Chapter 47: Don't Cry For Me (Jason Derulo)

Brittany's POV

Being able to feed Dani in that moment, felt good. Normally she's attached to Ana's chest but that era was finished.

There was knock on the open door and I glanced over to see Ari, her curls looking wild and her skin a little brighter even though it couldn't have been more than two hours since I tucked her in.

"Hey." She was grinning. "How'd things go...where's Izzy?"

I nodded toward the open bathroom door, where my wife was knelt in front of the tub singing to Izzy.

She smiled and then came closer to me.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I am listed as Moncho's next of kin...I need to go collect his belongings."

"Does that also mean his ashes?" I whispered as I glanced towards the bathroom. Ana was too fragile for all of this.

"No...um...I told them to toss them." She looked guilty.

And then I heard footsteps come into the room and stop short.

"Hey." Ana said as she carried Izzy all bundled up in a robe. She brushed her fingers over the baby's head and then moved over to the changing table. I watched as she talked quietly to Izzy like we weren't in the room.

"Anyway, I'm going to head out. Do you mind if I come back tonight? It's weirder and more obvious that NYU wants me out since I am not a student this semester, but you know Cancer makes people do odd things."

"Well a room just opened up." Ana said coldly, still not turning away from Izzy as she spread lotion on him.

"Santana." I said her name and she went stiff. I knew what she was doing. Ari had seen her in a vulnerable state so she was going to do her usual, claws out and walls up thing that I hated. "Ari is supposed to be healing, I offered for her to stay before I came home to...well...everything. She can stay if she needs to."

"You hear that P-Papa, no one asked y-you did they? It's not like it's y-your house." She said all sweet and cute but the words were cutting. She shook her head then Ari was looking at me in confusion.

"You can stay, Ari." I said and then went back to focusing on the baby, while still keeping an eye out on my wife.

"Anita...don't be like this. I still love you, I don't see you any different." Ari said as she walked closer. She touched Ana's arm and she yanked it away.

"Don't." She said, her voice low. "M-Moncho loved you. You had no r-right."

She'd heard about the tossing of the ashes.

"It was a joke." Ari said. "Maybe in poor taste since you and Dani are right here but...I was just joking."

Ana looked at her coldly and then looked at me with tears in her eyes, then she took a deep breath and went back to getting Izzy dressed.

Her body shook and her sniffles sounded harsh.

Ari looked so apologetic but didn't say anything else, instead she gave me a small smile before leaving.

Izzy was just staring at it all and then his eyes met mine.

He was scared.

Yeah, I had to keep my promise.

She was probably still coming down from everything.

How could I think we could go back to something close to what we had?

It was going to take time.

With his hard night and Dani waking him up, I wasn't surprised that Izzy curled right up after he got dressed and clutched his Elmo.

"Nigh Nigh." He said to Ana and she actually looked disappointed that her buddy wasn't going to be able to hang.

"What time did he go to sl-sleep?" Ana asked me as he curled up in her arms and closed his eyes.

"Told you, Quinn was in here awake with him all night. Let him sleep. I'm not working today and if he's tired just put him down."

"He has a ro-routine." She stressed.

"Well no one is going to be following their routine today, thanks to the last few hours. You probably got the most sleep in the whole house."

I shouldn't have snapped but her treatment of Ari had rubbed me the wrong way.

She kissed his face and then tucked him into his crib with Elmo flashing light machine.

He smiled as he closed his eyes and then stuck his thumb in his mouth.

She went to reach for it but I was standing over her at that point, I pulled her hand away.

"Leave him be, baby. He needs the comfort."

"But his te-teeth."

"Can be fixed. Let's go have breakfast."

"Okay, B. Sorry."

She looked like she wanted to cry. I knew that look, she was feeling out of control with everything and it was the kind of the thing that could send her over the edge, so I decided to compromise.

"Why don't you take the chair lift down and hold the baby?"

I watched her perk up, she'd yet to be able to really do anything with Dani yet.

She nodded and then walked ahead of me to the chair lift.

It was like watching a kid on Christmas, when I put the baby in her arms.

And like I expected, the baby could smell her milk and was pressing her face against Ana's shirt, trying to get more milk.

By the time we got to the bottom of the steps, Dani was sucking on Ana's face and the shirt Ana was wearing had wet spots where her nipples were.

