"I already know what I want," I said softly, looking her straight in the eyes. She gaped back at me, struggling to look into both of my eyes at the same time. Self-consciously, she tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, waiting for me to tell her what I wanted. "I want to tell my family."

"Okay, not what I meant," she murmured under her breath. "Fine, let's go tell them. Whatever you want."

Huffing, she turned and stalked back toward the dining room. I should have just told her how I felt, but I'm not ready. My love for Georgie is still a part of my life, and until I am completely ready to let that go, I don't want to lead Lulu on. I don't want to lead the mother of my child on. Oh, and I'm scared out of my mind.

Dillon, you are so talented, the way that you see things and the way that you express yourself…You're actually passionate about something.

"I have an announcement," Lulu stated boldly as I crept into the room behind her. Standing proudly, she had her hands on her hips.

"Well, out with it," Grandfather retorted as he sat his cup of coffee back on the table.

"I didn't have the abortion," she replied plainly before sitting down in her chair.

"You didn't what?" Alan asked, his eyes wide.

"I don't think I heard you right," Monica said.

"Oh, that's great!" Grandfather exclaimed, clapping his hands grandly before jumping to his feet.

"Lulu, I am very glad to hear that," my mother said softly, embracing Lulu lightly. It was an unusually tender moment for my mother, and everyone in the room was left speechless at the sight.

"Yes, congratulations, Dillon!" Emily remarked brightly, hugging me tightly as Monica and Alan followed suit.

"What made you change your mind? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Grandfather asked.

Dillon, I just want you to be honest with yourself deep down. Maybe you're trying to compensate for getting me pregnant or maybe you're trying to make up for what you see as some massive cosmic error.

"He didn't know," Lulu spat. "Look, I just wanted to tell you all. I'm tired. I think I will just go upstairs to my room to rest."

"I'll help you," Emily offered. Lulu looked at me darkly and allowed my cousin to lead her up the stair case.

"Well, we should get to the hospital," Alan said to Monica, shoving an apple in his briefcase before heading out of the dining room with his wife in toe.

Grandfather grinned at me. "I should probably be getting to the office, too. Tracey, I will see you in a few hours for the board meeting."

My mother waved dismissively, waiting silently until we were alone again. "Well, my youngest son, you're going to be a father. How do you feel?"

I shook my head. "Confused, scared, excited, thrilled."

Who do you think you're fooling?

"Well, whatever you are feeling, it needs to come second to how that girl upstairs is feeling," my mother told me. "Your life isn't just about you anymore. I know you are still with Georgie, but you need to figure this out. And you need to figure it out fast."

"I know, Mom."

"No, you don't. You have no clue."

"I should go check on Lulu."

"You can run away from me, Dillon, but you can't run away from your life."

My mother's words echoed in my head as I jogged up the stairs. Emily was shutting Lulu's door just as I reached the top landing. "How is she?"

"She's scared, Dillon. Go in, ease her fear."

"How do I do that?"

"You'll find a way," Emily reassured me wisely. Her kindness reminded me of Grandmother in that moment. Though she was not biologically related to Lila Quartermaine, there was no one in this family that was more like her than Emily. With one last warm smile, she disappeared and left me alone with the inevitableness of my future.

I reached up and knocked on the door. "What?" Lulu demanded from the other side.

"I'm thinking the stress can't be good for the baby," I joked as I came into the room. "Besides, they say that a baby recognizes a mother's voice. I doubt that the last thing you want him or her to remember is you yelling at its father."

"Shut up," she declared as she threw me the dirtiest look. "What do you want?"

I sauntered over and sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled her shawl tighter around her body, fingering the tassel absently between her fingers. "Was that your mother's?"

She nodded silently, dropping her eyes to stare intently at the pale pink chenille fabric. "It's been in our family for generations. She used to wear it whenever her and my father would go out dancing. I can remember this one time when I was a little girl, they were going to the Nurse's Ball. She looked so beautiful, just like an angel, my father said. She took this shawl that night, and when she got home, she came into kiss me goodnight. When she leaned over to hug me, it tickled my cheeks, making me giggle. It was a perfect moment, the perfect memory."

Her voice was soft as she finished. She looked up at me for the first time since I had come into the room. "I miss her. I wish she was here. She would know what to do."

"She is here," I replied tenderly, drawing her into my arms. She leaned her head against me, burying her face into the nook of my shoulder. Pulling her back so that I could look in her eyes, I took her hand in mine. "She is here," I repeated, laying her hand on the top of her head to indicate her memory. "And she is here," I told her as I laid her hand on her stomach, signaling our child. "Most of all, she is here," I finished, laying her hand flat against her heart.

"She's all I have. She's the only one who is here."

What part of "Be honest with yourself" don't you understand?

I brushed the same tendril of hair behind her ear that had escaped from earlier. "No, she is not the only one who is here. I am here."

"You're here now, but you're not really here."

"I'm here," I insisted, looking deeply into her eyes, praying that she will get the intent of my words. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her tightly to me. "I'm here. I want to be here. I want to be here forever. The past is over, you're my future. Our family – you, me and this baby – are my future."

"Dillon, what are you saying?" she whispered, pulling back again until her eyes met mine.

"I'm saying that I love you."

"You love me?"

"I am so in love with you."