"Oh, mijo, mija, I'm so glad that you're here." Pilar hugged Luis and Sheridan as they walked through the door. "How did this morning go?"

"It went wonderfully, Mama," Luis smiled. "You should have seen how many people we fed!"

"It makes my heart so happy to hear that, Luis." Pilar smiled and turned to Sheridan. "God bless you both."

Sheridan smiled; Pilar rubbed Sheridan's arms. "I'm so glad you and the baby are doing better, Sheridan. You gave us quite a scare the other week."

"Thank you, Pilar." Sheridan caressed her belly through the front pockets of her sweater. "I'm glad we're okay, too."

"Come—join me in the living room." Pilar motioned for Luis and Sheridan to follow her.

Luis tucked his hands into Sheridan's front pockets and stopped her from following his mother. "How is our little bowling ball doing?"

"She's kicking up a storm," Sheridan grinned.

"Yeah, well, I'm willing to bet that pretty soon she'll be in a turkey coma."

Sheridan laughed and turned around to face her husband. "Oh, Luis," she sighed, placing her hands on his chest. "I can't wait to meet her."

Luis wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her in for a kiss. "Neither can I, Sheridan."

"Hey, will you two stop making out and get in here and join us?" Ethan strolled up to them. "Dinner is getting cold, you know?"

"Oh, Ethan!" Sheridan laughed, turning around and hugging him.

"I'm glad you find this funny, Sheridan," Ethan protested, his face breaking into a grin. "Maybe if you and I get the wishbone, this time, I'm not going to let you win."

"Oh, Ethan, you've never let me win at that game. Not since we were kids." Sheridan laid her head on his chest and smiled.

Ethan laughed and squeezed her against him. "Maybe it's because of things like this. In all of the years I've known you, you've never been on time for Thanksgiving—not once."

"Yeah, well, this year she has a good excuse," Luis smiled.

Ethan considered this, his eyes twinkling. "All right. I'll give you that."

"Oh, Ethan," Sheridan smiled. "I can't tell you how happy I am that we still get to spend Thanksgiving together."

Ethan tightened his arms around her. "So am I, Sheridan—so am I."


"Relax—I'm right here with you," Hank reassured Gwen as he rang Sam's doorbell. "Everything's going to be okay."

Gwen tightened her grip around Hank's hand. She wasn't so sure about that.

Why had she agreed to come here again?

Maybe she should just go. Maybe she should just turn around now.

Maybe getting involved with Hank was a huge mistake—as close as they had gotten over the past few months, she couldn't see how they could ever work out.

The front door opened.

Gwen's heart skipped a beat.

"Hank, Gwen, come on in," Sam smiled. "Grace is still finishing up in the kitchen, but she'll be right out."

"Happy Thanksgiving, brother!" Hank gave Gwen's hand a quick squeeze and then hugged Sam.

Gwen remained frozen in her spot.

Seeing Sam at the station and the youth center was one thing, but it was a whole other thing to enter his home. Suddenly, just speaking to him felt overwhelming—like something inside of her was crushing her lungs and making it impossible for her to speak.

"Thank . . . thank you for having me over, Sam," Gwen stammered, averting her eyes to the ground.

"Gwen, it's our pleasure."

Gwen nodded her head and swallowed hard. Clutching Hank's hand, she took a deep breath in and followed him into the living room.

Kay was scowling in one corner, her ear being chatted off by an excited Reese Durkee. Charity, Simone, and Jessica were chatting on the couch, while Eve played with Simone's hair. None of them had noticed her yet. Maybe she still could leave before they caught sight of her—and her mere presence ruined their Thanksgiving.

"Uncle Hank!" Jessica looked up and jumped up from the couch. "I'm so glad you're here!" Jessica gave Hank a big hug and laughed as he swung her around.

"It's good to be here, Jess." Hank smiled as he put her down.

"I'm glad you brought Gwen with you, too," Jessica said, turning to Gwen and giving her a hug. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you."

Tears sprang to Gwen's eyes as she returned the girl's genuine smile.

"Gwen, it is good to see you here," Eve added, standing up from the couch.

"Thank you, Eve," Gwen said softly as Eve pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry, honey. You'll do fine," Eve whispered.

"Thank you, Eve," Gwen replied. "I'm so glad you're here."

Just then, the kitchen door swung open, and Grace walked into the room.

Gwen's shoulders tensed at the sight of Grace; Grace paused as she took Gwen in.

"Gwen," Grace finally said, a soft smile coming to her face. "I'm glad you could join us."

Gwen bowed her head. "Thank you for inviting me, Grace."

"Try to relax," Hank whispered, intertwining his fingers through hers. "She's not going to bite your head off—I promise."

"O . . . okay . . ." Gwen swallowed hard. Letting go of Hank's hand, she inhaled and started across the room.

This was it. This was do or die time.