Not letting her breastfeed was going to be hard for the both of them but this was for the best.

After wrapping Ana up in my sweater and settling her in the breakfast nook with the baby in her arms, she seemed to be in better spirits. I turned on the music and began making pancakes while she whispered to the baby. Every time I glanced over, she looked happier and happier.

She even got the baby to laugh and it made my heart even warmer.

"Can you handle coffee, baby?" I asked her as I put her favorite mug in the machine. She smiled at me and nodded.

"Please, B."

"You got it. How are your boobs?"

"Sore. I th-think I'll have to pump and d-dump."

"After you eat, I'll get your machine."

"Th-Thanks."

The peace was good while it lasted.

As I was serving her breakfast, the kitchen door pushed open and in walked all three of her sisters. Each one looking a different level of pissed or concerned.

Thankfully, I had made a mountain of pancakes. I served myself and then slid next to Ana who had shifted the baby to her right arm, so she could eat but she seemed to be having trouble.

"Ask." I said to her quietly, while we were still alone in the nook.

"Cut them for me?" She asked because she obviously wasn't going to let go of the baby. Which I understood. She was feeling like a shitty mother and needed the validation that she was at least still good enough to hold Dani.

So while everyone got settled, I cut up Ana's pancakes for her and then pushed her plate back to her. When she looked at me, I could see pride mixed with a little bit of shame but she still nodded.

"Thanks."

I was nervous that she'd spiral into something she could control, her food consumption but she ate slowly, not playing with her food at all. She looked more confident than ever as her sisters sat across from us.

"Sorry about l-last night." She said to Mari and then she leaned over and kissed Dani's head before continuing to eat. Her sisters were watching her and it was getting annoying. I had scarfed down my food, just so I could take the baby from her. I was convinced that she hadn't really eaten the day before and the drugs that were going to make her sicker if she didn't eat.

"Baby let me have her, so you can eat and talk to your sisters." I could tell that Ana wanted to argue with me but right now, she didn't want to piss me off, so she kissed the baby a little more before handing her to me. Then I stared at her until she began to eat again. I leaned in against her ear and spoke just loud enough for her to hear me. "You're doing great, baby. Be brave."

She blushed and nodded. Then she sighed before talking to her sisters again. "I'm going to petition the co-court to let me go to rehab today. I'm gonna call Ma-Mami soon." she said strongly.

Celia chuckled.

"Oh no need to call your mom, I called her already and told her everything. She'll be here soon."

Ana's face dropped but then, how could she not expect Celia to retaliate in some way.

Then like she was summoned, the kitchen door swung open and in walked Gladys, her face looking somber like my mom's did after Court died.

I got up then, feeling like maybe I needed to let her family actually step up for once.

"Bendicion, Gladys." I said to her and she looked at me in surprise. Yes, I had been paying attention...and maybe I was trying to get on her good side.

Ana going to rehab would not be how it was when she was in the hospital.

No one was going to cut me out of things this time.

"Que Dios te bendiga, Brittany." She kissed my cheek and then leaned in and kissed the baby. "Hola, mi nieta." She whispered.

"I made pancakes and bacon, did you eat yet? Can I get you anything."

"Cafe would be great, Brittany. I ate already. Thank you."

"Coming right up, would you mind holding her?" I asked and she happily took the baby.

I could see the hurt on Ana's face but I just gave her a quick smile while I made her mother some coffee.

We were going to get through this hurtful period, it really was just about her sticking to her word and getting better.

Santana's POV

As I looked at the anger in my sister's eyes, I knew that Celia knew. Telling me that she called Mami, just seconds before she showed up was a boss move. She was playing chess and I was playing checkers.

I got that, yesterday she had fucked up when she said what she said but I had done her one better. I had taken the girl that she loved and fucked her, I was coherent...maybe sad but I was definitely VERY aware of what I was doing. I just didn't care to stop.

Quinn would always love me, would always bend to me...that was clear. Love or not, Quinn belonged to me first.

I would always be her first and there was nothing that Ceily or Britt could do about it. It was easy for me to be vindictive but fucking Quinn had been enough.

She looked like she wanted to explode and embarrass me but I could play chess too. You want to snitch on me to Mami...I can do better. I turned towards my mother as she sat down next to me with the baby and told on myself.

"I had sex with Q, yesterday. I al-also spent 1000 on dr-drugs. I w-went off the deep end and I need to co-course correct."

