Family Bonds: Book 2 of Sista

by Blackstar1979

Family Bonds the sequel to Sista. The the Superstars and Sistas have been through a lot that have carved out bonds where there were none. Will the past rip apart the bonds that have been forged or make them stronger? Reviews are welcomed as always.

49. Chapter 49 Biology, Breakthroughs, and B

Chapter 49 Biology, Breakthroughs, and Betrayal

Jonathon sat in his LEGNA office reviewing the information that Angel had sent him. His girl was really proving that she wanted to one day run the company. Though he had not given her a deadline for most of the things he had given her they were fully complete within hours of him assigning them to her. She had not only booked rooms for the other bands on their tour, she had also booked interviews with multiple networks, and submitted the schedule of the next three tours. One of his media assistants sent him a message marked urgent. Opening the program Jonathon read the article in the Granville Gazette. Somehow, he didn't think his son had got wind of this information about the Smyth family. It was news, but Jonathon didn't know what his son would feel if anything. Seeing his own ex-wife die so violently was a shock. But he didn't mourn Sophia and he doubted that Joshua would mourn Brenda Smyth. From the fact that Angel was able to send him the rather large file he knew they had landed and were on their way to Chase's home to pick up JC. He thought of calling considering he didn't want it coming up in conversation and Joshua getting misinformation. The article called them his parents, the Smyth family was a lot of things, but parents was not one of them. Where biologically Brenda was his mum. For over two decades legally Sally Lu and Michael Davenport were the only parents that his son claimed and rightfully so. Jonathon remembers very clearly speaking with his son who had seemed quiet even for him upon Jonathon's return to the states after burying Megan. Joshua had first said nothing was bothering him, and Jonathon had not wanted to push so he'd played with his grandson until Joshua started speaking of what had put the haunted look in his eyes. Finding out that James Smyth was a free man had greatly upset his son. It had pissed off Jonathon. The fucker had sent stalker mail to his girl's home after being the reason that she was fucking kidnapped by his cunt of a wife Brenda, along with their halfwit son Patrick. Jonathon meant what said to his son that night. No news was available on Patrick, but he still lived and if he stayed away from Jonathon's children and grandchild Patrick could continue breathing in and out. If the little fuck wit as much as put a toe in his kin's direction, Jonathon would stop that action with whatever was handy whether it be a bullet or his bare hands, he would not give Patrick another chance to bring harm to his kin. He'd pummeled the fucker, He wanted to kill him right there in atrium, but with his Angel in labor he had more important things to handle that night, but the looks of pure terror etched on his daughter's face from Patrick's words to her about a ransom as she lay on the floor where that fucker had pushed himself in on her, was an image burned into Jonathon's mind forever. Getting to his feet he checked his gun in its holster on his waist, normally he hadn't carried this regularly, but that had changed ever since the female don had run a vehicle into his fucking building intending on killing him. He would be no one's easy target. As he locked his office door he headed down to Cassandra his head of multimedia's office to see if she had returned. He wanted her on damage control the article was circulating and Joshua was quickly dismissed as the killer, but Jonathon didn't want this to get out of control in other ways. She had not made it to the office, so he left word with her administrative assistant to give him a call when she got settled.

Over at the Last Word Book Café Sophie finally had penciled in time to work in her beloved book store. Her store manager was very good at her job and for that Sophie was grateful, but nothing was like doing things yourself. Sophie guessed that was the Ivey in her she thought fondly of her conversation after her father got out of the hospital how even though he'd handed her the family empire effectively retiring, had not slowed him down one bit. No, the Saving Grandville Foundation wasn't as demanding as Ivey Enterprises, but Chase Ivey was always and would always be a mover and a shaker as he'd once put it. His run for mayor was a shock but she understood his passion to do more than advise the treasurer. As she happily settles into her office reviewing the books, and completing contracts with authors, she is soon interrupted by her cell phone. It was Bobby's girlfriend Joy. With a shrug Sophie answers "Hello Captain, or is this personal considering your calling from your office?" Joy says to not address her as captain merely because her cell phone got trashed and she had to use her office phone. "Fair enough, so it's personal what's up Joy?" Joy says it's extremely personal and she would love to meet with Sophie for lunch if possible. "Well I was going to work through lunch, but you can meet me at the café you like." Joy says she will be on her way the minute she gets a replacement phone from Ivey Communications. "Ok there is one over by the café if that helps" Joy says it does and asks Sophie for the address of the store. "Already sent it to your personal email." Joy thanks her and closes the call.

Back at Ivey Mansion Angel, Joshua, and JC head into the house. Candy heads in behind them, her phone the center of her world since her favorite couple wasn't speaking to her. She had texted Bradley and he asked her to come home with him for a few days and revealed that he was now cleared to drive. Feeling like the tension between her and her best friends could be cut with a knife, and not wanting to talk about the article that involved her best friend for fear of fucking up her delivery with him, going with Bradley to Dallas for a few days was a convenient escape. Candy just hoped when some time had passed, and the smoke cleared, she still had two best friends. Cassandra had told her after the couple had excused themselves back into the onboard bedroom to get away from her, that she needed to chill. As she heads into her bedroom to pack a new bag to go to Brad's place her phone rings. It is Rapture.

Rapture had warred with himself on saying anything to Candy and couldn't keep his trap shut. When Cassy went to work this afternoon, he picked that time to call Candy. "Hey there, you were pretty smashed last night so I'll just say you trying to kiss me is a big ole cup of nope for me." She sounded like she was having trouble processing what he was saying. He explained how he'd just wanted to get her drunk butt to her own room without her giving the floor another kiss. She denied and said she would have remembered making a pass at her boyfriend's sibling's dude. "Do you remember falling on your face?" She hesitates and then apologizes saying she was sorry if she got him into trouble. "No one said you got me into any trouble. I blocked you effectively and made sure your make up stayed put on your face and not on my clothing. This isn't to be shared with anyone or it will run around and bite the both of us in the rear. I don't need any problems with Bradley and you sure as hell don't want any problems with Cassy." Candy asked him was this the only reason he called. "No, it's not. At the bar over at The Palace I saw you heading to the private area booths." Candy says she was there to meet up with the woman that hung with her when they were at the casinos. "So, you were there to meet with Shae Prime? I don't get it." Candy asks him what didn't he get? "I don't get why you would want to get wrapped up with Roman again. It's none of my business, and I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life but honey Roman and his new slave Shae Prime aren't going to do you any good. She is using his position as her bodyguard as a cover Roman is her dom. She did it with me had a long contract from the day after her return from her honeymoon, back then as long as I was invited I took the contract. Candy are you there? I know it is more information than you wanted about me, but I just was wondering why you would risk your relationship with Bradley for more drama with Roman? I thought he was stalking you?" Candy says she didn't know that Roman and Shae were a couple. "I'm sure it's just business, but if she didn't let on that her bodyguard was your ex after you told her about him that night at the craps table. It makes me wonder what's in it for her maybe she wants to up the game and have a threesome or maybe it's at his request." Candy says she must go she thinks she going to be sick. "I'm sorry for upsetting you." She closes the call in his ear. Sighing, Rapture packed a gym bag and headed to the school for what could be his last time as an unsigned performer or, so he hoped.

Bradley met up with Jonathon as he was driving in the gate behind him. Bradley parked and greeted Jonathon who seemed distracted as he exited his Range Rover. The older Irishman clearly had something on his mind. As if he came back to the here and now he asks that Bradley stick around for a while. "What's going on?" Jonathon sent him a text message with a link. Bradley read the headline and looked up at Angel's father with shock on his face. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of bottom feeders. The part about the unidentified witness, is bullshit Joshua wouldn't go after them unless they were in the act of trying to hurt his family or him. Joshua is a hot head, but not a person that looks for trouble of that cabler without good reason. He's smart enough to know that he would be the first suspect with the trials so freshly over with. When James and Brenda walked into that court room that anger in Joshua eyes was mixed with fear. You saw him, Josh couldn't even keep still while they were in the court room together." Jonathan gets defensive of Joshua and asked Bradley how calm would he be if they did to him what they did to Joshua both in childhood and adulthood. Bradley backed up and says "I'm not judging him or calling him weak I'm just saying the fear was there and with them going into the ground soon he won't have that to worry about anymore."

After they both enter and speak with Angel and Joshua for a time and Jonathon gets his chance to hold JC before Joshua leaves the living room John looks up and says. "Son, might I have a word with you alone?" Jonathon saw the flicker of confusion in his son's gaze then it was gone and replaced by his hooded expression. Joshua suggests for them to go in the den and Jonathon follows him inside. Joshua asks what's wrong. "Have a seat son," His son sits across from him John says, "it's about Brenda and James Smyth." Sitting up straight Joshua askes what had they done now. "It was brought to my attention this morning via my media assistant that they are both dead." Jonathon watched a strange look consume his son's face.

