A/N: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!

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When he woke, it took him a moment to realize where he was. Blinking a few times, he realized he was at his mother's house, and it was rather early. Teresa was asleep, snoring softly, facing him with her hand on his waist. As early as it was, he was anxious to be out of bed. He squeezed her hand softly before kissing her forehead and getting out of bed.

After dressing quickly, he crept around the house a bit. He hoped he wouldn't bother anyone, but he was curious. On the wall along the staircase, there were many family photos. Some were older than others. A few were professional family photos, while others were just the kind of random, mundane moments that just happen in life.

Mom and Paul's wedding photo was there. In that photo, she wore a simple dress and looked a lot like the woman he remembered with a nervous smile on her face. Another photo featured Amanda holding a Spelling Bee trophy. One of the photos were his three siblings all in the bathtub with one of them, who he would swear was Maisie, in the center wearing a beard made of bubbles.

Though, he stopped in his tracks at the bottom of the staircase when his eye caught one particular photo. There next to the children in the bathtub was a much smaller, framed photo. He had forgotten all about that moment until he saw the photo. It was his seventh birthday-the last one he'd spent with her. Seeing the photo brought the day back to him rather clearly.

"Mama, I'm going to ride the ferris wheel all the way to the top of the sky!"

For what seemed like weeks, but may have been days, he kept talking about how he was going to ride the ferris wheel like it was a quest that he was going to conquer. Looking back, it was silly, but it was one of those idealized childish adventures that gets stuck in your head.

She only ruffled his hair and smiled. "Paddy, it's your birthday. It's your special day. What do you want to do?"

"I want to ride the wheel!"

"Paddy, you're too little for that. Why don't we do something else? Hmm? I bet Roger would let you shoot at the bottles if you want."

He recalled the distaste he felt at that, which only made him grin inwardly now. He never had an appreciation for guns, but now, he was married to an expert marksman who kept enough guns in the house to be the poster child for the NRA.

After his continued protests, she acquiesced. Well, she finally convinced (bribed) Bob to let him go up. Only, when his chance came to go up, he grabbed her by her waist.

"Come on, Paddy. It's your turn!"

"I don't know, mama."

"You don't want to go now?"

"No."

"I thought you were going to go all the way to the top of the sky?"

"Come on, Tricia. I don't have all day!" Bob, the guy who ran the wheel when he was a kid and before he ended up doing a long sentence at San Quentin, spat. He was always super impatient.

His mother turned from him and huffed. "Just a minute, Bob!" She returned her gaze to him. "Why don't you know now? I thought that this is what you wanted."

"It is, but it's scary."

She rubbed his cheek with her thumb. "Oh, my brave little man. It's okay to be scared. Would you be less scared if mama went with you?"

Still unsure, he nodded. She took his hand and led them to the car. She kept holding his hand as he squeezed his eyes shut once the wheel started to move.

She whispered into his ear. "It's okay, Paddy. You can look now. We're at the top. Look at the sky! Isn't it beautiful?"

He opened his eyes. "It's very blue."

She laughed. "Of course it is! Just like your eyes."

He kept his eyes open until they landed. On the ground, one of her friends snapped a photo of them. He remembered smiling wide, feeling proud that he'd gone all the way to the sky.

Now, he smiled as he looked at the picture, touching their faces with his fingers. That was such a great day, but he'd spent every year after that hating his birthday. Even last July when Teresa mentioned celebrating, he wanted no part in it and actively avoided it until she just got him a cupcake, leaving it there. After all, he'd associated every other birthday with the day she left him, the day he learned that she didn't want him. If his mother didn't want him, he would make sense that no one else did either.

He closed his eyes as that thought passed over him. He knew that wasn't true now. Here, he was standing in her house, looking at evidence that that wasn't the truth. He had a wife-a family-who loved him and wanted him. Still, he wasn't sure what to do with this new information.

"Paddy, what are you doing?" He heard her soft voice behind him.

"Good morning. I was just looking at the photos."

