Kris doesn't say anything.
"Is Matt his father?" Dani asks again with a smirk across her face.
"No," she answers.
"You're totally lying,"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because when you said that you looked at him, not me,"
"So? He's my son I've got a right to look at him,"
"Of course you do he's gorgeous, but you were talking to me,"
"Yeah so?"
"You're supposed to look a person in the eye when you talk to them,"
"Ok. Sorry,"
"Come on just answer the question,"
"What was the question?" Kris plays dumb.
"Is Matt the baby's father?"
"I don't see why it matters who the father is. I know who he is,"
"Is his name on the birth certificate?"
"No,"
"So under father what does it say?"
"None,"
"None?"
"Yeah,"
"Why does all of this have to be a secret?"
"Because I just want to protect Ethan,"
"From what?"
"The world,"
"You want to protect him from Matt?"
"I never said that,"
"Well Matt is his father isn't he?"
"I don't know is he?"
"How would I know? I'm just guessing. And by the way you're acting I'm guessing that I'm right,"
"What if you are? What are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know. Regardless of who the father is he deserves to know,"
"So you think that I should tell him?"
"Yeah I do,"
"Ok, I'll think about it,"
"Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Are you going to tell anyone else?"
"Kris who am I going to tell? It's your life not mine. No one even knows that you have a baby so me going up to someone and telling them that they're the father of your child would make me look crazy,"
"So you're not going to tell anyone?"
"Why would I tell anyone? I respect that you want to do this on your own and you just want what's best for your baby,"
"Ok,"
"Are you going to tell me?"
"I don't know,"
"Is it Matt?"
Kris nods and sighs deeply.
"Kris you need to tell him,"
"I know. I will,"
"When? In eighteen years?"
"No before then,"
"There's no time like the present,"
"I can't leave,"
"Don't worry I'll stay here with him,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah,"
"He's been fed so he should be good until I get back. He might need his diaper changed can you do that?"
"Yes,"
"Have you done it before?"
"No, but I think I can figure it out,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes,"
"Ok I'll be back really soon,"
"Ok," Dani agrees.
When Kris gets to Raintree she finds Matt in the stables checking on some of the horses. She approaches him quietly, and then with a deep breath finally says, "Hi,".
"What are you doing here?"
"I kind of needed to talk to you,"
"About what?"
"Can we talk somewhere a little more private?"
"Are you afraid the horses are going to hear?" he jokes.
She raises an eyebrow. He nods and leads her into the office in the stable and closes the door behind them.
"What's up?"
"I wanted to talk about when I left,"
"Why? You don't have to explain yourself,"
"I know but I feel like I should. I mean you know why I left, but I stayed gone for quite a while,"
"Ok,"
"When I left I just felt really insecure, and really unsure of how things were going to turn out,"
"Of course,"
"I was afraid to come back and face you guys because I feel like I let you down,"
"Kris you didn't let us down. I understand why you did what you did. I mean you did what you thought was best for your family. I'm just sorry that my mom got so bent out of shape,"
"You can't really blame her,"
"No, but she took it way too far. She didn't see the way it was. She never should have made you leave,"
"It was her place,"
"Sure, but she shouldn't have. If she had be given the same opportunity at our age she would have taken it. She's just been really different lately,"
"It's understandable,"
"I think it was because she felt like you were the daughter she never had. And then you go and change everything,"
"But I didn't know that it was going to happen like that,"
"I know. I mean I'm not saying that she should have agreed with your decision but I just thought she would understand where you were coming from,"
"So did I,"
"I really wish things could go back to the way they used to be,"
"I do too Matt but they can't,"
"Why not?"
"They just can't,"
"Kris my feelings for you haven't changed,"
"Matt I don't want to talk about that right now,"
"But I do,"
"Why?"
"Kris I still have feeling for you and I think you still have feelings for me but it just seems like there's something in the way,"
"Matt you're being ridiculous,"
"Am I?
"I'm just so confused right now. I don't know what I want in the future. But I know right now I just want to be by myself to figure some things out,"
"And I can respect that, but just don't write me off yet,"
"Ok. Look I've really got to get home,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I've got some stuff to do,"
"Alright," he smiles as he watches her walk away.
She rushes home as quickly as she can. When she gets home Dani's asleep on the couch.
"Dani where's the baby?"
"He's in the his crib asleep,"
"Ok,"
"So did you tell Matt?"
"No,"
"What? I thought you were going to tell him,"
"I was going to, but I couldn't,"
"But you told me that you were going to,"
"I know but the conversation just never went there,"
"You were supposed to take it there,"
"How? By just randomly saying that I've got a baby who by the way happens to belong to him?"
"I don't see why not,"
"That would be awkward. I have to ease him into it,"
"How?"
"I don't know,"
"How long is that going to take? A solid eighteen years?"
"I don't know, maybe,"
"Just tell him,"
"I can't. Not right now,"
"Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"Know that you were pregnant when you left?"
"If I had known do you think I would have ever taken such a big risk?"
"Probably not. So you didn't know?"
"No. I realized about a week later that something wasn't right. I could quite figure it out, but then a couple of weeks passed and I realized that I was,"
"Weren't you scared?"
"Yes out of my mind,"
"So then why didn't you come back?"
"Because by the time I got up enough nerve to come back I was already showing, and I just wasn't ready to face everything. I wanted to take it one step at a time,"
"I can understand that. But why did you ask for help,"
"I didn't know who to ask,"
"You didn't know who to ask or how?"
"Both,"