Joshua froze then asked, "Are you sure?" Jonathon says he would not lie about something like this. "No, I'm not saying you would, it's just that before Angel reached out and called me there was a story in the news that involved Braden and a local woman that Angel knew it went all over the news that they had killed each other. I felt bad for the woman until Angel told me that Lady "Tink" Candor was behind how Braden kept track of her when she ran away from their tour and was hiding here in a hotel. It turned out to be false the woman was the only one that died, Braden killed her and then showed back up with Sophia the day that Angel called me the night you came to recruit Davenport Lightening. At first I didn't know why Angel seemed so urgent to get shitfaced until I learned that Sophia had nearly got her killed by Braden who clearly wasn't dead until Harold's sniper team took him out for good."

Jonathon remembered all to clearly that timeframe. He pulls his phone and hands it to Joshua with the article pulled up. "With all that was at the scene, the medical examiner ordered an autopsy. Unlike in the cabin explosion that gave Angel's ex a chance for a bait and switch, Brenda and James were identified, both deceased. The results were put on rush because of their relation to you, a local talent."

Joshua reads the article. It was very detailed the part about an eyewitness and how a fan had destroyed the theory with time stamped video of their performance at Access was a relief. But not as much of a relief as the fact that he no longer had to wonder when James would try to run his wife and child or his parents off the road or with Brenda out for being "mentally unfit" to serve her time, whether she would come after him or his family again. Or any of the other things they had done that kept him up at night. It was finally over. As he finished reading he let out a breath he had not even knew he was holding. His dad asked was he ok. "Yeah, I'm just relieved they are no longer able to harm my family or myself anymore."

Over at the book café Sophie and Joy meet up and head into Sophie's office. "So, Joy what's up?"

Joy sits and pulls out a sheet of paper handing it to Sophie she sits on the edge of her seat as Sophie's eyes move across the results. Sophie then meets her eyes and smiles with eyes and all, saying congratulations. "Thanks." Joy breaks eyes contact where she usually didn't let too much shake her, she now fiddled with her clothing. "The thing is I haven't told Bobby yet and frankly I'm afraid to."

"Why the hell not? I think he'll figure it out soon since according to that sheet you are almost 6 weeks already. Why would you be afraid to tell him? He's been great with JC and interacting with Glenny, and family is very important to him."

"Four years ago, he was working a kidnapping case and he couldn't save the child. The night the case ended Bobby said he never wanted to feel that fear or be standing at his door being told that his child was never coming home. He'd began to thaw on the issue and said maybe one day, then last year with everything that happened with April and the underground and Glenny and the mob. He said he didn't want kids because stuff like what went down could happen. I know it's his fear talking, but I just don't know how I'm going to tell him." Joy broke down crying. Sophie handed her tissues and let her get herself back under some veneer of control.

"I don't have to tell you that my brother is an in the moment type of person this part of his personality he has displayed many times even in my presence the short time I have known him. I'm sure that in that time he might have meant it but just like he had thawed as you call it when he finds out that he is going to be a father I don't see him not liking the idea." Joy gets to her feet and says she going to tell him tonight and to wish her luck. "You won't need it, but good luck."

In her room at Ivey Mansion, after getting off the phone with Rapture, Candy just stares at her phone. Not hearing Bradley open the door or hear him walk beside her she jumped and looked up at him when he asked what was wrong. "Nothing." the automatic response was out so quickly she didn't even believe it. From the doubt in his gaze he hadn't believed it either. "Everything, I just found out that I am a fucking idiot." Bradley goes to tell her not to say that about herself. "No, you don't understand I thought I made a new friend and may have cost myself true friends for a bitch that was trying to set me up." Bradley says maybe she should start from the beginning because he was way confused. Candy pulls up the pictures taken with her and Shae along with Rap and Cass. "So, the pic with me Rap and Cass at the bar with this woman" Candy points to Shae Prime "is who I thought was becoming a new friend. Turns out Angel and Sophie were right that I should have been cautious of her more than even they knew. I will get back to that in a minute. SO, this female that I thought so mega cool is not only friends with the scumbag mayor of Grandville South." Bradley narrows his eyes at the mention of mayor Jackson. Candy pushes on." She is a part of the GSSEC and Roman's love thing. So, the meeting that I threw a temper tantrum to go to could have got me hurt. If it wasn't for one of Roman's friends approaching me and scaring the shit out of me, there is no telling what I could have walked into. I don't get why she did it, since she is obviously still pissed at me, but I am so thankful that Angel sent Andrew after me. I lost my damn mind that night walking along the strip in fucking stage attire could have got me mistakes for a street walker." Bradley looked angry enough to snap.

Bradley was fuming, he walked to the door then back in front of her. "Back up. You got all weirded out and wanted to take enough half loads into Vegas to nuke a town because Roman made it clear that he wanted to get after you. You get to Vegas and throw your safety in the trash for some bitch that looks like she's had enough plastic surgery to wrap the entire earth in plastic for 10 years? Do I even want to know why Angel is mad at you?" Candy tells him about inviting Angel out for drinks with who she thought was a new friend, and finally what she said when Angel rejected the idea and told her that she shouldn't trust the woman. Bradley walked away and then paced in front of the door. "So, let me get this straight, for some reason you thought it a great idea to turn on Angel who hasn't did shit but treat you like a part of the family from the day you girls officially started hanging together. She put her fucking life and her freedom on the line to save you from an asshole. You publicly, verbally, had her for dinner in front of the band, and now you are surprised that she doesn't want to go for round two? So how long have you been waiting to say that to her, because that didn't sound like something off the tip of your tongue in the heat of the moment, that sounded calculated." Candy said she was pissed at the time and let her mouth get away from her. "No that's bullshit. You went for the jugular, and all she did to piss you off so badly initially, was turn down an invite and share her concern on why you shouldn't run head first into meeting up with someone that is in a group that tried to fucking kill her, my brother, and my nephew. So, if she flipped out back on you and started talking about your mother or your father and throwing your personal life on display, because she knows how hard it would be for you to hear it from her, in front of the band, would you want to chit chat with her soon after?" Candy tearfully says no. "You need to think on what in you and her past made you lash out in that particular way. There are plenty of things you could have said and kept her mother and all that personal shit out of it. You could had have said fine I'm doing what I want or something along those lines but no you went ultra-personal. What did she do?" Candy told him how Angel put on her sunglasses and told her to do what she wanted. "You were a fan of hers before she came back and became a part of Personal Touch. Angel has been down this road with malicious band members you really want to be put in that category?" Candy says no and then says she didn't get why Angel won't say more than hello to her considering she sent Andrew after her. "I don't know her as well as you claim to, but if I had to guess maybe because she felt you were in danger and even though you pissed her off she still didn't want anything to happen to you as you walked the strip in what looked like sparkly sexy underwear. Hell, for a time she couldn't stand my ass, and back then rightfully so, but that didn't stop her from stopping Joshua from leaving when dad was in the hospital. Just because she gives a fuck doesn't mean she wants anything to do with you right now. Oh, and Candy let this be the last time you spit my little sister's personal life back in her face just because you are mad, or you and I are going have problems." Candy says she won't. "I am taking you at your word. So how did you find out about the mayor and the Roman connection?" Candy tells him about her talk with Shae and then about Rapture talking to her. He takes her bag as they head out to his car. She then changes the subject and asks him what surprise he had for her when they spoke earlier. When they stop at a diner he waits until the waitress walks away from the table and says. "The case against me was thrown out, I am no longer a suspect or even a person of interest."

Over at Chase's residence, Nikki and Janet come in the front door the girls greet Chase and Amy talking a mile a minute about their luxury bus trip. Nikki pulls her phone and starts showing them the places they stop on the way to and away from Nevada. Amy looks over at Chase and mouths "you were right." Chase nods he'd kept Amy distracted this weekend because even though she had agreed to let Nikki go to Vegas with Mark and his family didn't mean that she didn't worry about sending her young child off on a large bus to Las Vegas. Nikki hands him a package "You didn't have to buy me anything sweetie." Nikki says for him to open it. Chase opened the little bag an inside was a shirt with "The Charlie Daniels Band" featured on it. Chase smirks at Nikki "thank you honey" Janet asked would he really wear that? "Of course." Janet says her dad likes them too. Janet then asks can she spend the night saying she had asked her parents, but they said it was up to him and Amy. Amy asks were Mark and Paula going to be in Grandville this week. Janet says yes, she then hands Chase a package and jokingly says to sweeten the deal. "I knew I was being buttered for something" Chase says laughing. Pulling the package open it was a signed blanket that said, "Feel the Glow" with a picture of Naomi. "I'm sold on the idea if it is ok with Amy, Mark, and Paula." The girls high five each other and tell Amy her gift is a bit smaller than a shirt. Janet hands Amy a box Amy opens it and pulls out a chain necklace. Nikki can hardly hold in her laughter looking at her mom look at that plain silver chain. She then hands her mom her gift. It is half of a panda that says "Mother" with her birthstone for one of the eyes. Amy thanks both girls and puts the charm on her new chain and asks Chase for help to put it on. He helps her, and Nikki pulls her chain with the word Daughter on the other half of the panda with her birthstone as the other eye.