She flashed him a sad smile. "Your seventh birthday."

"Yeah."

Unintentionally, his voice cracked. Knowing the truth didn't take the pain of never spending another birthday with her away. Did the truth always heal? She raised her eyebrows with a knowing look, as though she were following along with his thought process.

She wrapped one arm around herself as she waved him toward her. "Come have a cup of tea with me."

He nodded as they walked to the kitchen with a heavy silence hanging between them. He sat as she prepared their tea. Another pain hit him as he looked around, noticing how much their home reminded him of his family's home: cozy, well-lived in, and something familiar. His siblings had grown up with that. Indeed, the height markings on the wall, photos throughout the years, and even childish artwork that she kept made the home so well-lived in and cozy. That wasn't something he grew up with; it was something he had to create as an adult.

"So, why did I leave on your birthday? That's what you want to know."

On instinct, he hurried to respond. "No, that's not what I was thinking!"

She gave him another knowing look. "I know that you have my skill of sight. You're the only one of my children to get it. So, how about I won't lie to you and you don't lie to me? I spent years thinking about how I could ever get you back, and this is my chance. I don't think we can do it without being honest."

He thought about her words as he took the first few sips of his tea. "Yeah, I think you're right. It hurt me that you left on my birthday."

She nodded. "I should tell you the full story."

"Okay."

"Your father introduced me to Paul...as his sister. He'd met Paul playing cards and said that he'd be an easy mark."

"An easy mark?"

"Mmhmm. You see, Paul was a young dentist who'd just moved to Carson City from New York. He was all alone in a new town, and he was looking to make friends, so he joined a card table that your dad frequented when we were in town to make some extra cash. I remember when your father came to me with the idea, with a grin on his face. He said: 'This will solve our money problems for a bit.' Only, I felt sick. I refused at first, but then...we needed money. There were times when we didn't even have food! So, I let him set it up. I was supposed to date him for a bit and figure out the best way to run a con on him."

"Dad set you up to date another man?"

She straightened her back, wrapping her robe tighter around herself. "I'm not proud of that."

He shrugged. "I guess not. I'm not judging you. It just sounds like something he would do."

"I started seeing Paul. He was always nice and respectful. He always wanted to talk about me and what I thought about things. He didn't treat me like a piece of carnival trash or a meal ticket. After a little while, I couldn't do it anymore. I could see Paul for exactly who he was-who he is. I couldn't take advantage of a kind and generous soul. Finally, I just told him I couldn't see him anymore and confessed everything. He just looked so...sad and disappointed. But then, he smiled and he said that I was exactly who he thought I was because I didn't choose the easy way out. I didn't take advantage. He looked at me and said: 'Patricia, can we start over? Hi, my name is Paul.' And like that, we started fresh. We just spoke as friends, and I was rather honest with him about most everything, except I didn't tell him I had a son right away. Looking back, I don't know why I didn't tell him."

"Okay, but why my birthday?"

"Eventually, things did take a romantic turn with Paul. It was all rather intense, but I suppose you know about that. The carnival was going to move soon, and he asked if I'd stay with him and be his wife. He told me how much more interesting I'd made his life. I considered it, but I wasn't sure I'd accept. I wasn't sure I could leave behind my life in the carnival. Only, your father caught wind of what was going on. After all, I was still staying in his trailer. The night before your birthday, he threw me out. Told me that if I couldn't be loyal to him, and if I wouldn't bring him money or earn my keep, then he had no use for me."

"He threw you out?"

"Yes." Her voice broke. "And all I could think was to call Paul. He came for me immediately. I stayed with him for a few months. I took a job, working in his office while I thought about what to do. I knew your father wouldn't hurt you and that I needed a plan. I couldn't just take you with no place to go, so I started saving as much as I could to get a place for us. Once again, Paul asked me to marry him. In the few months we'd spent together, I knew it was right, but I couldn't marry him without telling him I had a son. I broke down when I told him, and his immediate response was that we should go get you. He wasn't upset or angry that I'd had a child before. He still wanted to marry me and to have you come live with us as well. I just...I didn't know that I could speak with him so honestly. And I spent years wondering-and even more since you called me-about what an awful mistake I made by trying to handle things on my own."

