Marla and Haley laughed as they strolled arm in arm down the beach.

"Gosh, Haley, it's so nice to know that you're doing so much better. I swear, if you feel half as good as you look…"

"Thanks."

"I mean it. Now how are things?"

"Better."

"It's a lot easier not living with Nathan. Attending our support meetings definitely helps. I'm taking a self defense class. My family is really great. I'm back at the café part time on the day shift and I finally got around to taking my MCATs. I have a pretty good feeling about it."

"Good for you. I'm proud of you, Haley. One day at a time."

"I know. Um, Chris is getting out soon. A couple weeks actually."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Honestly? Mad as hell…scared out of my mind."

"You think you'll be able to handle it?"

"I do. I mean, I control my life, not him, right? Hasn't he taken enough away from me?"

"You're right."

"My first order of business is to get a restraining order, just in case he tries to contact me still. And second, unfortunately I might not be able to do anything about my own case, but I've decided I want to help others. I've been talking to my friends and family and they want to help me organize a benefit to raise money for rape and incest survivors. And also, I've been doing some research and I'm working on a letter for the state legislature challenging some of North Carolina's sexual assault laws."

"Haley! Wow. Sweetie, that's incredible. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks. I mean, it's still tough and I still struggle with a lot of pain but…I'm determined. I have my good days and my bad days, you know? On good days, I'm okay and I can function and there is a small sense of calm and normalcy and I feel like I'm surviving. On the bad days, I just want to fizzle away and never get out of bed but uh…luckily, the good are starting to outweigh the bad."

"I'm glad. Haley, it's still a long road ahead but you've come a long way."

"And I couldn't have done it without you. I mean that, Marla. You're an angel. You've helped me more than you know."

"I think you give me too much credit but okay. I think it's all you but if my friendship and the counseling helps, then that's what I'm here for."

Haley's smile faded as she glanced down at her watch.

"Marla, I need to get back. Karen's opening alone this morning and I was supposed to help before the breakfast rush."

"Come on", Marla smiled. "I'll give you a ride back to town."

They made small talk during the short drive to Karen's Café. Haley smiled and waved as she got out and hurried inside the shop.

"Karen, I am so sorry I'm late. Marla and I had coffee first thing this morning and I lost track of time and…"

"Karen's not here today. She came down with a stomach virus last night."

"Oh", Haley said.

Talk about awkward moments. Karen must have been really sick because she always went the extra mile to make sure that Haley and Deb had different shifts ever since the marriage. With Deb handling most of the business side and being more involved with Tric, it had always seemed to work out but now they were face to face.

"We are short handed today and Karen was really sick so I decided to come in. I really didn't want to close down for the day and all."

"Oh no, no."

Deb fiddled nervously with a dishcloth as Haley began heating up the coffee pots.

"So…um, Haley. How, how have you been?"

"Fine."

"Good. That's good to know. Dan and I were, well…we were both worried about you."

"Yeah right", Haley laughed sarcastically.

"No, I mean it, Haley."

"Yeah? Well, if you were that concerned, maybe you would have picked up a phone and called, not that I ever expected you to considering you do hate my guts."

"Haley, I don't hate you."

"You could have fooled me."

"Haley…"

"No, Deb. You really hurt my feelings. All those years Nathan and I were together, you and I were really close. We were friends. We did a lot of things together, spent a lot of time together. You were like a second mom to me and I really valued that relationship. And you were always so supportive of Nathan and I together. Then we get married and out of the blue, in the blink of an eye, you flip. Ever since then, you've hated me and we both know that's true so don't try to pretend you don't just because you feel guilty or whatever. I don't want your pity, Deb."

"I guess I deserve that."

"Yes you do and a lot more."

"Haley, I do owe you an explanation. I guess I've owed you one for months now but I was too proud or too embarrassed to admit I was wrong. Can we have a seat for a second? I really want to talk to you…"

"We don't have time."

"This won't take long, I promise. Please, Haley."

Haley rolled her eyes and sighed before plopping down in a booth opposite her mother in law.

"Fine. We've got like ten minutes."

"Thank you. Haley, I owe you an apology. The way I've treated you since you married Nathan has been harsh, to say the least. I had no right and I'm sorry but please let me try to explain. You couldn't possibly understand now but you will one day when you become a mother. I know you've heard the story about I got pregnant with Nate. Haley, I was very wrong, just 18 years old. I loved Dan very much but it was a scary thing. One day I was a carefree, happy go lucky college freshman, the next, I'm someone's wife and about to be someone's mother. It was a huge step. Now I will never regret my son and as much of a jackass as Dan can be, I don't regret him either but there are times when I look back and wonder how it would be if we had all made different choices. Maybe it would have been better if I had met Dan and had Nathan at 25 or 30 instead of 18. After I'd had a chance to live and grow up myself. But it was hard. We made it and I was happy but there came a time when I grew restless. It was the summer when Nathan was 11 years old. He was away at basketball camp and there I was at home in that huge house with Dan working all kinds of crazy hours, my son was gone, I was pushing 30 and started going through a pre mid life crisis. It was awful. I didn't make the wisest choices and I ended up having an affair. Not only was it a summer fling but I ended up running off to Chicago to live with him for a while. I left my family, my son included. Thank God, I came back to my senses before it was too late."