This was her second chance.


Sheridan patted the corners of her mouth with her napkin and leaned back into Luis's embrace. "Pilar, that was delicious. I don't think I can eat another thing."

"I know what you mean," Miguel laughed. "Mama's cooking is the best."

Luis raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "It's nice that you decided to join us, Miguel. Usually, right now, you'd be at the Bennetts', forgetting you have another family."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't miss Papa's first Thanksgiving home." Miguel turned to his father and smiled. "It's good to have you with us, Papa."

"It's good to be here, Miguel." Martin clasped one hand over his youngest son's and smiled as he glanced around the table. "I'm so glad the hospital released me for the weekend. I have so many things to be grateful for this year."

"You can say that again," Luis smiled, slipping his arm around Sheridan's waist and splaying his hand over her belly.

"Theresa and I have some exciting news, too," Ethan smiled, beaming back at his wife. "We just found out we're going to have a baby, too—in a little over eight more months."

"Oh, that's wonderful news!" Pilar gasped, jumping up from her seat and embracing her daughter.

"Yes, Ethan, darling, that's fantastic news!" Ivy added from her place at the end of the table.

Sheridan's heart leapt as congratulations flew about the room. This family was so full of love; she was so lucky that she and her daughter would always be a part of it. And now her daughter was going to have a cousin—life would be even better.

Pushing herself to her feet to go congratulate Ethan and Theresa, Sheridan smiled at Ivy. She was so glad Pilar had included Ivy—that Ivy was here to share in this news.

"Sheridan?"

Sheridan turned around at the sound of Martin's voice.

"I don't mean to tear you away from the happy couple," Martin said quietly. "I was just hoping that I could talk to you for a second."

"Of course," Sheridan said, pausing for a moment to smile at all of the embraces occurring right next to her. Giving the excited couple one last glance, Sheridan rubbed her belly and followed Martin as he wheeled across the room. "Martin, what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked, sitting down beside him.

Martin covered her hands with his own and smiled gently at her. "Sheridan, from what I understand from my wife, you've been struggling with everything that's happened."

"I . . . I have . . ." Sheridan hung her head.

"I wish you didn't feel that way." Martin squeezed Sheridan's hands and nudged up her chin. "Sheridan, Alistair was abusing your mother when you were a child, and your mother chose to leave. I chose to help her all by myself—to help her get you out of that house." Martin glanced back at Pilar, Luis, Theresa, and Miguel. "My family has suffered because of that decision—that much is true—but it is a decision I made all on my own. The responsibility does not lie with you."

"I . . . I wish I could believe that, Martin."

"Sheridan, you have to." Martin searched her eyes with his own. "You were just a little girl, Sheridan? How could any of it be your fault?"

"Maybe if I had refused to go with you . . ." Sheridan's eyes fell to the floor.

"Sheridan, you never even got a chance to choose." Martin raised his brows. "The things your father has done—they make me sick to my stomach. And the fact that you're still sitting here blaming yourself for his actions all these years later, it's unacceptable."

Martin fixed his eyes on hers. "Sheridan, from what I can see, you've got a heart of gold. You would never hurt anyone."

Sheridan's eyes inched back up toward her father-in-law's. "You really believe that, Martin?"

Martin smiled at her. "With my entire heart, Sheridan."

"But this wheelchair . . . your legs . . . you're paralyzed because of me."

"I chose to take on your father, Sheridan. You didn't decide that for me."

"But he took me hostage . . ." Sheridan rose to her feet.

Martin touched his hand to her wrist. "Doesn't that tell you what kind of man he is? Grabbing his own daughter like that? Threatening you and your child?" Martin shook his head. "I'm telling you, if it weren't illegal, I would have killed him right then and there."

Sheridan lowered herself back down to the armchair, her heart beginning to race. "Martin, how can you be so forgiving of me?"

"Sheridan, there's nothing to forgive."

"But everything that has happened to you has happened because of me," Sheridan cried softly, a tear slipping from her eye.

"Sheridan, none of this was your fault." Martin fixed his eyes on hers. "Yes, you may have been involved in both situations, but only as an innocent participant. You are not responsible for what happened—any more than your baby is."

Martin smiled softly at her and touched the tips of his fingers to the swell of her belly. "My granddaughter—your daughter—was grabbed, too, when Alistair took you hostage in Mexico. Would you ever blame her for what happened?"

"No, of course not," Sheridan said, caressing the top of her tummy. "She was just an innocent in all of this."

"Sheridan, you were, too." Martin frowned. "That's what I'm trying to get you to see."

"I know that in my head, Martin," Sheridan said quietly. "It's just taking a while for my heart to catch up."

"Well, I hope it does soon." Martin smiled softly. "This baby, my son, the rest of my entire family—we're all lucky to have you, Sheridan. We're lucky you're one of us."