At some level, he could understand that. She reached for his hand. "If I had just told him from the start, we would have never been separated. And that's something I will have to carry to my grave."

"It was an error in judgment, and besides, dad…"

"That doesn't matter, Paddy. As rough as my relationship was with your father, it should have never affected you. I let that keep us apart."

"But it seems like he was dishonest with you...and with me." Dishonest was a nice way of putting it.

"It's true, but I made choices that I thought were good-ones that I thought would help us get ahead. But they didn't, did they? Tell me: how do you celebrate your birthdays?"

"I don't."

She pursued her lips and nodded. "I didn't think so."

Silence fell between them once more as he thought of her story. She was honest with him, so he should be honest with her.

"It hurt that my mother left me. It hurt that it was on my birthday, but it also hurt that no one wanted to be near me. Dad was in and out. Once he figured out he could use me to run a con, he did. Made sure he knew I'd only get his love and approval if I did what he wanted...all the way up until I stood in front of a dying child and told her grandmother that a fake crystal was the cure to her disease. For a price. I felt...I felt like the biggest piece of shit that no one cared about. I knew I wanted, no needed, to stand on my own. Not long after that, Angela and I took off. For a while, we were all each other needed until I started making money. Then, she wanted me to make more money for our happiness. That's what she called it."

"Paddy, I'm so sorry."

"Why? That's not your fault."

"It is. You needed love and support. I have four children. Three of them? They've received everything short of the world. They've had all of my love and attention, along with all of the material things they've ever wanted. But you? I didn't give you that, and you've suffered because of it."

He inhaled sharply. "But it made me who I am."

She snorted. "Paddy, please don't tell me you've bought into that 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' bullshit."

He grinned. Admittedly, he would have said that to himself if he hadn't gained some perspective. "Not in that sense. I remember the day that Teresa got the letter from the State of Illinois. Annie and I had bugged her about putting up the Christmas tree, but she just had no sense of the holiday spirit."

"So you taught her? Is this when you tell me about your Christmas miracle?"

He reached for her hand. "No, but it is when I tell you that I saw my girlfriend sitting there distraught because she learned her niece had become a ward of the state and that the state wanted to investigate to see if she could keep her. She had a ghastly look on her face when she handed me that letter, and I said: 'I didn't know they could just do that, but I guess it's better than just them leaving and letting the kid figure it out.' I've never thought much about that moment because I immediately started thinking about what I wanted to do next: help Teresa adopt Annie and become a family. I always knew I wanted a family and that I would do better. Thankfully, that didn't happen with Angela, but with Teresa...there's nothing I've ever wanted more. As much as I've suffered, even unintentional on your part, my family helped me heal. I want to be more for them."

She placed his cheek in her palm, and he leaned into it. "I'm happy to hear that, Paddy. I really am. My brave little man grew into a good man."

She remembered that day, too.

"I don't blame you, mom." Not anymore.

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Once more people started to wake up, mom got started on breakfast. Well, he helped her with that.

"Paddy, you have such good skills in the kitchen."

"My wife taught me. Demanded I get good in the kitchen or else."

"Hey!" He turned and looked behind him as she was working through her pancakes. "I never said that! You wanted to learn."

He winked at her. "I know. Just like I wanted to tease you right then."

The way his wife narrowed her eyes at him indicated that if they'd not been in mixed company, some of her food would have been flying toward his face. After all, she was getting stronger with that right arm.

He grinned. "My wife is afraid that I will leave you with a bad impression of her, as if that's even possible! Can you believe that she would fight crime all day and then come home and try to do all the cooking for us? I had to learn to cook for her."

"I told you that I just like cooking. It wasn't a big deal!"

