Marissa walked into her house after school that day to find her father sitting and watching television in the family room. He was by himself, since Julie was at work, and Kaitlin was still at school, although he had to go and get in a half an hour. Jimmy did not have a job yet in Newport, mainly because of what had happened two years earlier with the accounting business; however, things were more hopeful for him now. He had been doing some work on the side for the Newport Group, while Kirsten had been away. In fact, he had been doing such a good job, that the company was considering hiring him on, at least part-time. Jimmy did not know this, though.

Marissa walked into the room and sat next to her father on the couch. He was watching some ESPN Classics. Jimmy always felt that they were "soothing". He was sitting on the white leather couch drinking a Pepsi and having a bag of Doritos when Marissa came in. She dropped her bag on the floor when she sat down.

"Hey, Kiddo, how was school?" Jimmy asked his elder daughter.

"It was good, Dad. In fact, I kinda like Newport Union," Marissa said to her father.

Jimmy smiled at her and said, "That's good. I'm glad to hear it. So what's up? I thought you'd be with Ryan... or Summer... or some of your new friends right now."

"I was going to hang out with Casey, but I just didn't feel like it. I like coming home once in a while. It's quiet here, and I can think," Marissa explained. "Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it, Kiddo?" Jimmy wondered.

"What was it like for you when you found out that Mom was pregnant... with me?" Marissa asked. She wanted to know if her father had the same reaction, as she was having with Ryan.

"I - I was scared to death. I remember that I went to pick your mom up in Riverside, and she got in the car, and we just pulled out of the driveway, and... she told me. Suddenly, a thousand different things started running through my head, and I couldn't believe what was happening. My whole life was going to be changed for... forever," Jimmy started to explain. "I was this twenty-three-year-old guy who was going to be having a baby with a seventeen-year-old girl. She was eighteen when you were born, but at the time, it wasn't even legal for us to get married for another six months. Your mom was still in high school, and I was just starting my business."

"Did you ever think that you would break-up because of it... because of me?" Marissa asked.

"Honestly, Kiddo... yeah. There was a point when I wondered if we'd make it. Everything changed. Suddenly the problems we had before were so insignificant in comparison. Instead of worrying about where we would hang out, we had to worry about where we would live, if we would get married, and how I would support the both of you," Jimmy told his daughter. "But don't ever think for one second that I didn't love you or want you because I have always loved you, and wanted you. You were the best thing to ever happen to me, and your mom. Even though it was hard at the time, we got this amazing child, who has turned into an amazing young woman right before our eyes."

Marissa beamed with pride, and replied, "Thanks, Dad."

"So what's with all the hard questions? Is something wrong?" her father asked.

"No, everything's fine," Marissa told him, which was not the entire truth.

"Are you pregnant?" Jimmy asked, sort of jokingly. He knew that Marissa was not pregnant, but he knew that something was wrong, in order for her to be asking questions like this.

"No, Dad, I'm not," Marissa replied. "It's just that..."

"It's just that... what?" Jimmy asked. "Come on, Kiddo, you can tell me. We tell each other everything."

Marissa took a deep breath, and decided to tell her father what had happened, after all, he was like her best friend. She did tell him everything. Marissa said, "Remember when Ryan went back to Chino last summer because his ex-girlfriend, Theresa got pregnant with a child that may or may not have been his?"

"Yeah, I remember. But Ryan came back. Theresa lost the baby," Jimmy said, filling in the blanks.

"Well... Theresa lied to Ryan. She didn't lose the baby, Dad, and now, she's back making Ryan pay child support," Marissa confided in her father.

"Oh, my God..." Jimmy trailed off. "How are you doing with it? I mean, it's a pretty big deal."

"Okay, I guess. There's nothing I can do about it. He's pretty freaked out, though," Marissa replied.

"I'm not surprised. Having a kid, or finding out that you already have one is a pretty big thing," Jimmy told her. "Just try not to let it come between you. Ryan and you have been through so much already. Don't let your relationship come to an end over this, Kiddo."

"I know, Dad, and I don't want it to, but it'll take some getting used to," Marissa told him.

"Yeah, it will, but everything will turn out all right, in the end," her father reassured her. "Don't worry."

Marissa smiled at her father, and said, "Thanks, Dad. That's just what I needed to hear."

"Glad I could help, Kiddo. Hey, do you want to come and pick up your sister with me?" Jimmy wondered.

"Sure, I'd love to," Marissa replied. While she went with her father to pick up Kaitlin, she wondered about what Ryan was thinking about the paternity test.