The following morning at Raintree:

"Mom,"

"Yes?" Jean replies to her eldest son as they sit at the table eating breakfast.

"I think that you owe Kris and apology,"

"Excuse me?"

"I think that you should apologize to her,"

"For what?"

"The way that you've treated her,"

"Matt what on earth are you talking about?"

"She trusted you, and then with the first mistake that she made you disowned her. You went from being so close to her one day to kicking her out the next,"

"Matt I think that I was justified in what I did,"

"I don't. I think that you should have looked at it from her perspective,"

"How's that?"

"She did what she did to help us. All she wanted to do was save our skins. You treated her like family. She saw us as her family and she was trying to protect us,"

"I don't owe her anything,"

"I disagree,"

"Matt it's not your place,"

"I think that you should at least forgive her. Let the past be the past. Give her another chance. She's busted her butt trying to show you that she can be trusted,"

"Whatever. Matt I'm done talking about this,"

"Will you at least talk to her? I think that you at should at least give her a chance to explain herself. You could at least do that,"

"Why are you so up in arms about this? All she's ever done is cause you pain,"

"I'm sorry but mom you're wrong,"

Jean doesn't say anything she grits her teeth, puts her dishes in the sink, and heads out to the barn.

After a lot of thought Jean decides that she should be a little more forgiving of Kris. She decides to at least have some non-hostile dialogue with Kris.

Kris has just finished talking on the phone when there is a knock on the door. Kris wipes off her wet dishpan hands, and goes over to answer the door. She opens it without even looking.

"Oh hi,"

"Hi,"

"What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" she asks.

"Yeah sure," Kris replies as Jean enters and Kris shuts the door behind her.

"I..."

Before Jean can continue there is another knock on the door. Kris opens it this time knowing who it is.

"Hi Jace,"

"Hi," she smiles as she takes something from him.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he tells her.

"Bye,"

"Bye," he replies as he leaves.

Without thinking Kris turns around and puts what her brother gave her on the table. Jean just stares at her as she uncovers the carseat.

"Your brother had a baby?" Jean asks.

"No," Kris answers too quickly.

Kris lifts the little boy out of the carseat as Jean continues to stare at her. Kris uses her foot to push out a chair at the table for Jean, as she herself sits down in another chair.

"So this isn't your brother's baby?"

"Um no,"

"So?"

Kris doesn't say anything she just looks at Ethan.

"So who does he belong to?"

"Uh..."

"Anyone I know?"

"Yeah,"

"Who?"

"No one,"

"He's yours isn't he?" Jean asks.

Kris sighs and the bites her lip and gently nods.

"How old is he?"

"Let's see he was born the day after thanksgiving, so three months,"

"Oh," Jean swallows hard counting in her head.

"Oh what?"

"Nothing," Jean replies trying to shake the thought.

"Really nothing?"

"Where's his dad?"

"I don't see why it matters,"

"Do you know who it is?"

"Of course I know who it is," she replies seeming offended.

"So then he's out of the picture?"

"I guess,"

"What do you mean you guess? Is he involved in the baby's life or not?"

"He's not,"

"So then he's out of the picture,"

"Not exactly,"

"What do you mean not exactly?"

"He doesn't know,"

"Why? Did something happen to him?"

"No I just never told him,"

"Why wouldn't you tell him?"

"Because I didn't want to ruin his life,"

"He was there too,"

"I know, but he's better off not knowing,"

"Why? Kris I don't understand how you think that he would be better off not knowing,"

"Because it would complicate things. I just don't think that he can deal with this on top of everything else,"

"You are,"

"That's different,"

"How?"

"Because I'm the one that decided to keep him. It was my decision and mine alone,"

"It shouldn't have been,"

"Yeah well I think that it's something your should tell someone face to face,"

"Of course it is,"

"Well it's kind of hard to do when you in a different state,"

"Kris who is it?"

"It doesn't matter, just let it go. I don't even understand why you're so concerned anyway,"

"Can I hold him?"

"I guess," she replies. She hands Ethan to Jean.

"What did you say his name is?"

"I didn't,"

"Oh,"

"It's Ethan,"

Jean studies the sleeping infant very closely. She then returns her focus to Kris.

"Is he Junior's?"

"No," she replies honestly.

"Is he?"

"I just told you no,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. Trust me Junior isn't his father,"

"Oh, ok. So who is his father?"

"Someone,"

"Who? You know who it is right?"

"Yes of course I know who it is,"

Jean sits quietly and looks at the gorgeous, chubby baby. He runs her fingers through his wavy dark brown hair. He stares up at her intently with big brown eyes. He yawns and then his lips catch her attention.

"Does he belong to Matt?" she asks quietly, swallowing hard.

This time Kris doesn't say anything.

"Kris does he or not,"

"It doesn't matter,"

"Yes it does,"

"Why?"

"Because it does. Just tell me the truth,"

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to. Kris does this baby belong to my son?"

She nods solemnly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Are you kidding? What was I going to do? I couldn't just call you up and say 'Hey I know you really hate me right not but I've got another reason for you to. I'm pregnant with your son's baby. Bye.' It's not like that would have went over well. As soon as you figured out it was me you would have hung up,"

"Then why didn't you come back and tell me?"

"Because I had already screwed up your family enough. I didn't want to cause you guys anymore pain. I thought that it would be better for you not to know,"

"Then why did you come back at all?"

"I don't know. I just felt like this was home,"

"Oh,"

"I didn't want anyone to know. I thought it would be better for everyone involved not to know,"

"So Matt doesn't know about him?"

"No. I tried to tell him, but I couldn't,"

"So Matt has no idea?"

"No,"

"Who else knows about him?"

"Just Dani,"

"So how long were you planning on keeping the fact that you had a baby secret?"

"As long as I possibly could,"

"Are you sure that he belongs to Matt?"

"Yes, if you don't believe me we can do a DNA test,"

"I believe you. How, and when do you plan on telling Matt?"

"To be honest I don't know how to tell him. I don't know how to explain it to him. He's got so much ahead of him, and I just didn't want to ruin that for him,"

"He's my son and I want him to be successful, but I've raised him to take care of his responsibilities,"

"I know. I just don't know how I go about telling him,"

"I'm sure that you'll figure it out,"

Ethan starts to fuss, at which point Jean gives him back to Kris. She quickly changes him and puts a dry diaper on him.

"Kris I had better get back to the ranch,"

"Ok, hold on for a second,"

"Ok,"

Kris returns from the living room with the baby, and a picture. She gives Jean the picture of Ethan. Jean kisses the baby on the forehead and tells him, "Bye handsome," as she leaves.