"Of course not, but I'm glad I learned. I wanted to pull my weight around the house and be there for my family. Besides, that came in handy recently!"

Teresa's face went blank and he quickly replayed what he just said. Though, his mom picked up on it. "Oh, you mean taking care of her while she's injured? I think that's very sweet, Paddy." She turned around and waved the spatula at Amanda. "See, this is what I'm talking about. This is what you should expect from a man, not the self-entitled types you bring around."

Maisie started laughing loudly. "Yeah, Amanda. What was that guy's name? The one who wanted you to come clean his apartment for him during your final exams?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Okay, we obviously broke up!"

"Yeah, but remind me: after how long?"

"Maisie! Don't tease your sister. Besides, you don't have a much better track record with the girls you date."

Ah! That explained why her warning only went to one of her daughters. His sisters. He was still getting used to that.

Jason came sprinting into the kitchen. "Hey, mom! I'm going to take off here in a minute."

"Not before eating a little breakfast with your family. Sit."

"Mom, I'm going to play soccer! I don't want to play with a heavy meal on my stomach."

"Well, here! Eat some fruit." She shoved a banana into his face. Jason just shrugged, as he sat and started eating it.

Suddenly, Annie piped up and was more interested than something besides her pancakes. "Soccer? You play soccer, Uncle Jason?"

He looked stunned for a moment. "Uh, yeah!"

"I play soccer too! Can I come?"

He shrugged. "I don't care, but it's a boys game."

Annie's mouth went wide as she jumped up. "No, it's not! I play with all of the boys at my school, and I'm better than them. Girls can play too!"

Maisie started laughing out loud as Jason's eyes went wide.

Teresa reached over, placing her hand on her back. "Annie, sweetheart, you need to calm down. I don't think that's what Uncle Jason meant." Then, she turned her gaze pointedly toward Jason, clearly telling him to clear this up right now.

"Yeah, Annie, I just meant that me and some of my boys-my friends-are playing. Girls play, too."

"Well, can I come?" Her face was suddenly sweet again. It startled him how quickly she could go from rage to sweetness like that, but his experiences with his wife taught him anything, that was definitely a Lisbon trait.

Jason looked at both him and Teresa. "I don't...know?"

"Honey, why don't you let Jason play with his grown up friends? We didn't bring any of your gear, and it won't hurt to have a break from the field."

Annie started pouting before Maisie intervened. "I'll go with her. I still have some of my old gear upstairs."

Teresa looked at his younger sister. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it's not a bother at all. I was thinking of going for a run, but I could take my exercise out on the field and let Annie show me some of her wicked moves."

Annie's grin was wide now. Someone was asking to see her soccer moves-and that someone was an older girl who played soccer. Fewer things made her happier. "Can I go, mommy and daddy?"

Teresa tilted her head and he shrugged before she gave their answer. "Yes, but you have to listen to your Aunt Maisie at all times."

"I will!"

"Okay, sprout. We can go see what I have upstairs after breakfast."

After breakfast, Maisie took Annie for her soccer gear and they left soon after, promising to be home by lunch time. As his mom got Teresa settled in the living room, Paul took the opportunity to go for a grocery run for a cookout later. Amanda helped him clear the dishes and start cleaning the dishes.

They mostly worked in silence until Amanda spoke to him. "Sorry I was such a bitch yesterday."

"Hmm?"

"About your work."

"Oh that? It was nothing!" It was exactly what he'd feared the family might think of him: that he was a worthless lowlife. But she couldn't possibly know that.

"It was definitely something. I'm sorry. I just...I've had to compete with you for years."

He turned to face her. "Compete with me?"

She nodded. "Mom has always talked about her little boy. Like you were her favorite child. She didn't even really know you, but in her mind, you were the best."

"Amanda, I don't know what to say to that. You had mom. I didn't. And that's not about us."

