"Okay when I said that I needed cold water for my shower I meant make sure I have the option of cold water in case when my shower came and I would actually want cold water and as it turns out I didn't so you're now officially responsible for the shower freezing of 2021," I said as I sat down on the couch next to Sophie. She snuggled closer to me and laid her head on my shoulder and then handed me a coffee mug.

"Sorry but you know me," Sami said.

"Well now I wish that I didn't," I said smiling as I drank some of the coffee that Sophie had gotten for me.

"Mom can we walk around a bit because I want to see where you grew up," Sophie asked.

"Does that cut into your bridesmaids plans," I asked Sami who was trying to make pancakes.

"Yeah that's fine," Sami said throwing the pancake pan in the sink. Her face was angry and red.

"So I guess we'll eat out for breakfast," I said to Sophie as Sami started to yell and curse.

"Definitely," Sophie replied as we made our way back upstairs as quietly as possible. When we entered our bedroom and shut the door Sophie looked at me.

"Mom why is it that we never came here before," Sophie asked. I looked at her stunned.

"Sophie, this place contains a past that I do not want to remember. It's just too hard and I was afraid that if I came here and took you with me that I'd never leave but we're definitely going back to London there is no doubt about that. But maybe one day when you're old enough I'll tell you," I said making my way towards the closet. Sophie came up behind me and hugged me.

"I love you mom," Sophie said before she went back to pulling out a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt that we got from Paris.

"I love you too, Sophie now how about my give Bush a wedgie t-shirt and a pair of jeans," I asked her holding up the indicated pieces of clothing. She pretended to gag.

"Mom do you want to embarrass me," Sophie asked.

"I was just joking I'm wearing the blue silk tank top from Greece," I said.

"You mean the one we got from Athens near the Acropolis," Sophie asked.

'The very one and a pair of black flip flops with white jeans," I said.

"Well I'm ready to go," Sophie said.

"There's no way I can back out of this," I asked her.

"You promised," Sophie said.

"Fine but just to point out that I did not promise I just agreed to show you around," I said going to the bathroom, to put on the clothes. When I was finished I looked at myself in the mirror. I had changed so much in twelve years that it was amazing to look at myself now and know how much I had changed. Twelve years ago I was a nobody now I'm 30 years old and the head doctor in the ER during the night shift at London Memorial Hospital.

"Mom you ready to go," Sophie asked.

"Yes let's go," I said coming out and leading the way to the car.

"Mom that pizza was way better then the pizza in London can we bring some back," Sophie asked as we left the local Albuquerque pizza parlor. She smiled and we walked on the sidewalk.

"So are you ready to go back," I asked her. We had been walking for over three hours. I've shown her everything from the park to East High School. She laughed when I told her about the time Sami and I slipped off the swings during the rain and ended up getting hosed off by Riley. I looked at Sophie who just seemed content looking at everything. As we reached the car and got in Sophie stopped then turned to me.

"Sophie come on get in the car," I said.

"Sorry mom," Sophie said climbing in and buckling her seatbelt.

"Are you sure you're okay," I asked her. Whenever she seemed unhappy it always worried me. I always wondered if I was being a bad mom. I looked at her and she was staring out the window. Then out of the blue she asked me the one of the questions I hoped she'd never ask.

"Mom where's your family," Sophie asked. I paused as I was about to put the key in the ignition.

"Sophie do you remember what I told you about my past," I asked her.

"Yeah," she said turning to face me. I looked her straight in the eyes and for the first time I saw Troy. I saw the sparkle in her eyes that always used shine in Troy's.

"I don't tell you things for a reason," I told her.

"But mom I'm a big girl now," Sophie said.

"I know that Sophie but my family is part of a past that really hurt me and if I start to get involved again then maybe you'll get hurt," I said to her.

"But mom you don't know that," Sophie said.

"Sophie just drop it okay I don't want to talk about this," I said turning back to the road. I put my key in the ignition and drove off. Sophie and I did not talk the entire way back to Sami's.

SAMI'S P. O.V.

I looked at the invitations in my hands. I knew that Nicole would kill me for this but it had to be done. Nicole needed to reunite with her old friends and especially her family. When I first saw Sophie I knew that without a doubt Troy was the father. Troy and Gabriella did get married after high school and I remember her calling me about Nicole's address but even I didn't know that and I haven't heard from her since. The girls from the team would be arriving tonight and I knew that Nicole and Sophie would definitely be back before five. For years Nicole's family tried to get information out of me but I didn't know. Chad kept yelling at me when I kept telling him I didn't know. But when I told him that I hadn't heard from Nicole since her last stop on her backpacking trip he stopped coming to ask. I looked at the invitations and read.

Danforth Anniversary Party

When: June 17th, 2021

Where: Mike and Karen's

Please come we welcome all of our friends to celebrate this special day.

Call: 581-9257

I heard Nicole's car come up the driveway and hid the invitations away in the breadbox.

NORMAL P.O.V.

After our discussion that was on the borderline of argument Sophie and I didn't talk. We've never had a fight for this long but she crossed a line that I specifically told her not to cross. We had discussed it earlier and she still wasn't listening. I knew that she would eventually inherit some of Troy's traits but did she have to inherit his curiosity to push across boundaries. I couldn't help but think that Troy would have taken pride in her. She also played basketball in London when I played with Alex and her husband Ian. She was fairly good. As I drove up Sami's driveway I hoped that this fight wouldn't last long but I knew that I had to stand firm in this decision. We got out of the car and got to the door.

"How was the walk," Sami asked in a suspicious tone.

"Just Peachy," I said as Sophie stomped up the stairs and slammed the door.

"Don't slam the door young lady," I yelled at her.

"Wow you definitely need a drink," Sami said heading to the garage to get a beer.

"No thank you that'll just make me more miserable," I said sitting down on the porch swing.

"Fine more for me," Sami said as she came out seconds later with a bottle of water.

"So no alcohol," I asked.

"There's some but I'm saving it for something else," Sami replied as she sat down in the chair across form me.

"So what happened," Sami asked.

"Well it was going fine until Sophie started asking about my family and when she mentioned why I never took her here before we left for the walk I explained to her that it just hurt too much but she just kept pushing when we were out walking. So I finally snapped in the car. And we haven't talked since," I said.

"You know you're going to have to tell her," Sami said.

"When she's old enough to understand I will but now she's not ready to know," I said.

"Fine you're the mom but you can't hide her form your past forever because it's going to come back to bite you in the ass," Sami said.

"It's just hard because she's so much like him already," I said.

"Well what did you expect," Sami asked. I just laughed.

"I don't know but she's never asked about her father before and asking about my family well technically her family as well but still she'll get hurt if I tell my aunt and uncle that I'm back or Chad," I said. I looked at Sami and she looked torn about something.

"Nicole there's something I have to tell you," Sami said.