After calls were made to confirm that Janet had persimmon to stay the night, the girls head upstairs happy that they would get more time with each other. Janet lays on Nikki's chaise lounge texting as soon as Nikki closes her door Janet says "ok so there is something I need to tell you." Nikki asks what is up. Janet felt nervous but determined she runs her hands through her hair and says "I was wondering if you could invite Tony over then we could all hang out until he has to go back to his other parents. It sucks that he only gets to spend a few days here a week. Tracy is his real mom why can't she just keep him?" Nikki says that was the agreement until the court case is over with and besides Tracy's one-bedroom apartment doesn't give him the law required bedroom he has to have. "I never thought about that. I heard my momma say that Tracy was asked to move in with her boyfriend Frank, the guard at Angel and Josh's place. Frank lives here in Grandville South wouldn't that solve the room problem?" Nikki says Janet should not go back to snooping on people and that she really didn't want to talk about her friend while he wasn't around. "I just wish he could have come with us to Mania, but I get it that he doesn't like crowds, but we had a blast and at the very least he Facebooked me his number, so we were able to text."

Something hit Nikki she couldn't believe she had missed it. "You like Tony." Janet smirks and then says yeah but not to be so loud about it. Janet asks did Nikki think Tony liked her. "I mean I don't know I guess I mean he gave you his number. With the way my last relationship ended I don't think I am a good person to ask anything about who likes who heck I missed the signs that you have a crush. So, is Tony your first crush?" Janet blushed deep red and says yeah. "So, was it crush at first sight? I need details." Janet says more like crush at first night. She speaks about hanging out with them up in the room at her dad's birthday party at Angel's place. "So the weird flip out turned you on or something?" Janet says she just liked that he paid attention to her even when they were all talking, and she then gushes about his physical appearance and his height. "Ok eww, I really never saw him like that, but yeah I get the height thing you are your dad's girl in the height department. Her girl sobers quickly and says but what if he just like her like he likes Nikki as like one of the guys that just happens to be a girl?

Over at Last Ride Bar and Grill Tracy and Paula are cleaning up to get ready to open when Mark pulls up on his bike. Tracy waves at Mark as he dismounts and waves back at her. Turning to her boss she says, "Paula you hubby is here."

Mark heads in goes straight to Paula and kisses her. He then murmurs, "Are you ok? I got your text message." Paula invites him back in her office. She then says she hasn't heard from Harold since he called and told her that Natalie had visited him while he was in Vegas. Mark hadn't known any of that had happened. "When he sent most of his STOP teams to trail us he said he was going to stay behind and tie up some loose ends. I texted him when we got home last night, and he texted back so please don't worry ok. Maybe with all that was going on he needed some time off. This thing with him and Natalie's cheating he has really been pushing it to the back burner because of his case load, but I can't imagine even with all of Harold's devil may care attitude that dealing with a cheating wife and his son going down a path that will lead him into someone's jail cell can't be a walk in the park for him." Paula says yeah and that she'd wait a day or so and try calling him again. "That's my girl, so Janet is going to be spending the night at Chase's place with Nikki, and the twins are off being spoiled by their uncle Logan what ever will we find to do with our time alone tonight?" Mark asks with a smirk on his face. Paula pulls him down as if she was going to whisper something in his ear she then run her tongue along his ear lobe and lightly bit him which sent all his blood into his private area making him hard as steel. He growls low in his throat. "Keep that up woman and we won't make it out of this office." Paula runs her hand down his chest and caressed him making him jerk in reaction to her touching him even through his jeans. Mark takes her hand and guides it into his pants she starts rubbing him as he kisses her, feeling his woman's hand on his already heated flesh just set him further on fire. The bus travel was great family fun, but it really had not given them any privacy for any sexual fun. When he was satisfied that she wouldn't remove her hand he reaches back and locks the door. He then guides her over to the couch and lays her down. She smirks up at him as he makes quick work of dropping his jeans and pulling up her dress. He pulls her half off the couch supporting her as he pleasured his wife until she was ready to scream.

Over at Ivey Mansion Sophie returns home to find Angel in super cleaning mode. Sophie waves her hand in front of her face as she enters. "Damn sis where is my nephew this stuff is strong?" Angel says JC is upstairs with Joshua. "I thought you would have zonked out by now with all the traveling and stuff you guys did. Did the cleaning service miss a spot?" Angel says no but she had finished all the work her dad gave her and felt like cleaning. "Come on out on the front porch for a while, you're all red in the face." Angel gets up from where she was washing the bottom base board of the tri level staircase and says she's tired but doesn't really want to go to sleep right now. "Um why don't you want to go to sleep? You and the band have had a hard few weeks leading up to the performances and then to perform back to back three nights in a row had to have been draining. I'm just glad they caught Officer Tanner." Angel says she is too and that really freaked her out when she found out what the hell was going on. As they head out on the front porch and sit on the swing Sophie asks "So is the rider sniper thing what has you avoiding sleep?"

Angel had warred with herself on whether she should speak to Sophie about what Candy had said to her. She was tired, but her dirty little loop of bad dreams last night was not something she wanted to return when she went back to sleep tonight. She had tried to avoid Candy as best she could without outwardly being rude. Then she thought fuck it and told Sophie all of it. Sophie was clearly more pissed than even she was. "I was trying to warn her and maybe I seemed jealous or some shit but that's not it Sophie I don't care that she makes new friends, but I just wanted her to be careful. It is clear, that I have done it again. I have let her too fucking close. Except for you, Josh, and my dad, I don't know why I keep letting people close to me. I felt I let her down when she asked me should she forgive Deon before he lost his mind the last time and hit her. She was pissed that I didn't tell her about Roman living down at Evie's sometimes even though I never saw him when I would pick her up. I thought we had got over that but, I guess not. I mean I just got the feeling that she was waiting to say all that. I promised her that I would no longer hold anything that she should know from her and when I tell her, that I wasn't going out drinking with a member of the fucking GSSEC and that she should be careful she loses her mind and just goes for broke putting my personal life all over the place she couldn't have at least waited until we were alone to say all that shit? The shit about mom just took me right back to that last day I saw her. Hell, if I know, if Connie and Trevor knew anything about me other than music hot sheet band shit, but they sure got an earful in the limo." Sophie says that was really fucked up of Candy to act like that and if she feels that way she needs to get the fuck out. "She went off with Bradley for the rest of the week. She'll do her shift managing the club but that's not until Friday."

Sophie continues and says. "I know why you didn't say anything, yeah it hit home hard, and you try not to make waves, because that's Joshua's friend first, but I mean it if she drops anymore word soup like that around me I'll pop her one and won't think a damn thing about it. If Joshua wants to be mad at me oh well, he'll get over it. You don't throw family and personal shit that you know is a sore spot not if you care about the person." Angel says she would not have a repeat of the fake friend band member shit that she went through with her old keyboardist. Angel looks at the ground and says even if she forgave Candy she didn't see herself ever trusting her fully ever again.

Joshua sings to JC up in his bedroom "This little son of mine, makes my heart shine." Tomorrow Angel and he would have to go to a photo shoot for their next tour. It was in Dallas, so Candy would ride up, take the pics with the band, and go back to Bradley's place. Angel comes in she'd changed clothes since the cleaning solution she'd been using was very pungent. She still had a lingering smell of lemon and something he couldn't place but it was better than smelling like the kitchen floor after the cleaning service just finished. Chase calls him "Wow, you have great timing dad is calling." Handing JC to Angel, he answers his phone and steps out into the hall since JC wasn't too happy about stopping the little sing along they were having and had started crying. "Hey dad what's up did we leave something?" Chase says no and speaks about Sally calling him in the dead of night trying to have him bring JC over to their house after midnight. He also says that he had words for her because she was so persistent and when he tried to close the call nicely she kept talking so his sophistication went out the window with her. Joshua sighs "No, I'll talk her I'm sorry she disturbed you." Chase had seen the article about James and Brenda and asked how he was. "Yeah, Jonathon told me and showed me, I'm fine I owe that fan that sent the livestream free tickets or something, that could have got out of control really quick. But anyway, I'll talk to Sally she shouldn't have been calling you. I appreciate you not taking him over there."

As soon as he closed the call with Chase he stared at his phone for a good minute trying to process why the hell his mother would call Chase in the middle of the night. It pissed him off because it seemed like she wanted to go behind his back when she was the one that said she didn't want to be burdened with his son. He walks into his music room and calls his mom. She answered on the first ring and told him that his grandmother was wanting to see JC before she had to leave. "We are home and she can come over and see him, but I need to talk to you." Sally cuts him off and apologizes. He'd heard I'm sorry many times before and then the cycle would begin again like a countdown in his head. "Look mom, I can't keep doing this. We have been doing this dance way too long where you blow up at me, spit venom, and when you are happy again you just want everything to go back to the way it was. It was like you caught Angel and I out of town and thought you were going to just have Chase bring my son over there. If someone that told you they didn't want to be bothered with your children, had of tried that with Bradley or Cassandra when they were babies you would have flipped out. No, I didn't speak to you and most of it was that this latest tirade you went on about parenting, and how bad I am at it was uncalled for. While waiting on dad to wake up after Bradley attacked him you and I spoke for hours sitting in dad's hospital room about me being a father, I told you most of my insecurities about being a new dad and you gave me exceptional advice back then. Then almost exactly a year later just when I am feeling secure as a father you threw all we talked about back in my face then topped it off with how you won't stand for being a babysitter and he's such a burden on you. Mom, I can count on one hand the times I have asked you to watch JC, the other times you asked us. If you feel that way, please just let me know. I don't appreciate you trying to see him without my permission." She says she sorry she hurt him. "I have heard I'm sorry, just for the timer to start again. I can't go back to the time it didn't matter because it's not just me anymore. I want to believe you. Just not at the risk of you one day hurting JC or Angel." She goes on and says who or what is stopping him. So, he told her.