"It's definitely about us. Growing up, we'd be doing things, and suddenly, she'd just go blank and say: 'I wonder what Paddy is doing right now,' or "I wonder if Paddy would like this'? We never knew what to do with that when she got that way. Dad would just jump in and try to make everything better. And on July 30…"

"July 30?" My birthday.

She nodded. "Every July 30, she would just get sad. She'd make cupcakes-chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and sprinkles because Paddy always asked for those but she couldn't make them-before inevitably breaking down at some point during the day. We just knew never to actually plan to do anything on that day."

"I see."

"Look, I get that it's complicated with you two."

"Not really." Not anymore.

"She's told us some of her past and working at the carnival. I just came to hate this fictional brother who always had mom's attention, even if he said he hated her. You literally pushed her away, and she still gave you so much attention."

"I didn't hate her." Even before hearing the truth of things, he didn't truly hate her. He just spent years trying to forget her.

"I know that now, but she thought you hated her and never wanted to see her. You were the brother who wasn't here and never had to do anything to get her love and approval."

"I doubt you had to do anything to get her love and approval."

She was one-fourth of the living shrine that this house held. Mom loved and approved of Amanda ever since she was born. That was clear. Is that what she needed to hear? That he wasn't here to challenge that?

"And maybe that's something you should talk to me about." They both whipped around to see mom standing there.

"Mom, I…"

"Amanda, that's enough. If you feel that I've not given you everything, that's fine. You can tell me all about it, but that's not your brother's fault."

"I know that, but…"

He interrupted his sister, whose deep shame was written across her face. "Mom, it's okay. We were just talking. Amanda was apologizing for yesterday."

"It doesn't sound like she was doing a very good job of it. Amanda, I've always loved you. Where is this coming from?"

"You've always preferred him to us, even when we were right here in front of you! Everything has always been about Paddy! Even this weekend, you demanded we all drop everything to be at home to meet him. He's at the center of your universe."

Admittedly, that he was the supposed center of his mother's universe was news to him.

Mom was silent for a moment. "I asked you all to be here to meet your brother because I wanted you all to get to know each other. You've missed 24 years of each other's lives."

"I feel like you've missed 24 years of mine!"

Mom folded her arms in front of her. "Amanda, where is this coming from? You came home every night to an actual house with two parents who loved you. You had everything you ever needed and most of everything you ever wanted. You had a cooked dinner with your family every single night with parents who loved and supported you. You always knew that if you had a problem you could talk to me or your dad."

"I know that mom, but you always just talked about him. Whenever anyone asked about your kids, you always started talking about him, like he was your pride and joy. You didn't even know him! You still don't!"

"Do you know what kind of mother he had? We didn't even live in a home. We lived in his father's trailer, and we didn't even have food to eat every night. He had a mother who let herself be prostituted out to make money because she was too cowardly to do what she knew she should have done from the moment she discovered she was pregnant by a man who only wanted to use her. Then, he didn't even have a mother once he turned 8. For the last 27 years, he's had to find his own way through the world with little support. But you are jealous of him for what exactly? That I carried guilt and grief for losing him? That I felt the sorrow that I hope no other parent ever has to face or that he felt alone in the world?"

"Well, mom…"

"Don't! Amanda, I talked about him because I always thought about him and wished that my children could be together. I figured if they couldn't, then at least you would know of your brother. Because he existed! I made bad decisions, okay? I wasn't the adult-the parent-that he needed me to be. You got a version of me that didn't exist until I was out of a situation that also separated me from him. What do you have to be jealous about?"

Amanda looked down at her feet. A part of him wished to be removed from this conversation, but a part of him knew that sometimes this is what having a family involved. Just then, Paul returned with the groceries.

"Hey, everyone! I got a bunch of stuff for this afternoon. Paddy, I got this great local beer that you need to try!" He started talking before he took in the scene, but once he did, he paused. "What's going on?"

"Amanda was just going to tell us why she's jealous of her brother."

Paul frowned. "What's going on, pumpkin?"

She sighed. "Don't call me that!"

He shrugged. "It always works when you're upset."

