When Vanessa arrived, she came into the kitchen as most did, without knocking. It was in that moment that Holly was flirting endlessly with Ed who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Vanessa seemed to stand up straighter as she bristled.

"Holly, what are you doing in Maureen's kitchen?" Vanessa didn't miss a beat. She turned to Ed "Is Michelle ready?"

"Hello Vanessa. She was just here a second ago, let me go find out what's keeping her." Ed left the two women alone in the kitchen.

"Well, I asked you a question?" Vanessa said, her tone full of venom as she faced Holly.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's any of your business." Holly spat back.

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "Was it you?"

She knew Vanessa and Maureen had been the best of friends, so it was no shock that Maureen would have shared the news of the fling the two shared when she was alive. However, it seemed to be more recent events that troubled her.

Holly pinched her brow. "Was it me what?" She asked in turn.

"Don't play dumb with me, Holly. Maureen told me that Ed had an affair."

Holly rolled her eyes and circled her head "Honestly Vanessa, that is ancient history. They were separated and I was recently divorced when that happened. In case you've forgotten this remained Maureen's kitchen until her timely death"

Vanessa bristled again. "You're going to make me spell it out, aren't you?'

"If you insist because I have no idea what you're getting at" Holly leaned against the kitchen island, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You were the woman he was sleeping with when Maureen died weren't you? Admit it."

Holly's mouth felt open. "No!" She shrieked. "What are you getting at Vanessa?"

The color left Vanessa's face. "You mean it wasn't? Oh my God, Holly, I am so sorry. I just assumed. Please forgive me."

"Forgive you for what?" Ed asked appearing in the doorway with Michelle. He looked between the pair for context, but none was to be found.

"I need to leave" Holly said, pushing herself off the island.

"Holly, wait!" Ed called out, but she had already gone out the back door.

Vanessa cleared her throat. "We should be going too. Ben and Bill are waiting for us." Vanessa held out a hand for Michelle.

"Not so fast, Vanessa. Honey, why don't you go wait in the car. Miss. Chamberlain will be out in a minute." He bent down and hugged a confused Michelle. "Remember what I said. No later than ten"

Michelle got on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. "I love you Daddy"

Ed smiled "Love you too sweetie, have fun" He watched as Michelle literally skipped to and the back door. It quickly fell when he turned to Vanessa.

"What did you say to Holly?"

"Nothing" Vanessa shrugged.

"Bull. We were having a wonderful time until you waltzed in. Did you make her feel guilty for being close to Michelle and Me?" He smacked a hand off the table causing her to jump.

"I did no such thing, Ed. I simply asked her if she was the tart you were sleeping with causing your wife, my best friend to drive to the cabin and basically kill herself with that knowledge."

Ed stuck the tip of his tongue through his lips and closed his eyes. "Why would you do that? You had no right?" His words were clipped.

"She was my best friend, Ed" She sounded wounded. "When I walked into her kitchen and you're pawing that trollop what was I supposed to think?"

"You're supposed to think that maybe for a brief moment that I may be on my way to finding happiness again. That maybe for one brief second each day that I am not consumed with guilt that Maureen is dead, but God forbid I ever be absolved of it." Ed went to Vanessa and laid a hand on her elbow, guiding her gently to the door. "You have no right or reason to ever let yourself into this house without knocking again. Further, you have no right to question with whom I am spending my time or why I am doing it. For your information, Vanessa, Holly has been an invaluable help to me and Michelle. Make sure she is home by ten" He yanked the door open with such force that he feared he'd warped the hinges. When she cleared it, he slammed it, rattling the glass panes.

Holly drove back to her house, her eyes flooded with tears. If Ed had been having an affair prior to Maureen's death, who was it with? Suddenly the answer came to her. It had to be Eve Guthrie she surmised. They worked together, in fact, he had hired her. She lived in his garage apartment giving them even closer proximity. Then there was the undeniable face that she was young and pretty. "Oh Ed, how could I have been so stupid?" She asked as she shoved the key in the door. From behind her she felt a hand on her shoulder. Immediately she froze. Unsurprisingly she hadn't heard a car or footsteps as she was involved in her own internal thought.

"Mom" The voice belonged to Blake.

Holly's shoulders slumped. "Blake, oh my God"

"I didn't mean to scare you." Blake said.

"Well, you did." Holly snapped, taking the opportunity to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry, I've been waiting for you for hours."

Holly turned and leaned on the door. "Hours? I didn't see your car."

Blake pointed up the street. "I parked by Trish's house. I didn't want you to see my car and keep going"

"You are your father's daughter. You always have a contingency plan." She twisted her mouth. "I suppose you would like to come in."

Holly shoved the door open and went to the kitchen where she found an open bottle of wine and poured a glass. "Do you want one?" Holly shoved the bottle in Blake's direction, but she shook her head 'no'

"Suit yourself" Holly said consuming her glass in three swallows before pouring another.

"Bad day?" Blake asked.

"Why are you here, Blake?"

"I wanted to talk to you Mom. I miss you."

Holly scoffed. "You miss me. Please. You're having the time of your life in Ross' bed and you miss me."

"Mom, this isn't about Ross any more. It's about you and me! Yes, when I first seduced him, it was simply a means to an end. I blamed you for breaking up me and Alan Michael…"

"Blah, blah, blah" Holly said pouring a third glass. "We've been over this a hundred times, Blake. It's old news."

Blake threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "That right there is the problem mother. You always expect everyone to listen to you explain why Holly feels the way she does today, but you never want to listen to anyone else. God mother, if you continue this, you're never going to see your grandchildren!"

Holly inhaled deeply. "Please tell me you're not faking another pregnancy, or worse that you really are pregnant this time"

"No, I'm not mother. Ross asked me to marry him because he loves me. I'm just putting you on notice that when we do have children that you won't be a part of their lives if this keeps up."

Blake walked into the kitchen then where she spied a drawing that Michelle had done. She pulled it off the refrigerator where Holly had hung it. She recognized immediately that it was to be a drawing of Holly and Michelle. It was pretty good, something that should be in a frame. She held it up in the air, pursing her lips trying to decide what to say. "Or maybe you don't care. After all you've been substituting Bauer's for Thorpe's before I was even born."

Holly was starting to feel the effects of the wine, having not eaten since lunch at the club. "Is Christina jealous? Another trait you gained from your father."

Blake closed her eyes and shook her head. She closed the distance between herself and the wine bottle her mother had nearly drained. Picking it up she tipped it into her mother's glass. "Have a nice evening mother. Do Springfield a favor, don't drive tonight. Let whomever is going to warm your bed come here for a change." She set the bottle on the counter with a thud, and allowed the drawing to float to the floor. "Take care, mother"

Holly watched bitterly as Blake disappeared through the front door.