Over the next week, the townspeople went on with their lives as well as they could. Both Charity and Timmy were released from the hospital and went back home. The Bennetts attempted several times to visit Laura, but each time she was too tired or sleeping or some other excuse. Tabitha's powers seemed to have returned to some extent for an unknown reason; she was not at full strength, but could again cast spells. Life at the Russell house had become a living hell, as TC, Eve, and Chad had to prevent Simone from attacking Whitney numerous times, and all were afraid to leave the disturbed girl alone. Antonio's surgery had been a success, and he was about to be released from the hospital. Ivy and Kay continued to grow closer, though Kay's dislike of Julian grew every time she saw him. Cassandra was revealed and explained as a distant relative from Europe staying at the estate indefinitely. Ethan puttered around, not knowing what to do with himself, while Gwen ignored her mother and refused to go after Ethan again. Theresa barely managed to avoid falling totally into despair, even with Pilar and Whitney there to give her support, and Luis had to be given the same speech she'd given Ethan so that he wouldn't kill Julian.
*****
It was morning at the Bennett house, and the whole family, plus Miguel of course, was eating breakfast together. Each member of the family was dealing with last week's revelations in a different way. Jessica smiled brightly and focused on making everyone else okay, Grace frequently wondered just where she had gone wrong, causing Sam to comfort her. John shook his shaggy head, sad that Kay hadn't been his sister after all. True, he hardly knew her and whenever he did talk with her she was mean to him, but still, it must be awful to find out that someone as wonderful as Grace wasn't really your mother. Charity moaned a lot, insisting that she sensed a new evil rising, and Miguel kept trying to allay her fears.
"I'm sorry Miguel, but I keep feeling that a change is happening, and something new is starting, and it has to do with Kay."
Everyone at the table turned around and stared at Charity. This really wasn't the time to sit around and accuse their lost family member of evildoing, even if Charity did have a pretty excellent track record.
Miguel attempted to salvage the situation. "Charity, you said this thing with Kay had to do with a change. Well, hasn't that already happened? I mean, these visions must be your way of dealing with the news that Kay isn't your cousin."
"Yeah, that must be it," Charity said, still sounding unconvinced, but not wanting to upset everybody else even more.
As everybody had finished, Grace began clearing the table, her eyes stopping on the leftover bacon. "You know, I really should remember to stop fixing some crispy; Kay was the only one who liked it that way…" Grace's voice choked up, and she couldn't speak anymore.
Sam went over to her. "It's okay," he said simply.
John also decided to speak up. "Mom, none of this is your fault. Not the test results or Kay's actions. She has problems, but you're a great mom!"
This show of support from her beloved John made Grace feel a little better, but before she could say anything, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Jessica yelled in a determinedly perky voice. Bounding across the living room, followed closely by the others, the teen reached the front door and pulled on the doorknob. Standing before her was an unhappy-looking teenage girl of medium height and build surrounded by several suitcases. From a photograph she'd seen, Jessica recognized the girl as Laura, her real sister.
Brushing away a strand of dark brown hair streaked with red, Laura stared back at her family for the first time. Seeming to struggle just to speak, the girl finally said, "I'm sorry, I wouldn't have intruded otherwise, but I have nowhere else to go."
*****
Ivy spun around as soon as she heard footsteps in her room, and was gratified to find that David Hastings had finally arrived. "All right, I'm here, what do you want now?!" he spat out, disgusted just to be in the same room with her.
"I just wanted a little update, to find out how you're doing with Grace."
"She sees me as someone she can count on, but loves Sam just as much as ever. Your making John out to be her son hasn't done any good. Please, don't you think that it's time you gave up?"
Ivy shook her head furiously. "I will never give up on Sam. We're meant to be! If it's not working, well, then, you're just not trying hard enough!"
With a Herculean effort, David barely stopped himself from blowing up. "I have done my level best, even using my own son in your demented scheme, but if anything they're closer together!"
Crouching down on his knees, so that he was level with Ivy, his face merely inches from hers, David continued. "As much as I wish I could, I'll never get Grace, and you'll never get Sam! And you want to know why you don't have a chance?"
"Why?" Ivy glared back at David evenly, just daring him to speak.
