Andrea called herself every type of fool she could think of as she walked toward Steve and Janet's door. She and Janet had only talked a handful of times in the past ten years; why did she think Janet would want to hear anything she had to say? She couldn't help but feel it was important for someone to talk to Janet, though. May as well be her.

Steeling herself, Andrea knocked on the door. After a moment, Janet opened it, stepping outside. "Andrea?" she said, confused. Her face was pale and her nose red; Andrea could tell she'd been crying.

Forcing a smile, Andrea said, "Hi Janet. I just came over to see how you're doing. Is it okay if I come in?"

Janet, clearly having no idea what to say, opened the door and motioned Andrea inside. "You'll have to excuse the mess," she told Andrea, walking through the house. "I haven't been home long and last night Maddie had a couple of friends over for a sleepover."

Andrea smiled at the woman. "I know all about it. Hannah and her friends are like mini cyclones."

The women sat in the living room. "How is Hannah?"

Andrea shrugged a little. "Right now she's doing great. We're all praying it stays that way." Janet had come with Steve a couple of times to visit with Andrea while Hannah was in the hospital. "She's an amazing girl," Andrea continued after a minute.

"Yes, I could tell that when I met her," Janet agreed. She looked at Andrea, studying her face. "Andrea," she said finally, "I don't mean to be rude, but I have no idea why you're here."

Andrea nodded her head a bit. "I know, and I'm sorry for intruding. I just thought that maybe you'd like to talk to someone."

Janet looked at her quizzically. "Did Steve send you?"

"No," Andrea said firmly. "In fact, Steve will probably be very upset with me when he learns that I came here." She looked at Janet. "I don't think he even realizes that I was at Brandon's house last night when he dropped by."

"Oh," Janet said, still confused. "So…?"

Andrea took a deep breath. "I know that you don't know a lot about me, Janet, and that you've always seen me as Hannah's mother. But when I first found out I was pregnant…" Andrea let out a breath and shook her head. "I was terrified. I was in school, barely knew Jesse, wasn't married…" she looked at Janet. "I went to a clinic and made arrangements for an abortion."

The color drained from Janet's face. "How could he?" she hissed, standing up. "How could Steve ever mention that to anyone?"

Andrea stood, too. "Janet, I know that you're hurting, but Steve is too. He's lost his family. And now, he's terrified that his child won't have a life because of a mistake he made."

Janet put her face in her hands and cried. "I can't believe that my life has come to this!" She looked at Andrea. "So you thought you would come over here and save the day, huh?'

Shocked by the anger in Janet's voice and face, Andrea backed up a bit. "I just thought that you could use someone to talk to," she said softly. "Someone who's been there."

"I went to the clinic today," Janet told her flatly.

Andrea closed her eyes, the words hitting her like a blow. Steve, she thought. This will kill Steve. "I'm sorry to have bothered you," Andrea said quietly, moving around Janet toward the door.

"I couldn't go through with it," Janet said from behind her. Janet had sunk back into the chair, once again crying into her hands.

Andrea caught her breath and said a quick prayer of thanks. Turning around, Andrea stood, waiting for Janet to say something.

Janet looked at Andrea, tears streaming down her face. "I love that jackass so much," she said, crying. "It physically hurts me when I think about any of this, but I couldn't do it."

Andrea sat back down. "I did the same thing," she told the crying woman. "I thought an abortion was the only way out, the only way to be fair to me or the baby. I was wrong. The entire time I was pregnant I wondered if I'd made a mistake…but the first time I held Hannah, I knew. She was where she belonged, in her mother and fathers arms."

Janet nodded, still not looking at Andrea. "I hurt Steve," she whispered. "I know that it almost killed him when he found out I'd slept with another man. But he forgave me." She finally looked at Andrea. "Why can't I seem to forgive him for this?"

"Because it was with Kelly," Andrea said bluntly. "And he has a child he never told you about." Janet flinched as Andrea was talking. "Steve has acted like an idiot. He is an idiot." Andrea waited until Janet was looking into her eyes. "But I can't help thinking he was just as upset and confused about any of this as you and I have been about our babies. In the end, I have to believe that Steve truly felt like he was doing what was best for everyone."

Janet nodded slowly, thinking. She groaned. "Kelly Taylor," she said, looking at Andrea. "She's our daughters God mother, for heaven's sake."

"Do you think," Andrea said softly, "that it being Kelly could be the reason you can't forgive him?"

Shocked, Janet stared at Andrea. "I think you're right," she said slowly. "I wasn't just betrayed by Steve, it was by someone that I thought was a close friend too. I lost them both…"

"Janet, you don't have to lose anyone," Andrea told her soothingly. "You could forgive them both and put it behind you. Or you can let it sit between you and lose the man you love and your friend."

Janet looked at Andrea accusingly. "And you, Andrea? Would you be able to forgive?"

"I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone," Andrea said after a moment. "I have been in love with Brandon Walsh since the moment I met him." She smiled, thinking about it. "It was painfully obvious, too. Everyone knew. Kelly and Brenda even teased me about it. But things just never seemed to work out for us." Andrea cleared her throat, laughing a little at Janet's shocked expression. "Kelly said that she was my friend, but then asked Brandon out. They didn't date at the time, but it hurt me that she would do that. After I had Hannah, she came to see me. She told me that she planned to visit him in Washington, and that she wanted to be with him. She asked me for my permission," Andrea said, shaking her head. "What could I have said? I have a husband and a daughter, but I don't want you dating the boy from high school I'm still hung up on?"

"Kelly Taylor," Janet murmured.

"Kelly Taylor," Andrea said, sighing. "I didn't think I'd have to say anything, you know? I thought that "girl code" was clear. But Kelly did go, and they fell in love. And now, years later, I've had the chance to do to her what she did to me."

Janet smiled, mouth flying open. "No!" she said laughing, tears forgotten. "Brandon?"

Andrea smiled and nodded. "Brandon," she confirmed. "But you know what I realized? It's supposed to be Brandon and Kelly. Jesse truly is the love of my life. Kelly Taylor, home wrecking hooch that she is, did me a favor." She looked at Janet. "Maybe now that all of your hurt, bitterness, confusion and pain are out in the open, you and Steve can finally deal with them and move on, better for it."

Janet thought about it. "I love him," she told Andrea.

"Then it's time to fix it," Andrea told her gently.