Tag to 2x7

The bill for Linette's rehab was like a splash of cold water on Riley's face. Things had been going...almost better these past few weeks, and then Linette's slipup had brought Riley crashing back down to earth.

She still had money left over from Mark's check, money that she'd refused to touch. She wanted to be able to pay him back someday, and using all of it promised that it would become an almost insurmountable debt.

She heard Lacey talking, and wandered into the living room. It was almost midnight, but Lacey was carrying on a loud phone conversation...with Evan.

"Yeah, I can fit you in early," she promised. "Just get to the salon before 7:30."

"It's a little loud, don't you think?" Riley asked gently, and Lacey put a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she fretted. "Evan called and I just got carried away."

"It's almost midnight," Riley sighed. "And what a day it's been."

"Mom?"

She turned to see Travis standing there, and she reached a hand out to him.

"Hey," she said, holding him close. They hadn't been able to see Kyle since he'd gotten into a fist fight, and she knew that the kids were feeling it. Ethan and Travis had been caught cheating on their spelling tests, so Riley wondered if it was just stress over his dad not being there.

"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," he said. "I have a stomach ache."

"Mm," Riley said. "Are you sure you're not just embarrassed over what happened yesterday?"

Travis pulled away. "I'm just too stupid to do those tests," he said. "I can't do it."

"Hey, don't say that," she said. "You're my son, you aren't dumb."

"I can't do it," he repeated. "I'm so bad at school."

"No, you aren't," she soothed. "You just have troubles with letters sometimes."

She had an idea, feeling something dawn on her. God, she was a horrible mother. Travis had been having trouble with letters for awhile, but she hadn't put the pieces together, even though they were all right there.

"Can you spell cake for me?" She asked, and she met Lacey's eyes as Travis stumbled over the spelling of such a simple word.

She needed to get him testing.

The thought of Mark's loan was burning a hole in her mind that whole night. He'd lent it to her for a reason, for a specific reason, and besides. Paying that money back would take her forever. He'd give her $20,000. That number meant that she wouldn't have to worry about bills for a long time...but at what cost? She knew that Mark wouldn't hold the loan over her head, but there was a part of her that wanted to give him the rest of his money back. She'd paid Kyle's attorney fees, and she didn't want to just spend the rest of it.

She wanted to be debt free eventually, at least.

But at the same time, could she afford to not spend it? What if the AC went out again at the house? Travis needed testing, Linette's rehab bill was just sitting there on the counter…

She didn't know what to do.

The Rub was stressful that day, and the power went out in Riley's room. She informed Linette, who promised that she would get someone out there "as soon as I can", but Riley wasn't holding her breath. She knew that Linette had her own worries right now, and running The Rub was last on her friend's mind.

Lacey came over after work, begging Riley to help her plan Dale's sister's baby shower. "I need you there," she said. "You know what she's like."

"Yeah, I can ask Linette if we can do it at Harold's bar," Riley said distractedly.

"What's been on your mind lately?" Lacey pushed, zeroing in on Riley's face. "You're hiding something."

"I'm not," Riley protested.

"Listen, you haven't once mentioned how you're going to pay for Linette's rehab, so is that it?" Lacey asked, anxious. "Is business...drying up?"

"No, not that," Riley said. "I have enough money for immediate expenses...and maybe more."

She hesitated. Did she want to talk to Lacey about the money from Mark?

"I'm just feeling overwhelmed, I guess," she finished. "I have to figure out testing for Travis, and I just feel guilty that I never thought about it before."

"Honey, you can't blame yourself for Travis bein' dyslexic," Lacey comforted.

Riley shook her head. "Yeah, but I can blame myself for not noticin' sooner, and not takin' care of it."

"You are going to take care of it," Lacey assured her. "You're doin' it right now. Have you scheduled his appointment yet?"

"No," Riley began. "It's expensive."

Lacey nodded. "I know, but I thought you said you had enough."

"I could," Riley said. "I might have enough, it's just a lot to spend all at once."

"Well, you know I'd help you out, but fertility treatments…" Lacey smiled. "They're expensive."

"But worth every penny," Riley finished. "Oh my god, Lace, I didn't even ask how it's going."

"It's good so far," Lacey said. "We're making it work. Right now it's just too soon to tell what all is going on."

Well, you let me know as soon as you do," Riley said.

The day of the baby shower for Earlene came. Riley was up bright and early to help set up at Harold's, even getting there before Lacey.

Georgia was there, and Riley was looking forward to having an alone conversation.

"Listen, I am feeling majorly conflicted," Riley confided. "You know that doctor I was not quite seeing last spring?"

"Mmhmm," Georgia said knowingly. "Dr. Hot and Bothered."

"Hush," Riley said, flushing. "Well, he was though. Anyway, I may have been keepin' a secret."

"Tell me," Georgia exclaimed.

"We started talkin' again," she said. "I may have asked him for money for Kyle's bail, and he gave me a check for $20,000."

"$20,000?" Georgia gaped. "Riley, that is no joke."

"I know," Riley said. "I think he really cares for me, and I'm beginning to think that I care for him too, but…"

"Now it feels like if you pursue this, you're just tryin' to soothe yourself about the money," Georgia finished. "I know how that is."

