Megan sat at the edge of her bed holding her stomach. She didn't wanna go to school it hurt too much. She felt guilty. Jessica had been right but she didn't wanna admit her mistake. She stood up and walked toward her bedroom mirror looking at herself. Her parents were gonna be so mad. She pulled down her shirt to cover up the belly button piercing. The girls in gym class yesterday had thought she was pretty cool. Which is what she wanted but why wasn't she happy about it.
"Ah!" She shouted jumping at the sound of the door.
"Relax it's just me. I forgot my backpack." Jessica said shaking her head.
Megan sighed relieved. She picked up her stuff and followed Jess down the stairs.
"Don't you want breakfast?" Steph asked her.
"Nah, I'm not hungry."
"Your parents took Joey to the airport. And your brothers had something. I can't remember what." She laughed.
"No, I'm good." Megan said and attempted to bend down for her shoes. She shut her eyes tight and tried not to shout in pain. Stephanie however still noticed as her cousin stayed doubled over. "Megan?" She asked concerned.
"Yeah." She said finally standing up with her shoe in her hand.
"Are you okay?" She raised her eyebrow as she walked closer to her.
"Yup. Never better." She said through gritted teeth. "Rachel's mom is picking me up." She noticed Jess glaring at her as she closed the front door behind her.
Steph whipped around and looked questioningly at her daughter. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Honey? If something is wrong with Megan and you know it's not a good idea to keep it from me. She really looks in pain."
Jessica looked back at her cereal and questioned whether telling really was a good idea or not. "She seemed fine when I went back up for my backpack." Her mom eyed her. Jess hated lying but she didn't wanna blab and have Megan mad at her. Besides how did she know for sure the piercing was causing the pain. "I'm gonna be late Mom." She said instead to which Steph glanced at the clock and realized she was right.

Jesse was pulling the clothes out of the dryer when Becky came in. "Hey, honey. How was work?" He gave her a quick peck on the lips before going back to the laundry.
"You didn't have to do that. I was gonna later."
"It's okay. I don't mind. Jess had her soccer uniform to wash. They played in the rain."
Becky chuckled. "I hope Steph did pick up and not you."
"Yes, she came home muddy. She's showering now. I sent Steph to get pizza."
"So you two talked?" She smiled.
He straightened back up bringing the laundry basket with him. "No." He placed it down on the table. "She did take her stuff off of online."
Becky nodded. "Can we talk?"
"Oh that's never good." He joked.
"Haha, very funny." She pulled herself up onto the laundry room counter. "I meant about Alex. And his Stanford weekend."
"Okay. What about it?" He caught her concerned expression.
"I got asked to do a live remote that week." She paused. "In New York."
"New York? Wow!" He grabbed her around the waist. "This is the same remote they do every year?"
She nodded. "I was so upset last year when they picked Amy. I thought for sure I'd get it. Now I finally got it and it's the same time as Alex's trip."
"I could go instead. I mean I know how important this remote is to you."
She nodded. "What about Alex? He was really looking forward to me going with him." She sighed. "But...it would be great for you two to get away together, alone."
Jesse smiled. "I may not know anything about collage stuff but I'd love to share this moment with Alex."
"He probably doesn't want his mother hanging around anyway."
He grabbed her shoulders. "That's not true."
She smiled at him. "What about our other kids? We can't leave them alone."
"Yeah, true. We can't leave Steph that long to deal with Nicky." He laughed. "What about Danny?"
Becky thought about it for a second. "I don't know. I'd hate to ask him but we do need someone to watch them."
"I really don't wanna leave it up to Steph besides she talked about going to San Francisco anyway. So why not have Danny come here?" Jesse asked.
Becky nodded. "Sure we can ask him."
"Great." He said as Becky forced a smile. She knew the real reason Steph was going to San Francisco. To see Steve.

"Steph...can we talk?" Megan said from the doorway. She looked up from where she was sitting on the couch. Megan had tears running down her face. "I wasn't okay this morning."
"What is it?" She scooted over so Megan could sit down. Steph brushed her hair out of her eyes and smiled at her cousin.
Megan looked down. "I did something really stupid."
"It can't be that bad." She patted her knee. "You can tell me anything."
"You promise you won't tell?" She said finally looking up.
"I can't promise that."
Megan sighed knowing that'd be the answer. "I sorta...got my belly button pierced." She said quietly.
"What do you mean sorta?" Steph asked confused.
Megan pulled up her shirt. "It really hurts."
"It doesn't look infected. But why'd you do this in the first place?"
"A lot of the other girls in my class have piercings. And I wanted to seem cool. They say I'm a goody two shoes."
"Did they find you cool?"
"Yeah. Problem is I can hardly stand up straight." Megan said holding her stomach.
"That's why you couldn't pick up your shoes this morning." Megan nodded. "Does Jess know about this?"
"Please don't be mad at her. She tried to talk me out of it."
Steph nodded. "Just tell me Jess didn't get anything tattooed or pierced?"
"Nope. Just me." Steph sighed relieved. And pulled her into a hug.
"You gonna tell him or me?" She motioned toward the door.