Mami nodded and then wrapped her arm around me, kissing my cheek before pulling away and accepting coffee from Britt.

When I looked Ceily in the eyes, her lips were screwed up as she stabbed a pancake and just nodded her head.

"You told us while you were out of it last night, Ana." Sandra informed me and I rolled my eyes. Of course I would find a way to rub it in Ceily's face. as she squeezed my hand.

"Did dump her?" I asked my sister and she shrugged.

"Why you want swoop in, get yourself a second wife...or with Ari around...third? Can't help being the center of attention, baby sis?"

"No. Just w-want to make sure my b-best friend is okay."

"Of course she's not okay, Santana. Even while I was ending things, she was on the floor of the nursery, bags under her eyes taking care of YOUR kid. She's a fucking saint and I don't blame her for any of it. I blame you, because you are vindictive and abusive just like Papi."

I felt like I'd been slapped.

"Fuck you." I said to her.

"Is that your answer for everything?" She asked and then she looked over at Mami. "I'm sorry for my language, Ma. This hurts. We just lost Brenda and now this, I was going to propose." She was looking at me again. "I had it all planned out. I was going to ask her to marry me and now you've ruined it. Are you happy?"

"No." I said, feeling the tears welling up. I was so used to fucking up and my sisters just banding around me, so to see one of them hurting because of something I did...regardless of what she had said...well that shit hurt. "I am miserable. I'm sad. It's t-taking everything in me to stay alive."

Sandra looked torn between us.

Mari looked like she was ready to escape.

But Britt, who had been off to the side stepped up.

"Baby, if you're finished it might be a good time to pump...your shirt is wet."

I looked down and sure enough, there was a flood of milk leaking through her sweater.

"Shit. Okay...um...yes." I said, wrapping my arms around my chest to try and slow the leak. I looked at my sister. "I messed up. I'm sorry. J-Just...be mad at me, not her. Pl-Please?"

"I don't know...I just think I need time away from all of you. I already have my flight booked...I know everyone is going to band together and be team Santana but I'm sitting this one out because you are NOT the only one going through shit."

Celia stormed from the kitchen and I broke against Mami's shoulder.

Weeping, like a baby for everyone to see.

Fuck it.

Mari followed after Celia to do what, I don't know but I didn't blame her. Someone should be there for my sister, obviously she was in her feelings just as bad as I was and we could be of no help to each other.

Sandra though...and Mami...watching as I hooked up the pump before talking to me...seemed ready to address all the elephants in the room.

"Talk." I said to them, hoping it would keep them from staring.

"Actually, can I cut in." B said and Mami looked surprised that Britt was inserting herself. I was proud of her. It's about time.

"Sure, mi'ja." Mami said to her and Britt blushed, she was definitely making some strides with Mami.

Good!

"A while back, Ana asked me to take the kids away from her if she got this bad." Mami's face dropped and Sandra was now fully staring Britt down. "Instead, I was hoping that you, Sandra, could take Izzy for a little while...at least until everything is figured out with rehab and court. It's gonna be hard for me to take care of both kids on my own...especially with Quinn moving out."

"Oh, well yeah, I'll take Isaac. Tito would love that. There's two much bigger boys in the house right now so, another little guy his size will be amazing."

"Thanks, sis." I said to her, because I needed her to know that Britt and I were on the same page.

Britt smiled at me and then she glanced at the baby.

"As for Dani, I'm just going to have her with me like I did with Izzy. Most of what I do is paperwork during the day and directing. I asked Ana to stop breastfeeding. She's had way too many drugs in her system with Xanax and anti-seizure medicine, and now coke and heroin. I mean, if after a week in rehab, her system is clean...I would consider changing my mind...I will need some help from time to time though. Would either of you mind?"

Mami nodded.

"If it's not noticeable, I'm in the process of making the move to New York. Everyone else is here and I feel like I need to be too. I will help in anyway that I can. As for the milk goes, I think you are on the right track, Brittany. I've been anxious about the breastfeeding from the beginning and I think it would be good to have it tested to ease your mind once she's in rehab."

"What do you think about that, sis?" Sandra asked me.

"I d-don't want to stop. So if going to re-rehab means I still can provide for her...I'll do it."

Once everything was out on the table, Mami slid her phone towards me.

"You need to call the judge and be transparent." Mami said.

