Chapter Fifty-eight

"So. Here we are. Back where we started." Colin said with a sigh as he followed his father into the study. "That didn't take long."

Caleb chuckled under his breath as he moved to sit behind his desk. "We once had a lot more in common – you chose to resist…"

"I'm not doing this." Colin replied, his voice tight. "I'm not starting this – all over again."

"I certainly didn't ask you to come here." Caleb shrugged.

"Trust me – it wasn't my idea. It was Katrina's…"

Caleb's eyebrows rose with interest. "She sent you?" He said with disgust.

Colin had to bite his tongue before he replied. "Yes. Katrina suggested that perhaps my family might need me – but I see my suspicions were right – as usual."

"And what would they have been?" Caleb yawned.

Colin couldn't hold back any longer. He glared at his father as his words came out in a torrent. "That you are self centered, egotistical, and downright cruel. When it comes to getting what you want you care nothing about who or what stands in your way. Not even Mom – which makes me sick quite frankly because all she has done is try and make up to you for the mistakes she's made before and all you do is try to change her…"

Caleb's eyes began to glow. "Be very careful, Colin…"

"You think I'm scared of you?" Colin spat back. "I wasn't afraid of you then and I'm certainly not now. You're pathetic. I've seen how you work my whole life and I pity you – because you've been so twisted that you don't even know what you want anymore. Would living a quiet life with Mom and with Rachel be so bad? Would growing old together be so horrific?"

"You have never understood the gift you could have received." Caleb replied, his voice dangerously soft.

"I've already gotten my gift. Katrina and my children? They are all I'll ever need in this world. I pity you, Caleb." Colin added in a whisper, reverting back to calling his father by name. He did it mostly because he knew it was a way to wound him. "It must be awful to not be satisfied with what you have…"

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"You alright?" Lia asked as she held onto her sister's hand.

Lynnie nodded, squirming a bit as she lay on the exam table waiting for Michelle to come in and do a sonogram. "I just want to get it over with."

Lia blinked back tears, her heart breaking for Lynnie as she stood beside her. She should be enjoying every minute of this instead of worrying every time she set foot in the hospital.

The sound of Lynnie's voice roused her. "Thank you for coming with me. Ethan didn't want to miss it, but he has to deliver that armoire to the Jacobson's…"

"It's OK, Lynn." Lia whispered as she ran a hand over her hair. "I'm happy I can be here for you."

"The last one I had was fine." Lynnie's voice quivered a bit as she spoke. "This one's going to be fine too."

"Of course it will." Lia nodded.

Lynnie tried again to get comfortable. "I hate it here. I should start to make plans now to have the baby at home – like you did."

Lia laughed. "I didn't plan it. Well - Danny will tell you I plotted but honestly – it was just a last minute thought."

"I still think it sounds like a better idea. Except…" She trailed off.

Lynnie averted her eyes and began to pick at the blanket that lay over her. Her hand moved to rest over her stomach. "If something happens…"

"Lynn – look at me." Lia demanded as she crouched down to look into Lynnie's eyes.
"Michelle, Danny, all of us - we're all going to make sure that everything will be fine. Please stop. I hate that you are so worried…"

"I know." Lynnie nodded again. "Everyone keeps saying that – I just know I won't be able to relax until it's over."

As the words left her mouth, Michelle came walking in. She smiled when she saw the twins side by side. "Hello there - Double Trouble. How're you doing?"

"Better than Danny I'm sure." Lia laughed. "I left him with the twins…by himself!"

"Poor guy." Michelle smiled widely. "I'm sure he'll do fine. Or at least he'll appreciate you more."

"Oh I'm sure he will – he just had this look of terror on his face when I left." Lia replied.

"And how about you Lynnie?" Michelle asked, her voice full of concern.

"She's scared." Lia replied.

"Understandable." Michelle gently laid her hand on Lynnie's abdomen. "Lynnie. We talked about all this." She said softly. "You are perfectly healthy – the baby's doing great. The chances of the same thing happening again are slim to none."

"I know that." Lynnie said, her voice quivering a bit. "I just won't be able to relax until…"

"I know." Michelle cut her off. "So let's take a look at this little one, shall we?"

Though her heart went out to her friend, Michelle morphed immediately into doctor mode and began to prep Lynnie for the sonogram.

Lynnie held her breath as she felt the sensation of the cool gel spreading over her stomach. She didn't dare let it out until she could hear the glorious whooshing sound of the baby's heartbeat.

"There we go." Michelle said with a smile as she watched Lynnie relax. "Lynn you're both doing great. Everything looks just fine. I promise."