"Because Grace is a good person, and you're pure evil! The person that Sam used to love doesn't even exist anymore! Although I can't personally believe that you ever had a shred of decency, you must've if an upright person like Sam Bennett could love you, and I've heard Pilar say that you weren't always this way. But somewhere along the way, you lost whatever goodness you had, and when you did, you lost any chance that Sam would ever take you back! It isn't even just him; haven't you noticed that you don't have any friends left? It's because you're rotten to the core, and I hate you!"
Bristling with rage, Ivy hissed, "And I despise you!"
"I wish you'd die!"
"The feeling's mutual!"
The tension between the two of them had become overwhelming, unbearable. Something had to give. Still merely centimeters apart, they each moved in on the other, fully intent upon clawing each other's eyes out; but somehow, David's lips fell onto Ivy's, and the attack melted into a passionate embrace before they realized what they were doing. When they finally broke apart, David immediately stood back up, and they stared at each other in complete and utter disbelief.
Ivy was the first to speak. "Wh-what just happened to us?"
"Temporary insanity?" David offered, lost for words.
"Must have been," Ivy agreed. They then seemed to make a silent pact to never again speak of it, or even acknowledge that it had happened.
"Anyway," David pressed on, "I'm quitting right now. I can't go on like this, pretending to be Grace's long-lost husband and deceiving my own son. We're through with this deception!"
Ivy smirked wickedly. "Do that and everyone will know about your past. Do you really want John to know that you lied when you told him Grace was his mother and your dirty little secret?" David hung his head down, defeated. "I thought so, now get out and get to work! Oh, and use the back so no one sees you."
After he was gone, Ivy tried desperately to sort out what had happened. At least one thing was certain: she had to get Sam back FAST. She was becoming so lonely and desperate for love that she was apt to act irrationally. She certainly wouldn't have kissed David otherwise, even if he was ruggedly handsome and spoke with that sexy accent, and was quite charming in an adventurous way, and WOW! what a great kisser, and…No, I can't let myself go there, I'll—
"Mother!"
A sick feeling developed in the pit of Ivy's stomach. Kay stood in the doorway, and from the tone of her voice and the expression on her face, Kay had been listening to at least part of the conversation. "Kay! How much did you overhear?"
"Since about when David said he was quitting."
Well, on the bright side she hadn't been present for the kiss. That Ivy would just have to file under denial.
"I can't believe you had hired David the whole time!"
"I can explain everything! I—," but while Ivy hemmed and hawed, Kay was trying to figure out how she felt about this. She remembered how it had felt, hearing that her mom had another husband and that she was a bastard, and the hurt she experienced when John entered the picture. At least when it had only been Charity, she could chalk up her mother's favoritism to being able to share premonitions and stuff. A part of Kay suddenly raged at Ivy, furious that this woman she was growing so close to had caused her so much pain. But, just as she was about to mouth off, she saw how worried Ivy appeared, as if the idea of losing Kay really frightened her. Kay deflated, her anger leaving her. After all, Ivy hadn't done any of this to her particularly, hadn't even known her when she had set her plan in motion. What's more, Kay recognized that she was the last person in the world qualified to lecture her mother on the immorality of convoluted schemes. She had, to be truthful, topped even Ivy when she froze Charity in a block of ice, created a crazed zombie, burned down Miguel's house, and nearly got both Charity and Timmy killed. Next to that, what's an imposturous husband here and there?
"You don't have to explain anything, Mom," Kay assured her. "I told you I understand what it's like. You must really love him."
Ivy nodded sadly. "I do."
"Think there's any chance this'll work and you'll get him back?"
"Right now, I really don't know," Ivy admitted. "David said something before you came in that kind of hit me. He said Sam would never love me again because I'm not the girl I was, and I think he's right. If only I could make Sam see me the way I used to be, before I made the mistake of going back to Julian, I might have a chance. But how could I do that?"
Kay thought for a minute. Despite her anger at her old family, she still cared about Sam, the only one who didn't automatically assume the worst of her, and she would much rather think of him as her father than Julian. Furthermore, Kay wanted to do something for this mother she already found she was beginning to love, and this would be the perfect way to do it! Then, Sam could marry Ivy and be her stepfather. Hmmm, if only I could make Sam see me the way I used to be…That was it! She COULD help, though it would first require a trip to Tabitha's attic…
"Mom! I've got it, I know how we're gonna get him back for you!"