"Okay."

"Judge Acevedo? This is S-Santana Lopez." I had been leery about calling the judge myself, but it felt necessary for me to do this myself and not depend on my mother or anyone else to do it for me. That being said, it was great to have my mother, my sister, and Brittany there with me while I did it.

I put the phone on speaker and placed it in the center of the table. I had fucked up majorly and I needed to redeem myself. I needed to get clean, it was good to be transparent in this moment.

My children were counting on me and I couldn't let them down anymore than I already had.

"Ms. Lopez...how may I help you?"

"I v-violated my house arrest. I needed to tell you about it and was ho-hoping that you would hear me out be-before sending me back to jail." I said as I bounced my knee.

"Is that right? Can you come in and see me?"

"Wi-With all do respect your honor, I feel th-that if I leave your office in handcuffs without being able to prop-properly say goodbye to my children...I think that I might br-break." I admitted.

There was a pregnant pause as I waited anxiously for her to come down on me for being too forward.

"Okay...I'm in a good mood. I'll allow you to talk to me over the phone...but please note that I am recording this conversation."

"Alright and for y-your record, my attorney is listening."

"Good. Hello, Gladys."

"Hello, your honor."

"State your name for the record."

"Santana Gladys Lopez."

"Tell me what happened?" she sounded like she was being as patient as possible.

"I vio-violated the guidelines of my house arrest by pur-purchasing and u-using a mixture of cocaine and heroin last night. I nearly o-overdosed."

"And you're aware of the weight of this admission?"

"Yes ma'am. I really would like to en-enter rehab...inpatient in lieu of go-going to jail. I want to clean up my life and I don't think ja-jail is going to be enough."

"Mrs. Lopez, I expect to see you in judge's chambers with your lawyer in two hours time or I will send a vehicle to pick you up. Do you understand?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Oh and Mrs. Lopez?"

"Yes?"

"Make s-sure you say goodbye to your children."

My heart clenched.

"Okay. Th-Thank you."

I read my son a story while he got another treatment and knew that it wouldn't be long before he was back in the hospital.

Even if the mold tests came back negative, there just seemed to be something about this house that set him off.

"B?" I called out to her as she packed up Isaac's stuff for his stay at Sandra's.

"Yeah?"

"I think w-we need to move. Wh-Whenever I get back."

"How can you even think about that right now?"

"I will always be con-concerned about the kids."

She sighed and then came over to us, dropping to a crouch so we were eye to eye.

"I know that you love them, baby. You're human and you are going to make mistakes. It's okay if you focus on yourself for a while. If you still want to move down the line, we can...I was thinking though it would be good to move them to your office. It's drier in there and might help him."

I felt relieved that she was thinking about this too.

"Yeah, that might help."

"Okay. Sandra has to get home soon, so give him your kisses so we don't hold her up."

"Right." I closed the book and took the mask off of his face. He looked at me, his eyes glazed over. I hated how high he looked after and I hoped this was as high as he ever got. It would break me to know that either of my children had ended up like me.

It's why I needed to stop now, while they were too young to remember me being addicted.

"Mami." He whispered, touching my face. "B...Beso?" He said.

And I grinned because I had been correcting that ki ki thing low key this whole time and now he was saying it right.

I leaned in and kissed his face, over and over until he was giggling. His lungs were still working, I didn't want to get him too excited.

"I love you." I said to him and he smiled.

"Wuv you, Mami." I kissed him again.

I was doing my best to not cry, that's not how I wanted him to remember me. So I smiled and I was as silly as I could be right up until the moment that Sandra was walking out the door with him.

"Call me, let me know how it goes?" Sandra asked as she held me in a tight hug.

"One of us w-will."

"Good luck, sis and no worries, Izzy is in great hands."

"I know." I kissed her cheek and then stood at the door, watching as she loaded him in the car and then left.

It was hard to grapple with the fact that, watching my son leave might be the last time I saw him for a long while.

Addiction sucked.

I needed to kick it.

At least Daniela, would be coming with us to see the judge because saying goodbye to her was going to be nearly impossible.

Britt held my hand as we sat in the backseat of my mom's car. She was drilling me about what to say to the judge and how to be humble. We'd be going to her office instead of a courtroom, which did not mean it still wasn't serious business.

I rested my head on Britt's shoulder as she wrapped her arm around me and held me as I tried to be strong.