"Daddy, do you really not have anything to say about this? How mama has been about this?"

"About what?"

"About Patrick."

"He's a part of our family."

"He hasn't been a part of our family since before I was born!"

"Well, Amanda, that's a very self-centered thing for you to say. You're an adult, and I think you would be able to understand that this situation is much more complicated than anything you ever had to face in your life. He's here now, and it's important for all of us to get to know him. If you don't want to be a part of that, then maybe you should just go back home. But where's my little girl? I know she definitely wants to be here."

Hurt flashed across Amanda's face as her father pushed her hair behind her ears. Suddenly, it dawned on him where this was coming from. He knew the feeling. It wasn't jealousy; it was loneliness.

Paul continued. "But kid, I will tell you this. You're only hurting yourself. The older brother you always wanted is right here. You used to come up to me and ask all the time when Paddy would be here to take you to the park. When you were little, you'd save the chair next to you at every birthday party for your big brother. He wasn't here for reasons that were beyond your control and never rejected you. He's here now, and you're rejecting him."

"No, I didn't."

"It doesn't seem like you're giving him much of a chance."

She shook her head slightly. "I'm just going to go upstairs."

They watched her leave the room. His mom came and wrapped her around his back. "Paddy, I'm so sorry."

"No, I get it. She always wanted a big brother and never had one when she wanted him. Now, I'm here, and she doesn't know what to do with me."

Paul clapped him on the shoulder. "It's not your fault, son. She…"

"She's just a kid."

His step-father snorted. "Of course, but don't let her hear you call her that. She'll read you the riot act about being an adult."

He grinned a bit as his mother continued hugging him. Truthfully, he was still having trouble wrapping his head around having three younger siblings. He'd lost quite a bit of time from his siblings' lives. They were all young adults now, but they probably missed a lot of time together as kids. They knew about him, but he didn't know about them. Things that Annie and Charlotte would grow up doing together he would never be able to do with his siblings. It was another loss, but now seemed like a good time to recoup the losses in whatever way he could.

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As promised, Annie and Maisie returned for lunch-which was very light as Paul had begun preparing to grill later this afternoon.

"Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, Aunt Maisie said I'm a natural."

Maisie ruffled her hair. "She is rather talented! Annie told me that she's going to be playing on a team this fall."

"With my friend Mimi!"

His mom looked at them in curiosity. "Annie in soccer with a new baby? That seems like a lot."

He nodded. "Maybe, but we told Annie we would let her play. She loves soccer so much, and we want her to do things that she's passionate about."

She smiled at him, giving him her approval. "I think that's a good idea. Maisie and Jason were always into soccer as well. Amanda liked gymnastics and dance, which made her a natural for the cheer team. That was all...a very different experience for me."

He laughed, knowing exactly what she meant. She probably got to rub elbows with the wealthiest cheer moms with the most interesting opinions on life.

She continued. "Teresa, do you have any help? Is your mom coming out to help you?" Teresa's face fell, and mom immediately picked up on why. "Oh, honey, I am so sorry. How long?"

"22 years."

"Oh, you were just a child. I'm so sorry. Do you have any folks?"

She nodded. "My brothers. Stan and his wife just had their first baby. My brother Jimmy is still searching for how to give his life meaning, I suppose. They're in Chicago. I do have an uncle who lives in San Francisco."

"And Annie's biological parents?"

"My brother Tommy. I'd prefer not to talk about him right now."

Annie turned to her. "Has he called?"

That was an odd question. Annie hadn't mentioned him at all since that day in the park in Chicago, but reconnecting with his mom helped him name what was going on with her. Even having a family now didn't plug all the holes the loneliness and feelings of abandonment caused him over the years. You could move on and work to overcome something, but it would still be there.

"Well, I talked to him a while ago. He wanted to make sure you were doing okay." While he knew what happened on the call, that was a rather condensed version of the call.

"But he didn't want to talk to me?"

"You were at school."

"Why didn't he call when was out of school?"