"Good." Lynnie whispered as she squeezed Lia's hand. "That's really good."

Relieved that the hard part was over, Michelle grinned as she spoke again. "Want to know what kind of kid you've got baking in there? 'Cause I can tell you."

"Really?" Lynnie's eyes misted over. In her heart she thought knowing if it was a boy or a girl would make it too hard. She'd be dreaming and planning and hoping more than she already was. She thought about it for a long moment before she replied. "You know what? I don't think I want to know…"

Lia's heart beat faster as she interrupted. "Oh tell me!"

"LIA!" Lynnie gasped.

"No. Seriously. She always knows everything first – I would LOVE to know something before she does."

At that her sister began to laugh. "Oh my God Lia…"

She nearly jumped up and down at the prospect. "Oh C'mon. Please? Tell me Michelle. I'll keep it a secret. Cross my heart. I won't even tell Danny…"

"Now I know you are lying." Lynnie laughed louder at the look on Lia's face. She was standing there next to her with her hands clasped in front of her, looking like a little kid saying "Pretty please?"

She turned towards Michelle and smiled. "Oh - go ahead. Tell her. Just don't let me hear you."

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"I'd be more satisfied if my only son wasn't such a major disappointment." Caleb replied.

"Well that's nothing new." Colin rolled his eyes. "Tell me something I haven't known since I was twelve."

He paced the floor and gazed out the window, expecting to see his sister playing in the courtyard. He turned and gazed at his father again. "Where is Rachel exactly?"

"She's safe." Caleb said softly.

Colin's eyes narrowed as he spoke again. "Safe…where – exactly?"

"It's none of your concern." Caleb waved him off.

"So that how it is huh?" Colin snapped back. "You're done with me? With your grandchildren? Has living that sick life of yours become so important to you that nothing else matters?"

Caleb sighed. "It's always been a priority. Colin - this shouldn't surprise you. You've known all along…"

"Yeah." Colin nodded. "I really thought we'd moved past this. I thought that we had agreed to disagree – but you haven't changed a bit."

Caleb sat there seething until he finally lost hold on the control he'd been clinging to. He swept the contents of his desk onto the floor in a frantic gesture. He stormed across the room and got right up into his son's face. "You want me to just give up? Oh I'm sure your wife and her parents would just LOVE that. They've been trying to get me under their thumb for years but time and again they fail. I'm not going to go down easily Colin…" He vowed his voice shaking with rage. "And if you keep this up I'll take you all down with me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Don't you want to know if you need to buy stuff in blue?" Lia asked, her eyes sparkling.

"NO. Julia." Lynnie replied with a sigh as she pushed the door open. "God. You are going to make me regret this aren't you?"

Upon hearing the sound Ethan came walking towards the door with a look of concern on his face.

"Hey." He said softly as he approached.

"Hey back." Lynnie said with a smile as she eased into his arms.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, his voice shaking a bit as he asked. "How did it go?"

"We're fine. Everything's good." She whispered in reply as she snuggled closer.

Ethan let out the breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. "That's great."

"It is." Lia chimed in. "And I know what you're having…" She added in a sing-song voice.

Lynnie leaned back in Ethan's arms and gave him an exasperated look. "I didn't want to know – so I let Michelle tell her which was a huge mistake. She's been acting like someone Aidan's age since then."

Ethan wasn't quite sure what he wanted. "So. You know?" He asked Lia.

"Uh huh. Want a hint?" She said with laughter in her voice.

He looked from his sister-in-law to his wife and back again before he answered. "No. Ummm. That's OK."

Lynnie heard the hesitation in his voice. "You want to know?" She asked, a bit shocked.

"I'm not…" He went back and forth in his mind. "I don't know…"

"Well – when you decide – I'm here – full of information." Lia replied with a wink as she kissed them both on the cheek in turn. "Love you Lynn." She whispered as she moved to the door.

"Thanks for today. Love you too." Lynnie called after her as she continued to stare at her husband for a long moment.

"Ethan - if you want to know I won't mind." She said at last. Her voice caught on a small sob as she went on. "I just don't think I can handle it…"

The look on her face made up his mind. "It's OK honey. I don't need to know."

She began to get teary as she continued. "I've already made all these plans in my mind – and it's easier when I can't put a face or a name…"

"Shhh. It's alright – we'll be surprised. That's better anyway." He said as he hugged her tight.

"It's going to be OK this time right? Please?" She whispered into his shoulder. "Just tell me again..."

"It's going to be alright." Ethan replied as he held her closer, hoping with all his heart he was telling her the truth.