This was huge for me.

I had an addiction and it was getting in the way of my goals, my family, and my future.

Things had to change.

It all seemed like the biggest travesty in the world but I knew that I would make it through.

As we walked into the judge's chambers late that morning, I was settled in my decision and didn't feel like there was any other way.

This was what I needed and what I wanted.

Brittany's POV

I have never been prouder of my wife than the moment that she sat in front of the judge and admitted to not only using but being an addict.

Gladys had told us that with Marco's death the case would probably be thrown out but as someone who likes to lean into the law more often than not, she told Ana to just be honest.

So I handed her Dani, knowing that having a little reminder in her arms would keep her honest.

And I was right.

Her full honesty was a long time coming and every bit as satisfying as it could have been because this meant that she was actually going to get help that would force her to be accountable to more than just me.

It took me nearly killing Ana to get some help for my issues with my meds and I never wished that for my wife but sometimes we have to go through the bad stuff to get to the good stuff.

Things were definitely about to change and I was so excited that there would be something good to come out of this.

I was hopeful that, once all of this was over, we would REALLY be able to move on and put this in the past.

It's wasn't going to be easy but the good stuff in life never is, right?

She held hands with Gladys like she was a little girl all over again and thankfully her mother didn't reject her.

I tried to keep a smile on my face as we sat waiting for the judge to come to a decision. She left us in her office while she made a phone call and Ana just kissed the baby and held tight to her mom's hand.

My nervous energy kept me pacing by the window, trying to figure out how I would go on without my wife...and how I would be a single mom to kids who didn't look like me.

It wasn't a worry that I had ever had before...everyone in Lima knew us but this was New York. I closed my eyes and I prayed, trying to lean on the faith that I was still learning to have.

And then, when I felt like all hope was lost, I opened my eyes and Ana was smiling at me.

"I love you." She said. "Always you, B." she whispered. I noticed that she dropped the 'only' from that statement and in that moment it felt more real. I wasn't her only, I never had been but to know that even after people came in went, she always came to me...that meant something more.

Something better.

Honesty looked good on her. I smiled back, hoping to reassure her the best that I could.

The judge entered her office with a bailiff and the prosecutor. Ana tensed up but didn't cry.

"Mrs. Lopez. I have spoken with the prosecutor and Mr. Vega's lawyer. I have gone over the very small amount of evidence that we have on you. Frankly these charges wouldn't stand a trial so the previous charges have been dropped."

Ana sighed and nodded.

"Thank you." she said respectfully.

"I have two choices here. I can let you go since your case is null and void."

Ana shook her head and it surprised me.

"And?"

"I can acknowledge that, you still violated court ordered house arrest. Given the honesty that you have shown today, I feel inclined to send you into a program that could set you back on the right path. Would you like to discuss your options with you attorney?"

She looked to me and then to her mom, before straightening up her back. She chanced one last glance at Dani and then she spoke.

"Your honor, I n-need help. I also need ac-countability."

Consequences. I remembered her saying.

"Well then, Mrs. Lopez, I am sentencing you to 120 days of rehab and parental counseling at a center that is assigned by the court. You have twenty four hours to report to the center at which time, your sentence will begin. This is in lieu of a one year jail sentence for violating your house arrest. If at anytime you chose to leave the facility prior to the 120 days you will be remanded to custody to serve out the rest of your sentence at Rikers. Understand?"

"Yes, your honor."

"During the first 90 days you are not to have any outside visitors without express consent of the court. You will submit to random drug testing and if you are found under the influence, you will be remanded to custody. You will remain on the ankle monitoring device until your sentence has commenced. Do you understand your sentence?"

"Yes, your honor." she sat there looking at the judge with a blank face and a gave a brief nod.

"Good. I hope that you use this opportunity to get your life together and I will see you 121 days."

"I will, thank you so much, your honor."

"Good luck, Mrs. Lopez. You're dismissed."

She had to sign some paperwork and then the bailiff did something to her anklet before we were able to leave.

But before we could, the prosecutor caught up with us outside the courthouse.

"Can I talk to you?" He said to her and it was then that I noticed the tension in her shoulders and the flare of her nostrils.

"Do you know him?" I asked her as I hugged her to me.

"Yes."

"Are you okay?"

"No...but um...you sh-should go ahead. I'll be o-okay."

There was no way I was leaving her with this guy.