Sally listened to her youngest wade through the emotions that led to him finally calling her. He explains how he received her message, and what it meant to him and how this was a cycle they had to break. Since she didn't honestly think he was a neglectful father, and her words were arrows because she was mad at him for how he'd took charge which as Michael and everyone else said was why Bradley picked him at the hospital. She was now seeing other things. Joshua unfiltered, was a scary thing because right now in this moment she heard his fear, and his anger in his words. When he revealed that he stopped his dad from coming to get his son the day of his honeymoon for fear that she would be less than loving to JC because she was mad or less watchful for the same reason and how if anything happened to his son he would have never forgave her. Sally sat back in her seat. Joshua explained that with the way her moods quickly shifted from verbal to physical when he was abducted he just didn't want to risk her taking out her frustration with him on his son. Sally felt her face heat, a biting comment was on the tip of her tongue, but somehow, she quelled it. As her therapist told her listening and hearing unfiltered Joshua if it ever happened, was not going to be easy. It wasn't, with the conversations she'd had with the family and her doctor she asked about in the past. He claimed to not understand the question. When she asked had the cycle that he wanted broken started recently as last year. He told her no. He then went on to tell her and make her relive the times she had threaten to send him away and how yeah it corrected the behavior, but always made him feel disposable, but he knew without her there would be no one to keep him safe. Maranda's words to her in the kitchen last night wrapped around her throat and heart. Her baby believed himself disposable because of her use of threat of sending him back. He hadn't known her words were just that empty words. "Joshua, I thought you would know by now that I would have never sent you back, I said it, but they were empty words I swear. As for you believing that I would do something or let something happen to JC I tell you now I would never. I have been a fool. I am trying this time to be better, I have started going to a therapist. Just as you falsely believed you were disposable, I don't want to be replaced as your mother. I am working on managing my emotional impulses and with all that has happened last year it just became too much. Only your father knows this part, but I have PTSD according to my therapist I have had it for a while. When you spoke of your 14th birthday party the days before when I thought you had run away due to me screaming at you. I had just been laid off from the school due to being knocked down the stairs and the administrators believed me too much of a risk to keep on. In the back of my mind I worried that I would lose you because we didn't make enough without my having a job at the time. I shouldn't have taken my issues out on you. I wanted so badly to give you a proper party to make up for my failing you the year before. I now see that I wanted it more than you did and that just became another wedge. I didn't mean the things I said, I never blamed you not really for what was not your fault I was angry and sadly for you since you coped better than your sister and brother and were around, my anger and anxieties were misdirected at you. Then here recently, after Chadwick attacked me it really messed with me more than I tried to let on. I don't do stress well never have, and even though he's dead there still parts of this house that give me pause." Her son said he understood and described yet another facet of his early adulthood coping with his own demons related to this house that he'd lived in when they moved to CO to take care of Michael's parents until they passed, and how to remain in the house for as long as he did he avoided sleeping in his room and didn't sleep in his bed until Angel shared it with him. Curious, Sally asked, "Where did you sleep right after we made them leave?" Hearing her youngest say he'd camp out on the floor near the door or just slept in his ride after he started driving, was very telling she remembered that after the window incident he was never late for school by the time she would come down the hall his bed would always be made and the room tidy, but he'd be downstairs already about to leave. "We could have switched rooms, I wish you would have told me. He said he feared that he would say it wrong or start stuttering and piss her off and he knew that would be grounds for getting kicked back to the system, so he kept his mouth shut and dealt with it. So much she had missed or chose not to see. "As for your fear that I will hurt you again or JC or Angel I won't baby, and you may never believe me, but I really am trying to get the help I need. My therapist wants to do a family counseling of sorts because she said some of what you did about my treatment or mistreatment of you verses directing my displeasure at the ones that deserved it. I am sorry I took your silence as just compliance and chose not to see what laid beneath it. I'm so sorry I gave you doubt that I would turn you away back then, and I'm sorry my actions scared you into believing that I would transfer any of that on to my newest daughter or my grandbaby. I love you all Joshua, and I really want us to get through this together." He asked her what she thought of him as a person and as a father. Sally spoke of how proud she was of him and how he did manage his time with his son and that she noticed how JC reacted better towards him now. She told her baby that he was doing a great job and that she was happy with how he balanced his work and home life. "Though I can't devour the words and mistreatments I have done to you I want to be a good mother to you and Angel, and a good gram to my grandbaby and just hope and pray you will give me this last chance to prove it to you all." He revealed that he contacted a therapist to be able to process the things he was feeling with someone that was impartial the person helped him conclude to speaking to her. He then tells her that though last time he said that was it, that this time he would stay away if she did this again he'd feel bad, but he'd not go for another round because there was just too much at stake now with it not just being him alone. "I understand. We are on our way with your gram so we can all visit with our JC before your grandmother has to return home." He says that's fine.

They close the call and Joshua just sits in the silence of his music room. He'd finally spoke to his mother about more than hello or idol chit chat. He silently prayed he was doing the right thing by giving her another chance. When he spoke to Middlebrooks after Angel suggested it. He'd call her and since they both didn't have the luxury of time for him to visit her office with preparing for the tour they'd had a session via video chat, she asked him hard questions and when he gave answers she helped him work though the bigger issues. Soon Angel walked in since there wouldn't have been a light on to say he was recording. Rubbing a hand over his face he says "Hey" then tells her about Chase's call and his conversation with his mother and how they were on their way, so Maranda could visit with JC before she left for home. Angel walks over and hugs him he returns the hug and says "I just hope I'm doing this right." Angel told him she would stand behind any decision he made but she didn't want JC to be over at mom and dad's house for a time at least not overnight. "No, I agree it's going to take some time for my trust in her to grow again."

Over at Bobby and Joy's home, Bobby walks in from work and smells food cooking. He stops, and thinks was this one of their couple's cooking nights? Checking his phone for alarms he turns it back on silent and puts it on the charging dock, taking off his weapons and jacket, he moves into the kitchen and sees Joy bustling around the large kitchen. He walks in and wraps his arms around her pulling her back into him. "Hey babe" Joy turns in his arms and kisses him. After kissing her back he says with a smirk. "You're in a good mood."

Later after dinner Joy asked him did he want a beer. He gets up and says sure and since she had cooked the least he could do was get her a drink. She hesitates and says "Um that isn't a good idea but get yourself one and me a water I've had about enough juice today." He makes a face at her brand of cranberry apple juice that she had with dinner instead of the aged wine he had. He says nothing she really didn't drink wine except at family functions, so it really wasn't a surprise but something in the way she said that isn't a good idea. He wondered why. Did she have an early shift and think she would get smashed off one glass? Shrugging it off, he heads into the kitchen, something catches his eye and he looks at the fridge. On the dry erase board was a message addressed to him that read "Make room for me Daddy." Bobby froze as the message hit him like a bolt of lightning. "UM, Joy. OH, Joy." She didn't answer. He turns around to go back into the living room and she is standing at the door almost at attention watching him. "Are you sure? I mean we were careful." Joy says she is as sure as her doctor is that their child is a tenant inside of her. Her nonreadable expression gave way to something like sorrow. When she asked him was he mad? The question confused him. "Mad, are you nuts? Why would you think I'm going to be mad? Surprised sure, but unless you have a Maury story to tell me, I don't know why I would be mad."

Joy sagged against the door in relief. "I assure you that you are the only person I have been intimate with, in over five years." She then spoke of her fears about what he said in the past verses how she imagined he would react to finding out that he was going to be a father.

Bobby noted the word delivery although she had relaxed she still held on to her Captain persona she might as well have been giving him a report of the stupid shit he'd said. "Joy at those times I meant it. The first case was way too close to home for me. That first little girl's name was Winter. Her father had kidnapped her. After my old man killed my mother if it wasn't for Chase intervening that could have been me. When my team went in after we found the location and I watched as that sick bastard tossed Winter's little lifeless body at my field commander something in me snapped. I'd just got out of the Rangers and that was one of my first field assignments with this team. As for me thawing on the idea because of how badly I handled it I had to see a shrink, he really drove it home that there wasn't anything that I could have done different Winter still would have been dead before we got there. Last year walking into that orphanage to retrieve my sister's cousin's baby, knowing full well that could have been my nephew sent me right back to the few weeks I spent at an orphanage scared shitless, waiting to find out if my biological father would make good on his threat of conning the government into giving me back to him. Watching my sister, protect her attackers identify, for fear that he would come finished what he started gave me rage and fear that I'd be too late again. Me knowing I had adoptive siblings and following them on the net was a way different thing than really interacting with them. Almost losing my dad and my own fucking life because of Sophia, and all of the shit with April, just felt like an iron blanket at times." Bobby takes a breath and continues "Back to now, getting a chance to hold Jonathon-Chase right after he was born and seeing him grow and watching you interact with him, gave me something positive to focus on while wrapping up this case with Valentin-Vargo. After he stopped being afraid of anyone taller than Janet, interacting with Glen Dale Conner or Glenny has been amazing. I truly feel that I have a family. Though anything can happen, I realize that those snap shots in time of you interacting with my nephew and the twins seeing your face light up the first time Glenny gave you a nickname and hugged you, is what it's about. I'm sorry I scared you babe. Wait until I tell my dad that I'm going to be a dad. Have you told your parents?"