"He didn't have a choice."

"Why didn't he have a choice? Why doesn't he ever choose me?"

Teresa just looked at her with a softness in her eyes as she reached for her, prompting Annie to come into her embrace.

"He just didn't have a choice this time, Annie. He did want to make sure you're okay."

"He always talks to you, but if he doesn't want me to live with him, why doesn't he even want to talk to me? It's his special juice, isn't it?"

Twice in two days. He'd need to call her therapist when they got back to town. They stopped regular visits when the adoption was finalized because she was doing so well. Something about this trip brought up some feelings Annie needed to work through. Though, the therapist had warned them that with Charlotte's arrival, Annie might start to experience more anxiety.

When Annie started to cry softly, he got up and kneeled in front of them, rubbing her back.

"Annie, it's okay. Is something bothering you today?"

"Please don't go away."

"No one's going away, Annie." Teresa looked at him. "I think she's just tired. Are you tired, baby? Do you want to come up with me and take a nap?"

Annie nodded, taking Teresa's left hand. "Do you want me to come up with you?"

"No! We're fine. Just spend some time with your family. I'll take care of Annie." She kissed his cheek before taking Annie upstairs for a nap.

When they were gone, mom looked at him. "I'm so sorry I brought that up. I didn't realize...well, I didn't think. Of course, it's hard for her to hear about her parents."

He nodded. "The last few months have been very hard on our family."

"How so?"

He wasn't sure if he should talk about this without Teresa present, but she hated talking about it. Maybe the cliffnotes would be good enough.

He sighed softly. "A few months ago, Teresa was attacked."

"She was attacked?" Mom's eyes were wide.

"Yeah. In her office. A serial killer tried to kill her."

"Oh my God."

"We weren't sure if...well, we knew she would recover. But for a while, we weren't sure if Charlotte would live. It was a very hard time for all of us-and hardest for her."

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "What I know is that this man had been stalking her for some time. That evening, she was alone in the office. Well, she thought she was alone. He killed one of her co-workers in front of her in cold blood. He attacked her, and she defended herself."

"She defended herself?"

"She killed him. I know that weighs on her, but I am so glad that she did everything she could to get home to us."

"I can't imagine what she went through or what you and Annie experienced during that time."

"It was rough for a while, especially as she was trying to work through things. Her arm is getting better."

"And you've been doing this all alone?" His mother's guilt shone in her eyes once more. She needed to know he was okay.

"We have a great group of friends. Her brother Jimmy also came to visit us for a while. We had a falling out, but it was nice to have him there for Annie and Teresa."

"A falling out?"

"Yeah, Angela-my ex-wife-has been working through how to squeeze more money out of me since the divorce. Well, that's not entirely fair. More money or she wants to reconcile. It seems her ideal scenario is both. But she got pregnant by the guy she left me for, and he's dust in the wind. She brought a paternity suit against me, claiming that since we were still married when he was conceived that I am the legal father, and Jimmy immediately thought the worst. Thankfully, Teresa heard me." He grinned. "And was instrumental in handling that situation."

"Well, good. I'm glad she supports you. Those Ruskins are nothing but trouble!"

"Teresa is great. You know, I met her when I was going through my divorce. I felt very...hopeless. I used to go to this hole in the wall and bar and just have a few drinks. Watching people at this place was the highpoint of my existence because I felt worthless. And there she was, playing pool. We just connected almost immediately. I like to think that we found each other at the exact right moment because we need each other. We complete each other."

"I'm glad you support each other. This must be so hard on poor Annie."

Her own eyes remained full of guilt and sadness. That didn't bring him joy, but he also knew it was something she'd have to work through on her own. Parents had responsibilities, and to some degree, she'd failed on her own. Even if he said it was all okay, she would still feel that guilt.

"It is, but we do our best. I'm glad I have my family."

She took his hand. "I see. You're doing a wonderful job, son. And you have me-all of us-now, too."

He smiled. It was nice to hear mom say that.