"No."

She pulled out of my arms and held up a finger to him.

"Give me a sec." She was gripping my arm and walking us towards her mom's car. Gladys had just finished strapping the baby in and was standing there waiting for us but then her eyes were on the prosecutor. "Look, he and I h-have history. I have h-history with most of the lawyers in l-lower Manhattan."

"History how?"

"You know how." She stressed to me, not wanting to talk about this in front of her mother but I was feeling hot.

"So you fucked him and not even 12 hours after you slept with another person, you want me to leave you alone with him?"

She dropped my arm like it burned her and I got why, I said that I'd forgiven her but was throwing Quinn in her face. It was the wrong move but I was hurt.

Hurt people, hurt people.

"Nanita, you have limited time before you need to be back home. You could spend this time, doing whatever you want before 7pm...and you want to stand here and talk to him?"

"Mami...please?"

"Five minutes, you let Brittany go with you and then after that, we leave."

She sighed...and then glared at me.

"Fine."

Santana's POV

It's not like I set out to talk to Ricky, he approached me but Britt as acting like I was about to fuck him on the steps of the courthouse.

What kind of slut did she take me for, I preferred a bed or a shower.

I was mad but I also wasn't, really, I just wanted to not have her to think any less of me.

Those fucking colleague brunches of Marco's were still somehow worse than any other time escorting...because I didn't get paid for them and I was also the only woman in a room full of horny dudes.

Ricky only came to a few brunches and every time, he was kind to me. Did we fuck? Yes but it was never rough and he always made sure that I had an orgasm, which I cannot say for 90% of the dudes I slept with.

When I saw he was the prosecutor, I thought nothing of it. We'd only had sex four times, maybe. I didn't think I was memorable but at the same time, I was Marco's ex-wife in a part of the city that he ruled. I was standing outside of his old workplace, how could I not run into one of his colleagues.

At least, this one, was nice.

"Be cool, B." I said to her, trying to convey how not a big deal this was but she was already livid and there was nothing that I could do to squash it.

This was not how we needed to be when I only had about 24 hours of freedom left.

120 days meant that I'd miss milestones with our baby, I'd miss Isaac's first birthday, and I would miss countless family moments...with her and my kids.

Right now, that's what was on my mind.

How would I cope with being away from my life at pivotal moments and stay sober but I had chosen this.

I could have walked away but with the way that I was feeling, I knew it would only be a matter of time before I got high again.

It was going to devastate me to go through this but I was game.

Sobriety was something that I was finally ready to take serious. In a few short months, I wouldn't be a teenager anymore.

My teenage years had sucked from beginning to end and I wanted to enter my 20s, better than I had ever been.

We walked over to a bench in front of the courthouse.

Me and Ricky sat, Britt stood...hovering.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"This awkward, I just wanted to check on you. I know why you are here and what you did last night. The judge filled me in." He glanced at B and then looked me straight in the eyes. "Even though he was a total monster to you, I know that you loved him. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"I'm not. I j-just had the baby in Dec-December. He had w-wanted to be better for her. She has that tw-twinkle in her eyes that he had. I feel like I l-let him down. It's nuts."

"No it's not. It's not. I know your history, he got drunk all the time and talked only about you. Ad nauseum, Ana this, Ana that...some of it was vulgar but most of it was good. It doesn't sit right with me that he took his own life. You know, he loved himself way too much for that. I mean, sociopathic levels of self-love. We are investigating, on the low. I want to make sure that it wasn't more nefarious."

"L-Like murder?"

He nodded. "He had a lot of enemies. I'm sure you know that better than most."

"I do."

"He had a hand in Nico dying, everyone LOVED Nico. He and I were on opposite sides of the law but I loved him too. When it became common knowledge that Marco had a hand in it, with his lady right there...well...his enemies tripled. You're safe, it was smart of you to divorce him and separate yourself from him. If you ever need anything or just want to vent about him. My door is open."

"Thanks."

He looked straight at B, "And to be clear, that's in a nonsexual way. A lifetime has passed since our dealings nearly two years ago. I'm happily married and I have a baby on the way. I have the utmost respect for you standing by Santana's side. She needs it."

Britt dropped her serious face and smiled at him.

Thank the sweet Lord.

One less hurdle.

"Hey Ricky?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Good luck rehab. I hope you get better once and for all."

"Me too."