I also know that having sex is a bad idea. I know that most people are, but it still isn't a very good idea. I've learned the hard way that there are consequences,"

"Yeah but I'm careful, and it's not like I'm sleeping with a bunch of people. Just one,"

"Ok. But there are a lot of things you've got to think of. First off you're sleeping with everyone he's slept with basically. So know his history first..."

"He's a virgin,"

"How old is he?"

"Nineteen,"

"He's probably not. Then comes what if the condom breaks? Are you ready to deal with and std or hiv, or a baby? I mean I know that it doesn't happen to everyone, but it happens to enough people. And don't think that you're going to be an exception. I mean hypothetically if you get pregnant then is this guy going to stick around or is he going to leave you on your own? And I know I probably sound like your mom, but she's right. Anything can happen and you have to be ready for it,"

"But nothing's going to happen,"

"How do you know?"

"I..."

"Look I know that this all sounds crazy, but it's not. I know. I mean I've got a baby. Half the time you're lucky if all you wind up with is a baby,"

"I don't want a baby,"

"And do you think I did?"

"Probably not,"

"I mean I wouldn't trade her but I certainly wouldn't minded waiting a while before I had her,"

"How did that happen? I mean what's the story there?"

"There's not much of one. I mean I wanted to wait until I was married, or at least eighteen just because I knew what could happen. I also knew that my boyfriend would stay by my side no matter what, but I didn't want to take the chance,"

"But?"

"But someone had different plans for me. One of his friends laced our drinks with something, and the next morning there was Adam in my bed. Then before long I realized I was pregnant. Then when she was two weeks old I got really mad and I went to see him. And well I let my hormones mix with the fact that I wanted to make my mom mad and I did it all over again..."

"But nothing happened right?"

"I don't know. I don't think so but I've been off lately so who knows. Sometimes I feel like a freaking PSA. You know? Safe sex, abstain from sex, but you know most of the time that doesn't happen,"

"So where is Adam?"

"On a mantle,"

"Excuse me,"

"He's sitting in a jar on his mother's mantle. The day after I well... anyway he was killed by a drunk driver,"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah,"

"So where's your mom?"

"She went in to do some paperwork. She's getting her cast at the end of the week, and then Monday she's back at work for a while,"

"What do you mean for a while?"

"I might as well tell you, because at the rate they're going they never will,"

"Tell me what?"

"They're having a baby, well actually twins,"

"When?"

"In March,"

"It's almost October when were they planning on telling us?"

"I don't really know,"

"So..."

"So?"

"I guess I really don't know that much about you,"

"No,"

"So you want to tell me about you?"

"I don't know. There are some things that you don't know, and probably should, but..."

"But what?"

"But adults don't know how to just tell it how it is,"

"Which adults,"

"My mom and Elliot,"

"About what?"

"Me,"

"What about you?"

"Oh lots of things,"

"Such as?"

"Well let me think, probably just about everything,"

"Oh,"

"So what exactly do you want to know about me?"

"Whatever you want to tell me,"

"Such as?"

"What about your dad where is he?"

"Oh well that is a really interesting question,"

"Why is that?"

"Because it's a long story,"

"I've got all day,"

"I figured you might say that, so I might as well tell the story," Ava tells her.