Steph poked her head into the garage. "What's you doing?"
Jesse looked up surprised. "Just changing the oil. Why?" He asked somewhat surprised she was talking to him. He adjusted his baseball cap that was on backwards. As he faced her.
"I uh...Megan may have done something she knew was wrong and is now facing the consequences."
"What?" He was still confused.
"Megan got her belly button pierced to fit in with the cool kids."
"She what?! She's only 13." He shouted throwing his rag down.
Stephanie stopped him as he tried to get around her. "Look, you can't be upset. That's why she came to me in the first place. And I need to remember that for Jess later considering she lied to me about not knowing what was bothering Megan."
Jesse sighed. "You and your sisters use to come to me all the time. Now my own kids won't even..." He trailed off disappointed. "How am I to remain calm? She's my little girl who now has a hole where it shouldn't be."
Steph couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. I was trying a bit to be funny."
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been angry at you. I was frustrated."
"Steph..."
"No. Let me finish. I wasn't mad at you. I was..." She paused trying to compose herself. "I'm scared." She whispered fighting back tears.
Jesse smiled slightly at her. "See what I mean...always coming to me." He said trying to make light of the conversation.
Steph smiled back wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Nobody beats your world famous talks." She paused. "About Megan, I think, and I speak from experience. It's easier to tell someone else what's going on especially if you've done something wrong. That's why I came you all those years growing up instead of Dad. And why you are still my go too." Jesse smiled widely at her. "That's why I confided in Alex."
"He's netural to the situation." He nodded understanding. "So...what's going on? You love music." He sat down on the hood of the closest car. And motioned for her to join him.
Steph hesitated after she sat down. She didn't know how to bring it up. "I already told you...at the studio last week."
"I think there's more to it then that. And you know it."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?" He mocked making her laugh. "You know here I am trying to make you do something you don't wanna do. And Becky is doing the same to me." He sighed.
"What do you mean?" She brushed her hair behind her ear.
"Well, I guess I feel the same way you do...about everything." He looked down. "I guess when your told you might not be able to do something you kinda get use to the idea. But at the same time your disappointed and scared to try. But I know you are at least trying, right?" Steph nodded. "Then what is it?"
"I guess...I'm scared. I just don't know if I deserve it."
"You are very talented." He grabbed her hand. "You can't be upset, touring is a big part of the music industry. You can't feel bad about leaving. It comes with the job." He sighed. "Again I had the same feelings." He shook his head.
Steph smiled over at him. "I can see now why Aunt Becky kept pushing me to talk to you."
"She's pretty smart, that way. It's why I love her so much." Steph nodded smiling.
"I'm scared that my wrist won't get better." She looked away. "I know it's stupid."
"It's not stupid. I've been doing the same thing. Just avoiding the studio all together. And being forced back to take care of some paperwork that needed to be done wasn't as bad as I thought. I actually interviewed a new band yesterday. You know, all along Becky was telling me that even if I couldn't play there was still loads of jobs out there that involved music. She was right." He paused. "I'll make you a deal. If you really wanna quit I'm not gonna stand in your way. I'll buy the songs..." She smiled widely. "But..." She bit her bottom lip. "...after you've tried to at least give yourself a second chance. And your really sure." She nodded. "Okay...you know what? I just might take my own advice."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I'll make you a deal. You and I will stop being afraid. We'll get back out there. Try performing again. What do you say?"
"Okay. Yeah!" She smiled. He hugged her tightly. "I'm glad we're talking again Uncle Jesse."
"Me too, kiddo."
"There is one more thing I've been meaning to tell you...for years." She took a deep breath. Jesse watched her. "Jessica's father is Steve." She belted out looking away. She looked back after he didn't say anything.
"I know."
"What?!" She asked surprised and a bit confused.
"I've known." He answered her.
"What?! But how? Why didn't you say anything? You acted all surprised when I mentioned his name the other day during the whole pregnant thing."
"Steph...did you really think that Becky was gonna keep that big of a secret from me? Especially after what happened last time."
"Well, no. I guess I can't blame her. But seriously?! You let me worry about telling you for almost 15 years?" She said a little annoyed. It made Jesse laugh.
"I'm sorry. I figured you'd tell me when you were ready. But I was beginning to think you'd never tell me." He said slightly disappointed.
"I did tell you." She paused. "When Dad finally let me see you...in Seattle." Her voice cracked.
Jesse smiled. "I'm not mad. If that's what you were worried about."
"You're not?"
"No. I don't care who her father is. I'm just glad it was someone you knew and really loved." He smiled fondly at his niece. "Please tell me you've told him...about Jess."
She nodded. "I did. But not after he sorta found out on his own cause of the whole accident thing. Of course my Dad was the one that had to pick up the pieces."
"I'm proud of you."
"For what?" She said.
"For being brave enough to handle being a mom on your own. For giving him the chance now."
"And for giving him a second chance." She stated smiling suggestively.
"What?" Jesse smirked.
Steph shrugged. "I guess something good did come out of the accident."
He nodded. "Long distance dating."
"I know. I already got the Dad talk on that one." She laughed.
Jesse stood up. "Now where's Danny when I need him?" Steph chucked at him. "Megan?!" He shouted as he left the garage.