"Deb, I…"

"Haley, that time I was gone, Nathan thought I was traveling to raise money for charities. He found out the truth a few years ago and needless to say, he was very angry. Our relationship hasn't been quite the same since. He resented me for abandoning him. Over time I've tried to make amends, tried to redeem myself but my relationship with my son is still strained. That hurts, Haley. Because I remember when he was little and he thought his mommy was the best thing in the world. We'd spend time together and he liked being around me and we were just a happy family. But ever since he turned 14, it's like he didn't need me. Sometimes I questioned whether or not he even loved me. He was always so angry and I felt like he was headed for the wrong direction, that's why I was so grateful when you came along. You tutored him and helped him with his grades but more than that, you made him smile. You changed his life. Your good influence made him a better person. You saved him, Haley."

"I don't understand."

"When you guys went off to college, I always figured, I even hoped that one day he would propose and there'd be a big wedding in a few years and you guys would give me beautiful grandchildren. The marriage definitely didn't happen like I thought it would. Can you imagine what it's like for your only child to just run off and get married without even telling you? That hurt Dan and me very deeply. I'm ashamed to admit it but I was even a little jealous of you."

"Jealous of me? Deb, why?"

"Because Nathan is so in love with you, he can't even see straight. You're his best friend. He respects you, he values you, he talks to you. When you guys eloped all of a sudden, that's when I realized that you're the only woman in his life now. I felt like you as his wife, took my place as his mother. I thought I lost him and that's an unbearable thought. Whenever he was with you, I saw that beautiful smile of his…and whenever I was around, it somehow would just disappear. I guess…I guess I was being selfish. I wasn't ready to let go. I admit that I was wrong and I do apologize. I never hated you, Haley. If anything, I envied you. I admired you. Yet at the same time, I feared for you. You're still both so young. Nathan isn't happy working for Dan and you hadn't gotten into medical school yet. I knew there was so much you both wanted to do and in my opinion, because of my experiences, I felt like you should have waited. I want my son to be happy. Believe it or not, I want you to be happy too. I wanted your marriage to be right and I didn't want either of you to make the same mistakes I made."

"Too late for that", Haley shook her head. "You must know about Chris and everything that happened…"

"I do. And I don't blame you but that was precisely my hesitation. Because I've been where you were. Someone like Chris came along and at first they seemed like a good person and all of a sudden it's nice to have a new friend to connect with and someone who seems to understand you like your husband doesn't. That's why I wanted you to have your Chris experiences before you said I do."

"I really screwed up. I really hurt Nathan, too. He tried to warn me but I didn't listen. He was right, though. Chris turned out not to be such a great guy after all."

"I'm sorry, Haley. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I know how you must be feeling."

"No, Deb. I don't think you do."

"I do, Haley…more than you know."

Haley raised an eyebrow. She looked in her mother in law's eyes and in one instant could see that familiar hint of pain and shame.

"It happened to you, too, didn't it?" Haley asked softly.

"Almost. My senior year of high school. There was this guy I dated casually, Gary McAllister was his name. He was handsome, a college frat boy…anyway, it was at some party and I got way too drunk and I went to one of the bedrooms to lie down. Anyway, Gary came in to check on me, or so I thought. He um, he started touching me and kissing me. I told him no but he wouldn't stop. I tried to fight him off but he pinned my arms down. He was on top of me with his pants unzipped trying to unbutton my shirt when my best friend, Jean Foster, walked in. Thank God, that was the end of it and he scurried out of there but if she hadn't walked in when she did…God knows what would have happened. He obviously had no intention of stopping."

"Deb…"

"Oh my goodness", Deb said, a tear falling from her eye. "This is the first time I've ever told anyone that whole story."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too. I've been a fool, Haley. You're a good girl and it was wrong of me to treat you badly. I love and respect you more than you'll ever know. I'm just sorry it took all this to tell you so."

"Oh Deb…"

"Honey, can you ever forgive me?"

Haley reached over the table and hugged Deb. Both of them embraced for a long time as they softly cried.

"Deb, I love you, too."

"Thank you. Thank you, Haley. I promise from now on to be a good mother in law and quit meddling in your business", she laughed through her tears.

"That's good to know."

"Except for one thing and I will never interfere afterwards but I must say this."

"Okay."

"I know it's been hard but I hope you and Nathan work it out. Maybe he didn't handle himself in the best way but he loves you and he needs you. He misses you, too, honey. I know you both have a lot to iron out individually and together but I hope one day you'll get back together."

"Yeah", Haley nodded as she held Deb's hand. "Me too."