Joy smiled as he pulled her to him for a kiss. "The only people besides you, and myself countless times that this real I'm going to be momma, is Sophie. I have to call her and tell her she was right, and I'm glad she was." He smirks and asks what his little sister was right about. "About you, as far as telling you now verses waiting since in a few weeks I don't think I would be able to hide him or her any longer." Bobby surprises her and says that Sophie can wait as he picks her up and carries her into their bedroom closing the door with his foot and starts to make love to the mother of his child, his lover, his other half.

The next morning Logan drops off the twins at Angel and Josh's place with Paula. "Spoil them, me never." Just as Paula was no doubt about to tell him how full of it he was, considering both girls were wearing new matching outfits that proudly stated that they were wild about Grandville Petting Zoo, his phone rang. Seeing that it is Mia he put up a hand "Hold that thought." Answering his phone, he is met with an emotional Mia. "Hello, wait calm down, Mia please talk to me. I'm on my way okay." She says ok and hangs up. Looking down at Glenny, Logan then looks back at Paula. He whispers "Um, I need a huge favor from you." Paula asked him into the den and tells Glenny that yes, he can have the snack cake on the coffee table. Glenny thanks her as they head in the next room. Paula asks what is wrong. Sighing Logan says "Okay long story really short Mia just found out what really happened to her son, and she is understandably upset I was hoping that you could watch Glen Dale for me for at the very least a couple of hours. She has never met him though she knows of him this isn't the right time to introduce them." Paula says sure and tells him to let her know if he needed longer. "I will, thanks Paula this really helps." Logan dashes out of the den Glenny gets up from where he was tearing open the snack cake. Logan stops, bends, down in front of his son and says "Glenny, I need you to be good for Paula and I'll be back soon ok." Glenny says okay and hugs him. Hugging his son back Logan felt torn about leaving. Glen Dale and he were supposed to go to Grandville South Adventure Park after he dropped off the twins today, because they were too small to ride the toddler rides, but hearing Mia so upset and knowing already why she would be, struck a strong cord with him as well. He couldn't imagine if he had not of been able to find his son.

Logan shows up at Mia's job, walking in he heard her before he saw her. Following the sound of her crying he looks down and she was under a car working. He pulls her out from under the car on the sliding platform she was laying on. Seeing him she gets up and jumps into his arms, and her quiet mumble crying intensified into loud cathartic heart wrenching sobs. He held on to her as she gripped him as if he was going to pull away. "I'm not going anywhere. Please stop crying and talk to me." He says over the lump in his own throat.

Mia looked up at his even tone his eyes were wet as well and she'd just told him some of the news. Her boss walks in and tells her that he wasn't paying her to stand around acting like a little cry baby. At that moment Logan let her go and turned around and told her boss that if he didn't shut his fucking mouth he was going to lose a lot of business starting with his company's long-standing vehicle maintenance contract. Her boss must have recognized him and apologized and backed out of the shop back into his office. Mia knew that scared her boss because Conner Construction and its contract was their most consistent income. Without that contract the shop would tank. Logan then turned those blue eyes of his back on her as her boss's door shut. He asked her did she want to leave for today. "I can't, the P.I. I hired now has at least a chance of finding my son. He says he worked an underground case for the private market and may have some people he can talk to that may give him some good leads. I can't pay him if I have no job." He asked when she took lunch because she needed to get out of here, so they could talk.

Her boss must have turned on the intercom to listen to them, because soon after Logan says it, her boss comes out and tells her to take this as a paid personal day. She thanks her boss and they get in Logan's truck. "Thank you, I'm sorry for dumping on you in there but I have no one else I can turn to. My little sister Le Anna is pissed at me because in her eyes I broke up the family because my step dad went to jail again and this time he's not coming out soon. He sold my child. My mother is pissed at me because let her tell it I just couldn't leave well enough alone. Her filthy husband sales my son to the highest bidder sold me a bullshit story about a kidnapper and somehow it's my fault for finally finding a competent enough private investigator to once and for all prove that my stepfather lied to the police and to my face about selling my child." Mia breaks down crying again she felt as if she'd never stop. Logan talks to her as he drives her home. As they get to her place she lays on him on her couch. After she falls asleep Logan goes to make a few calls. When she'd called him, he was on his way to take his son to an adventure park. He calls Paula and is told that Nikki and Janet were home from school and had taken Glenny to said park and were there now. He thanks her and tells her what is going on. Paula asks for the girl's son's name and says she will ask Harold if he ever answers his phone. "Any more good eyes would be great, thanks again." Logan goes back into the living room and carries Mia into her room and lays down with her. He softly runs his thumb down her cheek catching a tear, even in sleep this was wrecking her. On a few levels he understood more than he ever wanted to be able to.

Over at the town hall, Councilwoman Alissa Gale Grandville South's only Councilwoman, and Mayor Jackson's side chick storms through the hall past Chase powerwalking towards Mayor Jackson's office. Chase speaks to her retreating back "He isn't in today. Is there a problem?" She turns around looks at him and then stiffly says no then marches towards her own office. Now Chase was intrigued. He heads into his office as assistant to the treasurer and minutes later he hears shouting coming from Gale's office. Since no one was recorded coming into the office area after them she had to be on the phone.

Inside Councilwoman Gale's office, she paces the floor talking to Mayor Jackson. He was being difficult about something very wrong. "I need the damn media to stop running that damn picture. If Ivey can ban pictures of his grandson from the press why can't I stop this damn manhunt for a digital image that looks like my son? Ask him oh you think I won't. Don't you dare threaten me I'm not running against him. What do I have to lose?"

Jackson says he will get it handled and for her to calm down because the last thing he needed was Ivey to be able to add to the already damning list of things he was involved in. She agrees to wait for him to make a move. After getting off the phone Mayer Woodrow Jackson the second contacted a few people from his un listed phone. His wife came to the den and asked him what all the yelling was about. "I wasn't yelling its office drivel nothing to worry yourself about." She'd startled him with her presence if she ever found out that he used the same black-market agency that had ripped their own daughter's sanity away from her causing them to have to raise their grandchild he believed his wife would never forgive him. He had to keep this more secret than his affair. He'd cheated before Gale and his wife had looked the other way, but he doubted very seriously that even his demure and proper wife would over look him purchasing a child from the very underground institution that kidnapped his at the time pregnant daughter for his mistress.

Hours later over at the Sheldon Medical Center South Grandville, Ella Matenopoulos-Sheldon along with Sophie heads out of the center Ella had asked that Sophie please come get her. Lucas senior was off on a business trip and she had not wanted to remind her son of why she was leaving outpatient surgery this afternoon. With her hand and wrist wrapped in a brace she carefully places herself in the passenger seat taking care not to bump her wrist. "Oh, thank you Sophie for coming all this way. I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused you. I just could not bring myself to call Luke. He has been doing so well with his impulse control sessions, but I see his expression darken every time he looked at my wrist while I waited for the swelling to go down to have it repaired." Sophie says no problem. Her future daughter-in-law then tries to glean information about her bachelorette party. "Oh, that I'm afraid is a surprise that I believe you will enjoy." Sophie says that Ella couldn't blame her from trying. "No, I guess not. Worry not, though I am much older, and my party was a long time ago I have planned and aided in the planning of many parties of this sort and have had no complaints." They arrive at Sheldon house, and Sophie asked did she need any help getting inside. "No, you have been a huge help already thank you so much." She holds up her bandaged wrist and says "By Friday Sandra said with the fact that I'm in excellent shape for my age. This should be an easy and quick recovery. I should be able to take off the wrapping by Saturday barring I don't reinjure it." They say their goodbyes and Ella makes her way in to her home, takes her pain med, has a light snack and lays down. Hours later her housekeeper calls her on the house com, none of the house staff could approach their suite of bedrooms especially with Lucas out of town. Her housekeeper was informing her that she has a guest. She asked who it was, deciding if she would merely send them away. When the woman said her brother Mr. Russo Matenopoulos, fear froze Ella's blood. Ella looked at her freshly repaired wrist and told her housekeeper to not admit him entry. Her phone on her bedside rings. She already knew who it would be. She had not spoken a word to him since he'd struck her with way more force than she him. Ella did not want anymore arguments or tension within her home about her brother. Russo had not only hurt her person, but he'd further damaged their bond a great deal with his words. She answers "Russo?"

Russo was surprised to hear his baby sister's voice he'd called and gone to her home with no success. "Ella, I'm so sorry that I hurt you. Are you feeling any better?" She says she is tired but that is mainly due to her prescription. She asked what he wanted. "I want to say that I was wrong, and I am sorry I did not live up to my promise of being a changed man. Can you ever forgive me? Please Ella give me this last chance."

