Lucy was furious with Kevin when he told her the truth about him and Billie and the fact they were now pregnant together. The children were equal amounts happy with the fact they were going to have a brother or sister, but angry that it was going to be with a woman who just might also become their stepmother. Billie was fond of the children but they had always kept their distance because she was a cop.

But Lucy had a secret of her own. And she decided to tell her family - including Eric and Annie.

"Kevin," said Lucy without any emotion, "I've cheated on you too. A couple months back, there was that pastoral conference in Dallas. To make a long story short, I ran into Roxanne Richardson. We caught up on old times, but there was a certain ... tension in the air. It's like the one night we had in Waikiki all those years ago never ended. So, we ended up making love. Seven times."

Kevin was silent. But Annie was having none of it.

"For the love of God, Luce, WHY?" she screamed.

"Kev and I haven't had sex for months, Mom," said Lucy. "We've had so many arguments, I've lost count. We should have been in counseling, have been, but nothing has worked. We've tried. But I cheated before Kevin did. We're both wrong, and we're sorry. But ... it's over. It's better to stop living a lie."

"You're getting a divorce?" asked Eric.

"Yes, Dad," said Lucy. A tear finally rolled down her cheek. "We hate the idea. But we have no choice. Kevin is moving in with Billie as soon as she and Jay finalize their divorce. He'll always have a home here. In fact, I offered for them both to live here so we can all be one big family, but Billie has put that off for now saying it would complicate things. Which it might."

"What's Roxanne's excuse?" asked Annie.

To Lucy's surprise, it was her parents asking all the questions. The normally bright and inquisitive children were silent.

"The news that Catherine and Rita were molested literally ruined Roxanne's and Chandler's marriage, even though they were pregnant with a son," replied Lucy. "How can any couple deal with that kind of trauma, especially when it's not just a babysitter but someone who's a serial rapist, someone who also raped my sister-in-law, Hope - among others? It stopped them from having sex cold, period. You go that long without sex, sooner or later you're going to want it. So when Chandler kicked heels with his executive assistant at Columbia, Roxanne decided to get her revenge. As it turned out, she ran into me."

"Let's be clear about something," inquired Eric. "Are you bisexual or are you a lesbian? I'm okay either way, after all Ruthie is a lesbian, but I'm a bit confused here."

"I'm bisexual, Dad, and you know that," said Lucy. "And yes, I'd like to do it with Roxanne, again ... or with another woman. But I like having sex with guys too."

"Guys," said Kevin to Eric and Lucy, "I'm really sorry for what I did. I have no excuse for it. I'll always be a father to your grandchildren. I know I'll never make up for what I did, but I want you to know I didn't mean to hurt anyone, especially you, even though that's what I did."

Eric and Annie forgave both Lucy and Kevin, but they both gave them very stern lectures about the importance of family. And that if divorce was the only option, to do so in a way that their children weren't hurt.

"Now that's out of the way," said Lucy, "I need your advice on something. Actually, it's Ruthie who called me but I'm stumped. It's about Rita, her and Hope's foster daughter, and her girlfriend Rhiannon - you know, Shelby and Rod's daughter."

"What about it?" asked Eric.

"Well, you know the whole story about Rita's father and his involvement with this whole fucking scandal so I won't go into that. But Shelby is still worried about the night she saw the two girls in bed together. They admitted they're more than just friends, that they kiss each other a lot. According to Ruthie, the longest kiss was for about two minutes."

"Nothing wrong with that," said Annie. "If they love each other, it's perfectly normal."

"Except that Rhiannon is developing faster than her parents expected - along with Maggie - and Rita seems to be filling in as well. They're, what, nine and elevenish? Ruthie and Hope are both worried they might ... well, straight kids are having sex by the time they're thirteen. We know that. But two girls?"

"Why should it be any different?"

"But at that age? It's not like they're going to get pregnant, naturally. But Ruthie and Hope doesn't think they're ready for that."

"And they asked your opinion because?"

"I don't know why. I was a virgin when I got married. I counsel same-sex couples all the time. I even talk with parents who have transgendered kids - all of them boys who want to be girls, if you need to know. And the kids themselves. As for gay and lesbian kids - I've talked to teenagers, not pre-teens. This is above me."

"Look, Lucy," said Annie, "when I was in high school, I knew a few kids who were gay or lesbian. In those days, though, you couldn't talk about it. The hint someone might be that way would lead to endless bullying, or worse. But my parents, God bless them, taught me to accept them as they were and not to ask questions unless they brought it up. Now, I know we're dealing with girls who are nine and eleven, as you've pointed out. But Rhiannon is a very responsible young woman. I know her. And Rita ... well, all that abuse she suffered at her father's hands and - you know - well, she had a lot of growing up to do. Inside that eleven year old body is someone who has the maturity of a fifteen year old. Someone who at that real age would be more than ready to have sex.

"So I think the real issue isn't Rita. It's Rhiannon."

"How so?" asked Kevin.

"They've been 'dating' for at least six months, if not longer," replied Annie. "Something tells me that Rhiannon is smitten with Rita, and I can't blame her if she is. She says she love her, and I don't doubt that either. What I think you're worried about, Lucy, is what happens if they break up, or if one cheats on the other with another girl. I think that's what Ruthie is really worried about."

"But why should she?" asked Lucy. "She and Peter cheated on each other. In her case, with Lisa."

Annie thought for a moment.

"Look," she finally said, "all you have to tell Ruthie and Hope is, not to worry about their daughter - and as far as I'm concerned, Rita is already their daughter for real. She learned about the birds and the bees the hard way, so you can bypass that and get right to the heart. That sex is only for two people two who truly love each other, and not just something to be casually done. If they're ready to make love, make sure they have their privacy and don't ask about what they did. But stress to them - and I would if I were them - not to do it until they're absolutely ready to do so. Because once they do, they're in a committed relationship and breaking one up will be very painful for both of them. In other words, only have sex if they think they're going to get married someday. Since most kids their age don't think in those terms, they probably won't have sex until Rita is sixteen and Rhiannon is fourteen. Problem solved."

"And in the meantime?"

"Hold hands, kiss, caress, go through the motions with your clothes ON. Just don't go all the way ... not yet."

"That helps a lot," said Lucy. "Thanks, guys. I'll e-mail Ruthie and Hope right now."

"Are you going to tell them about the divorce?"asked Eric.

"I already did ... just not who Kevin and I cheated with."

The kids groaned. They just wished their parents would tell the whole truth, to everyone.