A/N: Hey guys and gals! Like I said last chapter, I still haven't forgotten about Kayla. I'm still trying to adjust to my new school schedule, but otherwise, things are going great. I hope everyone else can say the same.

In this chapter, Samantha's having a lot of trouble adjusting to her mom being gone all the time. When Kayla doesn't come to Samantha's school like she promised, Samantha refuses to talk to her. I was going to put the resolution to this fight in this chapter, but it turned out longer than I thought, so that's coming up next.

"But you promised!"

Kayla picked up her briefcase and sighed deeply. "Sammie, baby, I'm sorry. I can't be here tonight…"

"You haven't been home in six days. Tomorrow makes a week. When are you gonna be here?"

Sam tried to intervene, knowing that Kayla had to get out the door. "Sammie, come on, honey. Tell your mom bye and go get ready for school."

"Dad, give us a minute. Please."

Sam frowned, but followed Kayla's wishes. He left the room, heading upstairs to check on eight-year-old Jesse. He was getting worried about Kayla's relationship with Samantha. Kayla felt guilty for leaving so often, and as a result, was too permissive with Samantha. She would let Samantha stay up longer on the rare nights that Kayla was able to be home by dinnertime, so that Samantha could spend time with her. Samantha's performance at school suffered a little from it, but no matter how hard he tried, Sam couldn't convince Kayla to be firmer with Samantha about bedtime.

When Sam went up the stairs to check on Jesse, Kayla took a seat at the table. She had been intending to leave the house a little early to get herself some breakfast and a quiet cup of coffee, but that was gone now. Kayla pulled ten-year-old Samantha to her, which immediately calmed Samantha down.

"Sammie, baby, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't be here right now. It's a part of my new job. I have to work nights and be on call most days. I promise it won't last forever."

"I haven't had more than a few minutes with you in two weeks. Mommy, please. Please come home tonight."

"I can try. I can try to be here for a few minutes, honey, but I can't promise. I don't know what's gonna happen…"

"Forget it." Samantha said, pulling away and starting to head upstairs.

"Sammie, stop, honey. Come back here."

Samantha turned back around, but didn't go to her mother. She was angry, hurt, frustrated, and lonely without her mother home. Kayla recognized all of it, and got an idea.

"Please come here."

"You're just gonna tell me you can't be here."

"No. I'm not. I won't say that again. But I don't want you to go to school with bad feelings like this. Just talk to me, Sammie, please."

"I just want you to be here. It feels like you're never ever here anymore." Samantha said. "And when you are here, you're always on the phone."

"Daddy's gone a lot, too." Kayla pointed out.

"But I go to work with Daddy sometimes." Samantha said. "Daddy at least has dinner with us sometimes. There's days he comes to school and has lunch with me and Jesse."

"Do you want me to do that?"

"Do what? Have lunch with me?"

"I'd have an easier time doing that right now than I would being home for dinner right now." Kayla said. "I can't promise that, and I know I can't do it today, but I will try."

"Will you come to parents' day?"

"When is it?"

"It's in two weeks." Samantha said. "Mine and Jesse's are the same day. Daddy said he'd come, but he'd have to split it up and be with me some and Jesse some."

"So you want me to go with you and Daddy with Jesse?"

"Yeah." Samantha said. "Will you?"

"I will ask for the day off today. I can't promise that I can, but I can promise I'll ask."

"Okay. Thank you."

"And listen. My time having to be on call all the time is almost over. I will be home more often soon. Just be patient with me, please."

Samantha smiled. "I'll try."

Kayla laughed. "I love you, Sammie."

"Love you too."

"Give me a hug, please. Then get your butt upstairs and get ready for school."

"Okay, Mommy."

As Samantha headed upstairs, Kayla heard Jesse and Sam in the living room. She walked in and found Jesse waiting patiently, backpack in front of him, fully dressed and ready to go.

"Okay, Jess, Mommy's leaving."

"Bye, Mommy."

"Kay? Wait up for a second, I want to talk to you."

Kayla sighed internally, knowing what Sam was about to say, but choosing to stay anyway to avoid an argument. She stepped out on the porch and waited, Sam following close behind.

"Look, I know what you're gonna say…"

"Honey, I need your help. If you keep letting Sammie put off going to school in the morning…"

A frustrated Kayla finally snapped. "What do you want me to do?"

"Kay…"

"No, Dad, seriously, what do you want me to do? Just leave when she's upset with me? Just leave when she's begging me to spend time with her?"

"It might help her calm down."

"It won't." Kayla said. "Trust me. It won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because it never worked with me."

"What does that mean?" Sam asked.

Kayla pinched her nose, deciding whether or not to say anything. "Dad, do you remember when you first became a partner at your firm? I was about six or so?"

"Of course I do."

"And you sat me down and had that big talk with me? About how you'd be working more and wouldn't be around as much?"

"Yes." Sam said.

"Did Mom ever tell you that I cried for that first straight week?"

Sam's mouth fell. "What?"

