Flashback

Catherine nervously rang the doorbell. She was going to have diner with Elizabeth and Rachel. Ella opened the door.

"Hi." Ella said. "Are you Catherine?"

"Yes." Catherine replied and smiled. "I am Catherine. And you?"

"Would you like to come in?" Ella politely asked.

"Sure." Catherine said and she entered the house. Ella told Catherine where the living room was and she went to the toilet. Catherine quietly entered the living room, where Rachel was sitting on the couch.

"Hey, Catherine." Rachel said. Catherine greeted back and asked Rachel who just opened the door for her.

"That was Ella. She's Elizabeth's daughter, my half-sister." Rachel replied.

"How old is she?" Catherine asked.

"I'm 7." Ella said, who'd just entered the living room and overheard the conversation Rachel and Catherine had been having. It was quiet for a moment.

"Where's Elizabeth?" Catherine asked.

"She's in the kitchen, preparing diner." Rachel said.

"She cooks?" Catherine asked, surprised.

"Yeah." Rachel said.

"Do you have kids?" Ella interrupted the conversation.

"I have a daughter." Catherine answered.

"How old is she?" Ella and Rachel asked at the same time. Catherine laughed.

"She's about your age. She's 8."

Rachel thought her plan couldn't work, because Catherine had a kid. She had to find out whether she was married.

"And..are you married?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, god no. He was a jerk, I'm happily divorced." Catherine said.

Rachel left and told Catherine she'd check on Elizabeth.

"So, are you eating with us?" Catherine asked Ella.

"No, I'm going to eat with Susie." Ella replied. "What's your daughter's name?"

"Lindsey. Who's Susie?" Catherine curiously asked.

"She's my friend." Ella replied.

"Raaaaach!" Ella ran across the livingroom and kept yelling Rachel. Finally Rachel stuck her head around the corner and asked what was wrong. Ella wanted to go to Susie.

"Please?" Ella said.

"In a minute, Ella." Rachel replied. Ella kept running and yelling.

"Stop it! Or we won't go." Rachel yelled. Ella continued, she knew Rachel would still go, no matter what. Elizabeth, who was standing in the kitchen a few steps away from Rachel, was irritated by the fact that Ella continued.

"Ella Corday! You stop it!!" Elizabeth yelled without showing her face. Ella stopped yelling, but kept running. "You won't be going!" Elizabeth yelled. Ella finally stopped and behaved herself.

"I don't think she can wait any longer. Catherine probably can't either." Rachel said to Elizabeth and she smiled. "We'll be back in the evening, okay? Susan and I will enjoy ourselves, so will Ella and Susie. You have fun. Remember what I told you." Rachel said.

"No, Rachel." Elizabeth laughed. "Don't even think about it."

"Oh come on. I'm sure she still likes you." Rachel said.

"You just said she'd been married."

"You were married too. You still like her." Rachel said.

"We'll see. Now, you. Get out of here!" Elizabeth said and she pushed Rachel away. Rachel walked towards the living room.

"You look great." Rachel smiled and walked into the living room. Elizabeth smiled.

"El, let's go!" Rachel said. She told Catherine she'd be going to a friend of hers and Elizabeth.

"But Rach.I thought you'd be eating with us."

"It's much cosier this way." Rachel smiled and closed the door behind her. Catherine was left behind alone, not knowing what to do or expect.

end flashback

Elizabeth and Rachel were settled on the couch. Elizabeth was reading a book and Rachel was staring at the television.

"What's up, Rach?" Elizabeth asked. "You're so quiet."

"It's nothing." Rachel replied.

"Come on.What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you."

"You tell me everything.." Elizabeth sadly said. "Don't you?"

"I guess. But not this." Rachel said.

"Okay." Elizabeth replied and concentrated on her book again.

"You never give in this quickly." Rachel said.

"I guess, it's something you really can't tell me." Elizabeth said. "Or can you?"

"I don't know. It's difficult. I don't know what to do."

"Maybe I can help you, if you tell me."

"Maybe." Rachel said. "Don't be.mad, okay?"

"I won't."

"I think I'm pregnant." Rachel said.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel different. I'm gonna take a pregnancy test soon."

"Who's the father?" Elizabeth asked. "It isn't this Warrick guy, is it?"

"No, god no." Rachel said. "It's.Nick."

"Stokes?" Elizabeth asked and Rachel nodded. "Well, I was close. It could as well have been Warrick."

"Well, it isn't him. It's Nick. Keep your mouth shut, okay? If Catherine finds out, she'll tell him."

"Why would I tell Catherine?"

"Because."

"Because?" Elizabeth asked. "Because we are friends?" Rachel nodded again. "You are a silly girl." Elizabeth went upstairs and came back with a pregnancy test.

"Here, take it. I won't need it any time soon."

"Why do you have one?"

"It's a very old one. I think it's more than 5 years old." Elizabeth smiled.

"It wasn't for Ella." Rachel said. "Why did you have it?"

"I thought I was pregnant. I bought it just after your dad died. There was a possibility I was pregnant, I mean, he was sick but not thát sick."

"But you weren't?"

"A few days before I wanted to actually take the test, I had my period." Elizabeth said. "I wasn't happy about that."

"You'd rather have been pregnant?"

"I guess I wanted to keep your dad with me. I now see another baby wouldn't have done it, but I felt that I'd still have Mark with me, inside me. But there was no such luck."

"Thank you for telling, Elizabeth." Rachel smiled. "I could really use that."

"Take the test when you're ready, okay?"

"I will." Rachel said and she put her head on Elizabeth lap. Elizabeth started reading her book again. Rachel slowly fell asleep.