Ella sighed she thought on this a lot and still her own anger and hurt would not let her. "Russo you are my eldest brother and I love you, but I don't think I would ever trust another word from your mouth. After all you did in your most recent attempt to show me how you have changed, I can't look past it, I won't. This last time you caused my only living child to avoid coming here. Your actions towards my daughter-in- law was unforgivable, you attacked that young lady with your words and physically. You say it was a test you had better be glad you aren't in a jail cell for assault. Or that she was able to convince my son not to retaliate physically against you. That in and of itself cost them both on many levels. You kept up a healthy amount of tension in my home, your presence was draining at best and just plain volatile at worst. I am still recovering, and I won't put myself or my family in that situation again." He says she gave him a stinging slap he had to hit her back or be seen by his wife and child as weak. "That is true I gave you a slap, and the instant before you knocked me to the floor causing me to break my wrist I regretted my action, you won my fear, is that what you wanted to hear? When my house staff said you were here again I froze with dread from merely hearing that you were near. You have always seemed to find ways to hurt me and before this last time I always tried to find reasons to forgive you. You came to my home uninvited today, don't come back." He says please Ella. "I'm not pleased to have to bar you from my home or my life, but it is for the best for all involved. Goodbye Russo please don't call on me again." Ella hangs up. Her husband and youngest brother had been right all along Russo was never going to change and thinking that he capable of it was a fool's wish. Edmond called and for once she omitted speaking about Russo, her younger brother was just as excited as she about her son's wedding. "Luke will be thrilled that you are coming Edmond." Edmond asked how the surgery went. She tells him he says he is glad that it went well, and they soon close the call.

Over at Bobby and Joy's home, Bobby, Joy, Angel, JC, Sophie, Joshua, and Luke all sit in the den after dinner with Chase, Amy, and Nikki. Chase knew something was up but couldn't put his finger on what. Seeing their faces brighten when Bobby or Joy would start to speak made Chase ask. "Dinner was lovely what is going on?" Bobby asked what he meant. "I mean you all are sitting here looking like a family of cats that ate canaries. I will repeat myself what gives?"

Bobby covered his own mirthful smirk then says, "I want to get a picture of everyone with my new camera are you game?" Chase calls him a technophile but says sure and walks over and stands under the track lighting with the rest of the group. Bobby rambles on about the new camera until everyone was ready to help him surprise their dad. "OK on the count of three just say whatever comes to mind. 1, 2,…" Angel, Sophie, Joshua, and Luke all say, "Joy is pregnant." The look of surprise on Chase and Amy's faces were priceless as Bobby took the photo.

While quickly trying to reschool his face into the smile he gave for pictures the news elated Chase so that he gave up trying since the flash hit seconds after the news. His son was having a baby with a young lady that not only loved him but also was good for him in most ways. The young lady had a gift for calming his son even when Robert was at his most angry, Joy seemed to be able to calm his inner demons to purring kittens. "Congrats to you both."

After the shock subsides Amy says "That is wonderful, I'm so happy for you both. I believe you both are going to be great parents." Bobby thanks her. When Chase asks had Joy told her folks, Joy says not yet.

Bobby looked at his mate confused, before he could say anything Joy says. "We'll talk later." Bobby shrugged and said ok. Much to Joy's relief Joshua asked Bobby and Chase into the next room, when Luke says he'd join them Joshua told him no. Luke looked pissed until Joshua said it was party business. Luke goes and sits by Sophie asking had Angel and the girls done that to her. Sophie says yes and that she'd even tried to get info from his mother but to no avail.

The next day Cassandra heads into her office, Rapture had gone to his meeting up at Vince's mansion. He'd wanted her to come with, but her work schedule would not allow it. He said he'd understood and would call her when he got there. She talks to Candy on the phone as she finishes another performer magazine photo story. Since their little drinking binge in Vegas they'd started talking more. "Yeah Candy, when Rap calls this time I will be super excited and try not to blow his emotional high this time. I already miss him and hell he just left this morning. So, how's things in the Candy world? I saw the photo shoot, you guys looked great, the photographer I sent did good work. I couldn't do it since I had three other bands to shoot yesterday. You and Angel getting along now?" Candy says that in the three days they have been back Angel has said a max of three full sentences to her and it was only work related. Cass winces, Angel was one of the most forgiving people she knew, and Cass had seen that with her own eyes a few times. "Well, it's a start. You have to start somewhere." Candy asked how Angel was when she wasn't around. Cass wasn't about to lie to Candy, but she wasn't for being selected to gain info on her sister either. "I mean she's Angel she shows up dose her work and leaves. Jonathon has been super impressed since she's signed a few new talents and is spearheading your next tour." Candy asked did Angel say anything about her. Cass sighs "Candy I'm not that close to Angel like that, and frankly even if I was I don't do the messy "she said" thing anymore. Being messy won't make anything better. I'll say this she doesn't speak of you good, bad, or anything really. I mean Angel and I are better than we used to be, perfect example like today, we met up in the break room I gave her shit about the size of her coffee cup and she got a good one in on my new blue lipstick color, then we went our separate ways. She has a lot more stuff to do than chat about her personal life here at the office." Rapture called, and Cass gets off the phone with Candy hearing Rapture so excited about his meeting was great and she also heard the nerves in his voice and tried her best to calm them with positive affirmations. It seemed to work by the end of their call he sounded better with a lot more confidence.

Candy lays in Bradley's bed at his home and wondered if she could get her friendship back the way it was with Angel. Being on the outs with her girl was horrible. She'd seen a few things and almost called Angel out of habit but knew that their call would not go the way so many of their excited shopping calls went in the past. Bradley walks in and asks did she need to go anywhere. "No, we finished the photo shoots and I don't have to be anywhere until Friday. The girls leave that night for Sophie's party and I was going to go after I got off from the club but with the way things are now it would just be weird." Candy tells Bradley about her asking Cass had Angel said anything about her and how Cass got a little peeved at her for even asking. Bradley mumbled something and shrugged. "What was that?"

Bradley says "Candy I'm glad Cass didn't want to have a part in the drama tree. Your thing with Angel is just that, your thing which you created with Angel." Candy opened her mouth to say something but is interrupted by a knock at the back door. "Hold that thought, or better yet just let it go." Bradley is mildly surprised to see his friend and boss Logan but opens the back door anyway. "Hey what's up?" Logan walks in and Mia follows him saying hi. "Hey Mia" Logan says that her ex is now sending unmarked cars to his house at night and having them knock on his door which drives Row crazy and wakes up Glenny. "Where is little man?" Logan tells him that Glenny is up at Ivey Mansion with Paula and Janet until they can put a stop to Jerry's bullshit. "Wow, I mean you guys can crash here if that what you wanting to do." Logan thanks him and so does Mia. Pointing at Logan Bradley says, "It's the least I can do, he's helped me more times than I have fingers." Bradley set the house system to green and headed back to his room to tell Candy they were having people over. He didn't need his woman wandering out of the bedroom with no clothes on. Candy says she needs to make things right or at the very least try because her friendship with Joshua and Angel are more than worth it. Bradley shrugs and says "Don't tell me tell them." Candy says even though he said it in a dicky way she would attempt to follow his advice and try to repair the thing she broke with Angel, because he was right the thing was her fault and it was time she tried to make it right. "Good you going to call her or what?" Candy says no she thinks if she can she will do it face to face since that is how she started this mess. "Ok but don't get all bent out of shape and let your mouth sink you anymore, if she won't see you." Candy says she knows she can't make Angel forgive her, but she still must try to talk to her girl.

Out in the den Logan and Mia watch on Logan's camera feed of his home as once again a state police officer walks up to his front door and beats on the door. Then walks away out of view, minutes later Logan calls his uncle at the sight of the policeman being picked up by the motion cameras behind his home. Homer picks up on the first ring and greets him. "Look, I'm not at home but a state cop has now just jumped my back fence and is heading towards my security door with a pair of bolt cutters." Logan zooms in on the officer's name tag and continues "Row is home alone, and I don't need Officer Banks somehow breaking in and shooting my dog." Just then the house system sends Logan a text telling him that someone is attempting to enter via the back-deck door. Logan hit the Ivey Secure function. They then watch as metal cables quickly slam across the backdoor, the officer jumps back, and the audio alarm starts counting and warning the intruder that he or she must retreat 15 feet from the domicile immediately, enter the code, or risk shock. The officer runs off before a beam of blue light complete with the sound of humming power, hit where he was standing minutes before. From Homer's statement of "fuck" Logan presumed that his uncle had seen the feed sent to him. "Before you start in on me and my home security, Ivey packages are safer than you think. The system would not have activated if he was marked as on duty. Off duty he is just a guy trying to break in to my home." Logan says with a little more fire in his tone that was meant to be directed at his uncle. "I'm sorry Homer this is just getting to me I guess, no need in taking it out on you." Mia touched his arm drawing his attention. Homer tells him no harm done, and that he will personally be having a chat with Officer Banks real soon. They then close their call.