"You were working all the time, I would get frustrated because you weren't home. That whole first month, you kept telling me every morning that you'd spend time with me when you could, and then you'd leave. I never felt better until you sat down and you apologized for being gone so much, and promised that you'd do a better job being there for me."

"I didn't know all that."

"I asked Mom not to tell you. I didn't want you to feel bad for having to work all the time." Kayla explained. "Did it work?"

Sam chuckled humorlessly. "No."

"I'm sorry. I know you're trying to get her moving…"

"It's okay." Sam said, and suddenly, for him, it was. "I get it."

"Am I doing the right thing?"

"Do you think you're doing the right thing?"

Kayla scowled. "What kind of answer is that?"

"The kind where you're an adult, and I'm not gonna tell you what to do. Now get to work."

"Bye, Dad."

Kayla was able to get the parents day off. Samantha was excited, and stopped begging Kayla to stay home. The night before, just as Sam was preparing to send Samantha to bed, Samantha approached Kayla.

"You're coming tomorrow, right?"

"I promised you I was, didn't I?"

"You won't forget? You'll be there? All day?"

"You're going to school at eight, I'll be there at nine." Kayla assured Samantha. "But only if you go to bed."

"I'll go. Goodnight, Mommy. Night, Papa. Night, Daddy."

Kayla walked up the steps, gifts in her hand for Samantha, praying it would actually be that easy. She hadn't made it to Samantha's Parent Day. Just as she'd been leaving the house, her boss had called. One of the other social workers was sick, and no one else had been able to come in. With a heavy heart, she'd gotten dressed, called Todd, and gone to work.

When the front door opened, Kayla had a split second of watching a happy Samantha. Todd and Sam were sitting on the couch with her, watching Samantha's favorite movie. Jesse sat next to his father, piece of pizza in his hand, much less interested in the movie but watching it anyway.

"Hi, guys."

Everyone turned at the sound of Kayla's voice, but Samantha was the first one to react. Before anyone said anything, Samantha jumped off the couch, ran to her room, and slammed the door. Kayla sighed.

"How mad is she?"

"She swears she's never talking to you again." Todd said.

'She was real upset, Mommy." Jesse said. "Daddy brought her home early because she was crying."

"I guess these won't help, then." Kayla put the bag of gifts onto the couch, then pulled her own bag off her shoulder and sat down.

"What's this?" Sam asked, looking at the bag. "Honey, you can't bribe her every time something like this doesn't work out."

"I know." Kayla said. "I know, I do."

"But you thought this would smooth it over?"

"Yeah."

Sam smiled. "I get it. I tried it with you a couple times."

"You did?"

"Of course I did. Where do you think your Playstation came from?"

Kayla laughed. Sam had come home one random day when she was seven years old with a brand new Playstation. She'd been upset with him for forgetting to come to her school for career day, and had refused to talk to him for a day.

"I guess history really does repeat itself, huh?"

"I guess so."

"Can I have it if you're not giving it to Sammie?" Jesse asked.

"If you want it, sure." Kayla said. "Come check it out."

A curious Jesse walked over, looked into the bag, and scrunched his nose. "Eww. This is all girly stuff."

The adults laughed, Kayla kissed Jesse's cheek, and she finally decided to face the music. "I guess I'll go check on Sammie."

Kayla walked to Samantha's door and started to knock, but was stopped by the sound of crying coming from inside. Kayla nearly changed her mind, but knocked softly.

"Sammie, it's me, honey."

"Go away!"

"Come on, sweetie. Talk to me, please."

Kayla was shocked when the door burst open and Samantha stood there, angry tears still streaming down her face. Kayla had been about to knock on the door again, and Samantha had yanked open the door so fast that Kayla's fist was still in the air.

"You told me you'd be there! You promised! You promised three times!"

"I know, baby. I know. I'm sorry."

"I told everyone my mom was coming. That she had the coolest job ever and that she was gonna tell us all about it. You made me look stupid in front of my whole class!"

"Honey, I'm sorry. I had to go to work…"

"You always have to go to work."

"I know, baby." Kayla said. "I'm…"

"You're sorry. I know. Doesn't change anything. I still believed you. I needed you, Mom." Samantha said. "I needed you. Just for one day."

Kayla's mouth was working, but for the first time in a long time, she didn't know what to say. Before she could think of anything, her cell phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she internally groaned.

"It's work, isn't it? Go. Your job needs you and they're important."

"Sammie…"

"Kay." Kayla turned around and found Sam waiting there. "Go on. I've got this."

"Okay." Kayla said. "Sammie? There's some stuff on the couch for you. I'll be back later tonight. I love you."

Samantha didn't answer, and Kayla turned to leave. She said a quick goodbye to Sam, Todd, and Jesse, then went to her car. Before pulling out of the driveway, Kayla spotted a picture she kept on her dashboard. It was a picture of Todd, holding a newborn Jesse on one knee and Samantha in the other. Staring at it, Kayla whispered,

"I'm sorry, baby."