"I want to pursue this," Riley said. "But how can I do that to my kids? Kyle is finally back in their lives, sort of, and I can't just break up our family."

"Riley, listen to me," Georgia said. "Whatever choice you make, you are not the one who broke your family. Kyle did that when he walked out the door. You don't have to decide to fix it. And believe me, your kids need a mama who is happy, and in a healthy relationship. If that's with Kyle, okay. If that isn't, that's okay too. They need a mama who is takin' care of herself more than they need their parents together."

"Divorce is so final," Riley said. "I didn't even want to look into that, even when he was gone. I couldn't do that to them."

"Riley," Georgia said. "I meant every word that I said. You can coparent and raise healthy kids through divorce. You don't owe Kyle a second chance. Your southern guilt is trying to convince you that you do, but believe me, don't let it win. If you're going to give Kyle a second chance, it has to be your choice. Not because you feel backed into a corner. Now help me smoothe this tablecloth."

Riley ruminated on Georgia's words as they finished decorating, but Georgia was right. Her southern guilt was rising up, hating on her just for contemplating this.

"Georgia, I want to go to him," Riley said, voice so quiet Georgia barely heard, but the woman did hear. Like always.

"Riley, you will always regret things that you didn't do more than things you do," Georgia said. "My marriage was a hot mess, but I don't regret takin' a chance on love. I can't. And I'm going to do it again, too. Harold is a good man. He deserves my full commitment if we're going to do this thing."

Riley sank down in a chair, her hands fidgeting with a ribbon.

She didn't know what she was going to do.

It was the baby shower from hell. Riley was at Lacey's back the whole time, trying to help her dodge questions from The Sister-in-Law from hell, but it was a trial.

She spent the whole time in her head, wondering what to do. She needed to spend the money, she needed to get Travis that tutoring he needed. But what did that mean for her relationship with Mark? Did it mean she shouldn't try to pursue this? Did it mean she couldn't give in to her feelings?

She wanted him. Her whole heart was aching, thinking about what that man could do to her. She'd never met a man like him, someone who was truly giving her what she needed without asking for anything in return. He wasn't demanding her time right now. He wasn't demanding a relationship. He wasn't demanding that she choose.

His words echoed in her mind. If my wife could come back I would try anything to get things to work with her.

He knew how this would feel. He knew how torn she was, he knew how this was killing her. And he'd just been there for her. No judgment, no demands.

He'd been her one true friend throughout this whole ordeal. He didn't turn his back, he didn't criticize or demand like Lacey and Evan. He'd just been there.

Speaking of Lacey…

"Riley, I can't believe you didn't say anything," her friend snapped.

Riley came back into the moment, shaking her head to clear it of thoughts of Mark. She and Lacey were tidying up, and her friend was glaring at her.

"She spent the whole shower trashing me, and you barely fielded one question," Lacey said. "I needed you here."

"I'm sorry, I was in my head," Riley said, just feeling exhausted. Why was it always a competition with Lacey? Why couldn't Riley have just one bad day? Why couldn't Riley ever breathe?

"Now she's going to be mad at me, and I can't deal with when she's mad," Lacey continued.

"I said I was sorry, but Lace, you can't blame me for her bein' a bitch," Riley said. "I did what you asked, I was here. I am in way over my head with everythin' right now, and if one day I didn't have your back I don't know what to tell you. I was here. I spent three hours setting up. I'm not going to stand here and listen to you yell at me."

Lacey's jaw had literally dropped. "Oh my god, Riley. It always has to be about you, doesn't it? I'm literally going through fertility treatments right now, but no, it always goes back to Riley."

"You know what, I'm not doin' this," Riley said. "You can invent whatever you want in your head to make you feel better, but I was here for three hours listening to y'all bitch at each other, and if that's not being here for you, I don't know what is."

"Riley," Lacey said, but Riley didn't stop walking, going to pick up her jacket. "Riley!"

"I"ll call you later," Riley said, and walked out.

She just started driving. She had no idea where she was headed, and yet she did. What started out as aimless ended with her in Mark's neighborhood. She told the gate man who she was visiting, and he got it confirmed.

By the time she got to Mark's driveway, he was outside.

He was in a dress shirt and slack, and she didn't know if he was coming or going.

"Riley, are you okay?" He asked, rushing over as she climbed out of her SUV.

"Are you busy?" She asked in return, and he shook his head.

"I just got off work, and Zach is at a friend's for the day," he said.

"Good," she breathed. "Because I want to-" She hesitated, the words freezing in her mouth.

He stared at her, and she could see his adam's apple move. "Riley," he began.

"I want you to make love to me," she said, voice ragged. "Scratch that, I need it."

He licked his lips, and she could see his veins pulsing. "Riley, I want to. But I don't want to complicate things for you."

"It doesn't have to," she breathed. "Just like you said in the beginning. No strings, right?"

Something flashed in his eyes. "Yeah," he said, stepping forward. His hands were on her arms. Riley's heart was in her throat, but she couldn't remember ever wanting something more.

She placed shaking hands on his shoulders, and his hands slid to her waist. And then he kissed her.