Over at the state police department Homer waits with a building anger as Officer Banks heads in to clock in. Homer walks out of his office into the bullpen as Officer Banks walks in sees him and does an about face. "Officer Banks my office now." Banks follows him in and closes the door. Homer tried to speak calmly but every word raised in volume. The officer told him what he didn't want to hear. That he was protected by the chief. "Ok now that you have cleared that up. I wondered what would make you break the law this afternoon by breaking or attempting to break and enter a civilian home with no cause or warrant, while you were off duty." Banks was about to speak when Homer's office phone rings. Putting up a hand he orders Banks to wait outside his office, when Banks steps out Homer answers. "Lieutenant Kincaid here." A Grandville South Metro Police detective informed him that they were holding a child that fit the state wide missing persons image that went out recently. "Why are you holding a minor?" the detective says that the child was caught with a group of friends stealing but when they did a finger print they matched the ID of the missing child. "I'm on my way and I will attempt to contact the birth mother." The Grandville South detective sounds nervous when he says that the parent is already here, and she is a very influential person in their community. "Detective Cross this is a state and federal case as of now, and if that is the child you and now I believe it is, you are not to release him to his potential kidnapper to keep up appearances am I clear?" the detective says yes sir. Homer calls officer Banks back into his office. "Put your gun and your badge on my desk." The officer complies, Homer takes the articles and put them in his top drawer and locks it. "You are suspended without pay for three weeks. If I ever catch wind of you repeating your actions from today, you will be in the fucking unemployment line and I will get you blackballed from any further employment that even remotely resembles law enforcement in the state of Texas. Think I'm kidding you try me, and you'll have a hard time getting a job as store security guard around Christmas time. You are dismissed." After his officer leaves, Homer calls Logan. "I know you didn't want to tell your girl the info we gathered but this you will want to let her know I'm going to send you an address meet me there with your girl in tow she will be needed." Logan starts asking had they found her son and in what shape. "Recorded line nephew, meet me there."

Over at LEGNA Angel sits in her office working on a few contracts her dad had given her. She would admit she was multitasking, yes, the contracts were being done but she was also double checking on items and activities for Sophie's party. She was really stressed, she wanted this to be a blast and not one of her failed party flops. She took solace in the fact that she had extra luck on her side with Adina and Mrs. Sheldon helping with the planning. A knock sounds on her door. "Come in" The door opens, and she couldn't believe that Candy would come here. Candy launched into her I'm so sorry speech before Angel could even say anything. Angel had forgiven Candy before just for the action to get worse not better. With emotions heating her face. Angel says "Candy I just need time ok. I have a lot to do and I don't have time to slide down this rabbit hole with you right now." Candy says how about at Sophie's party. "No, I have a lot of pressure that though self-inflicted, I won't subject my sister to one of your temper spasms." Candy says she didn't mean what she said, before she could finish. Angel's eyes flare in anger as she says. "You meant it then. It's like you found the biggest thing to go after and you went for it. There will be plenty of people there and I don't need any unnecessary drama, the shit follows us like stepping on tape in heels as it is, so I would appreciate if you didn't come." Angel looks back her computer screen breaking eye contact.

Joshua comes in from JC's room at the sound of the anger in his wife's voice. Before Candy could say anything more, Joshua says. "Candy, let's take a walk." Candy says she didn't know he was here and asked why he didn't answer her calls. Joshua looks at his phone. "Yeah about that, I had it silent trying to get JC tuckered enough to sleep he hasn't been sleeping that great." Turning to Angel he says "JC is asleep. I'm heading to the club and then to meet up with one of Luke's uncles for something his dad wanted added to the reception." At Angel's look of confusion "not that uncle." Joshua walks over and opens Angel's office door Candy heads out. As he is about to exit, he stops as Angel tells him she would finish up and head home soon. Closing the door, he walks over kisses his wife tells her he loves her and not to stress about this crap with Candy and that she could take the time she needed. Angel says she was just numb to the apologies right now. "I know babe, it's just like that sometimes." Joshua heads out and is met with Candy sitting in the reception area crying. Usually that would have ripped him up she is his friend, but she made this bed now she would have to lay in it. Besides, he had other shit going on. She hurt his Angel more than even Angel was willing to admit. "Let's go. We need to talk." They head down, and he waves for Andrew to proceed them. Candy follows him, while she is followed by the STOP team. As they reach the club Joshua heads into his office with Candy slowly making her way in behind him. Candy asks was this a business meeting or them talking as friends. "Don't get cute. The shit is not funny. If it was business I would have said so before now, trust me." Candy accuses him of being mad at her still. "I was mad but now I'm just confused. When it came out of your mouth I was shocked speechless and pissed. If that's how you intend on talking to someone you hold as a friend. I'd love to hear what you have been waiting to say to me all these years, you have a lot of ammo with me." Candy says it wasn't like that and she already had this talk with Bradley. "When Bradley told me, you were on your way for a face to face, when you didn't at the very least call first, that's when I headed up to Angel's office." Candy asks what she was supposed to do she felt bad that she'd pissed off her friends. "Ambushing her with your presence and apology isn't going to work this time. You have collected and used a wide variety of non-publicized emotional ammunition, think about it. If she had of turned that shit back over on you. How you would have felt? As Angel put it herself and I would have to agree she is sick and tired of every time she steps out on the branch of faith in someone other than Sophie, Jonathon, or myself. That someone, she has let close to her comes along and cuts down the damn tree. Give her time she deserves that much." Candy mentions coming back up to the house tomorrow after her shift here at the club. "We didn't put you out, you left I guess thinking that four days would be enough time. Was that your plan?" Candy kind of shrugs. The noncommitted nonverbal response pissed him off. "Oh, I get it now, you'd what, apologize, oh sorry Angel I took everything I could think of that either you or Joshua told me in confidence, wrapped it up, and threw it back in your face, but I'm happy again so let's trust me again?" Candy says how is she going to make this better, she doesn't want them mad at her forever. "Words aren't going to cut it right now, give her some time and space. She's afraid to trust herself to trust you again. What you said, triggered a lot negative of things within her, she's already said she'll be professional with you. Right now, that's the best you gonna get." Joshua gets a call. Looks at his phone and groans. "Davenport."

Candy quietly excuses herself unlocking her office she walks in and leans against the now closed door. Thinking back on what she said she tries to think if Angel had of did or said the same things to her. She'd given Angel a lot of her own insecurities and non-publicized emotional ammunition. Hell, Angel watched her life spiral almost to its end and was there to pick up the pieces. When Candy got heated she lashed out with shit that should never be said. Yet when Angel was mad at her it was more like a wall built rather than a chance to exchange trigger bombs.

Over in Joshua's office someone with a faint Greek accent calls him asking to please be put on the invitation list to his nephew's wedding. Joshua pulls up his list that Sophie and Luke had approved. "Yeah what's the name and are you RSVPing for one person or a family. The guy says his name is Russo. "Nope. Sorry you are not on the list. I can't provide you with location information. If you want to send a wedding gift. You can send it to this P.O. box other than that there is nothing I can help you with." The guy asked for Luke and Sophie's home address saying he would like to pay his nephew and his newest conquest a visit. Joshua knew all about Russo. He also wanted the fucker to know that a visit wasn't going to happen. If the fucker would accost Sophie in Luke's parent's home he would try anything, and if he laid a hand on Sophie again or, Angel, Joshua would have to put him through a fucking wall." Look, I'm trying to be nice, you show up somehow at the wedding or their home, and you'll be arrested onsite." Russo hangs up.

Down at the town hall inside the Grandville South Police Department Mia proceeds Logan into the hall that leads to the police department. The closer they got to the department the more cops greeted Logan. Mia looks at him at one point and asks "Are you sure you don't secretly work here?" Homer opens the door to another secured hall. They step in and Homer greets Logan and Logan introduces Mia to his uncle.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady. I must ask you to go with this officer for DNA testing." Mia thanks him and with one last glance back at Logan she follows the female officer into the examination room. As nephew and uncle wait out in the hall Logan asks if this is her son what happens to the one that showed up claiming to be his mother. "She will have a lot of explaining to do and may receive jail time." Logan shared his concern that what if Mia isn't the mother, and it is some other child that was taken and just looks like the digital reprint of what her child should look like now. "Yeah and I'm sure she wouldn't want to unknowingly keep a child as her own that isn't hers. Logan she's not Megan and when you see that for what it is you'll be a lot happier. That woman wants her child not a replacement child." Logan says just over a whisper that he knows. "Just needed to hear it from a source outside the voices in your head?" Logan says something like that. Mia comes back out and says that since this was such a high-profile case because of who it involves that they were getting the test done at Sheldon Medical network labs.

She turns to Homer and says "Lieutenant Kincaid, the med officer said because of who is involved is what makes this a high-profile case, at first I thought that she was speaking about my baby's father Jeromy Miller because of his rank as Chief but she says it is because of the other woman that showed up to claim Ethan is a powerful public figure." Homer tells her that he was not in the business of letting politics get in the way of what is right.

Kenneth Gale, previously known as Ethan Miller unbeknownst to him, sits in a windowless room waiting for the officers to return. He'd did what his friend did but the difference was that he got caught. He already knew that his mother was going to flip out, and his dad was going to. He swallowed hard at the thought of how mad his dad got when he acted out. He wondered fleetingly if he could just stay here. Oh, that would be great, the longer he stayed in, the madder they would get. One of the officers came in and tells him to get up and follow him. Kenneth gets up and follows the officer he wore handcuffs before, but they were his dad's and only when he was being a little shit. The thought of what his dad was going to do to him when he got him out of here made Kenneth shudder. As he walked his actions from today replayed in his head. He'd tried to steal a necklace for his mom, but she wouldn't see it that way. She had asked for a birthday present, and last year when he spent his allowance on a perfume set from a fancy store in Grandville South Mall, she'd told him it looked and smelled cheap. So, this year he wanted it not to look cheap, and his friend and next-door neighbor an older kid named Frederick said that he knew of a place that was giving away real jewelry. When they pulled up at the back of the store Frederick told him what was really going to happen. He was to get out walk into the dock gate and walk out with the last box the truckers had carried in. When Kenneth said he couldn't do that. Frederick said if he didn't he would make sure that all the bullies that Fredrick had kept from beating Kenneth up at school would be allowed to do whatever they wanted to him. Fear of Frederick making the rest of his fourth-grade year unbearable forced Kenneth out of the car, when he ran inside the dock door at the rear of the store. When he entered everything went nuts. An alarm went off. He just wanted to hide so he ran back out, and that's when he found that he was alone, Fredrick had left him there to get in trouble. Coming back to the here and now with a snap he is now facing a mirror. The officer brought another lady in. She was pretty but looked very sad. Oh man, who was the new chick, and how much trouble was he in?" She called him Ethan., the hopefulness in her voice was so thick you could almost see the name on the air. She was waiting on him to speak. "I'm sorry ma'am my name isn't Ethan."

Minutes before, as Mia and Logan wait to find out if the little boy with the soulful grey eyes was in fact her long lost child they speak quietly. Mia says "What if he's not Ethan? I mean I would be glad that someone found their child, but I can't say that I wouldn't be destroyed if I had to start this waiting game of uncertainly all over again." The female officer renters the waiting room and asks to speak to Mia in private. Mia says she doesn't mind Logan hearing if she is or isn't the mother. The woman says that is fine. Mia holds out her hand and takes Logan's, he squeezes her hand silently showing that he was here for her. When the woman tells her that the test matches and she is 99.6% the parent. Mia felt so many emotions at once she almost fell over. The female officer excuses herself to give them a minute. They are soon asked to follow a male officer Logan is told to stay out in the hall. Mia meets briefly with a counseling officer. After a 30-minute session to go over what not to do, the counseling officer walks in the room that held her son. Upon seeing her baby Mia fought down the emotions and tried her best to school her face into a neutral expression as to not alarm her boy. He looked up at her with those grey eyes and it seemed he looked right though her. Words pushed from her as an exhale "Ethan." He then with 7 words knocked the air from her lungs the people who sold him or bought him had changed his name. With all the things that had been stolen that day at the drop location her stepfather gave her son to people that would steal even his name from him. Seeing that she'd frozen the counseling officer tells him that his birth name is in fact Ethan Miller and that he was kidnapped when he was an infant. He says no he was not stolen he was chosen to be adopted. Fury burned Mia's lips and made her eyes water on their own, Mia wanted to see these evil vile people to see what kind of people would buy a child, her child, her baby. They steal her child and the closest to the truth they could come even after 8 long agony filled years was that he was adopted. A numbing fear coursed through her one that had never played in her mind about this wonderful day. What if he didn't want her? What if he blamed her as she had herself for losing him in the first place? He shakes his head no and says that the officer is wrong. He then says his name and it hit Mia who had bought her child and why this was a high-profile case. A town as small yet as large as Grandville South centered around only a few families, first were the Ivey family. Chase Ivey, saved companies, bought and built Grandville South's business sector, and any other property or business he wanted across the country. The second in the news was the Jackson Mayoral Legacy which was filled with drama, but the third family that always seemed to get attention was the Gale family mainly not because of the husband but because of the woman Alissa Gale the first and only female Multiracial sitting town council member. A woman that was held as the next mayor until Chase Ivey entered the race. Mia had looked up to such a brilliant female playing the political game in a town run by men. Now the that she knew who had her baby all this time the brilliance she once admired taunted her because Alissa Gale was brilliant enough to steal her child and when Mia lived in Grandville South with her boss Phil. Gale had gained her vote. The cue that she needed a break was a simple sentence. She needed a break because standing here listening to how that woman that she admired was the until now faceless demon that stole a part of her heart away for 8, almost nine years. She chokes out the sentence "I need to use the powder room please excuse me." The officer nods and continues speaking to Ethan. Mia would not if she could help it she would not call him Kenneth.

Mia walked out of the room Logan gets to his feet at the look on her face. "What happened, are you okay?" Mia shook her head, looked back at the door that she had exited then back at him and burst into tears calling herself a fool. "How are you a fool? You managed to find your son. Which from what my uncle was telling me is a pretty impressive feat considering most children on the black-market never make it back to their families." He held her she squeezed back. She tells him who had stolen her baby and why she felt like a fool. "No matter who did it, they are crooked, and it was wrong. You have a chance to get him back, you didn't give up, you lived in your car for 3 months while holding down a job until you moved in with your boss for Christ sake, all while running from your bat shit crazy ex. You survived his abuse both physical and mental and still didn't leave the state and give up the search for your son even when a lesser woman would have. You are a lot of things, but a fool isn't one of them. Do you hear me?" she nods her head. He wipes away her tears with his thumbs and asks her to look him in the eye, she looks up at him. "You are a beautiful, brave, smart, woman that has rallied against all odds don't give up now. You have come so far keep going. It may be hard but it's worth it." Logan pulls a moist towelette from her pack in her purse and wipes her face. "Much better, now go back in there and reunite with your son." She nods, heads into the woman's bathroom and soon remerges with freshly reapplied makeup on, the smile was forced, but you only knew if you knew her.

Hours later down the hall Councilwoman Alissa Gale is questioned about the adoption agency she used. Having no official agency name she spoke the truth, that her boss had arranged everything since she was so young. Bobby entered the room to continue gathering information. He suspected that this was one of the chosen children from The Mother's black-market adoption business. The kidnapping and the fake pregnancy went hand in hand in how these children were pulled into the family that had purchased them. When her DNA did not match is when she revealed that her son was adopted. Up until hours ago she had claimed that she had birthed him. Bobby's agency had been working very hard since the demise of April to get the chosen back to their rightful families. April had been in business for a very long time. Some of the children weren't even children anymore. Following the money only went so far. Yes, they had reunited over 65 children with their families since the take down of the Mother Mission, but it never got easy to tell a child what really happened to them and then have to watch the confusion play over their faces. After Bobby walks out of the room with all the answers to his many questions for yet another woman that followed the pattern that April produced he felt sick, and angry. Jerry Miller the Chief of the state department briskly walks in and comes up short when Bobby turns around and asked him into the interrogation room. Jerry was livid but not about someone stealing and selling his child he was super pissed at the decision to release the child into the care of his child's mother, the birth mother. "Look Chief Miller from what I have read in your file the best thing you can do right now is not bring loads of attention your way." Miller gets in Bobby's space considering the height difference Bobby wasn't fazed in the least. "You might want to back up Chief. Before I have a few questions for you." Miller says no little plain clothes local is going ask him shit. Bobby gets in closer and says, "This isn't my house, I'm a welcomed guest." Bobby opens his badge and slowly brings it up between them facing Miller. Miller asks what federal was involved for. He also accuses Mia of giving the child to the kidnappers. "That's it, I need a word with you." Miller says if he's talking to the feds he wants his lawyer present. An hour later Jake Washington, Joshua's former attorney, walks in to the department. "Slime defending slime" Bobby thinks to himself. "So Chief Miller where were you when you heard of the "kidnapping" of your son?" Jerry shrugged and says it was eight years ago how was he supposed to know. "Ok where were you when you heard you were being promoted to Chief?" Miller answered in vivid detail down to the place he was eating before Washington could shut him up. After a few well-placed questions that Jake tried to block but Miller's cocky attitude wouldn't allow. Bobby had enough to secure an arrest. Miller was involved, it's how he paid to keep himself in the academy. He'd admitted to getting a piece of the sale from Mia's stepfather by force. Which ran along the same lines of what Mia's stepfather was telling from behind bars to anyone who would listen. Washington askes for a plea bargain. "What could you give me that is worth more than your client admitting that he had a hand in the capture and payment for his own child?" Miller pulls Jake back and whispers in his ear. Jake then verbally floors Bobby with a name. Controlling his face Bobby says. "You know if you are lying you set yourself up for a lot more trouble?" Jake says take it or leave it. "That's not how this works but thanks for giving me a piece of the puzzle that I may not have had." Miller says he has a lot more for a deal. Bobby knew he had to be smart about this. He told them he would return with an answer. After speaking with the U.S. Attorney and letting him review what they already had. The US Attorney denied the plea.

Author's Note: It is with a heavy heart that I type this one of my Sista's and a big part of why I started writing this story has passed on. This is for you PJ. End Note: