Amanda wanted to believe that she was overreacting. That everything was going to be okay, that nothing else was going to change. But – once again – with only one decision, everything had changed. Because she was carrying David Thomson's baby. Again.

God, help me! She prayed desperately.

"Olivia, why don't you and Duke go play outside?" Amanda suggested.

Olivia nodded and, after calling for the dog, disappeared into the outdoors. Amanda curled miserably into a ball on the couch, pulling a blanket down over herself. Tears were pressing once more against the backs of her eyes when Dylan came out of the bathroom, looking troubled about something.

"Mrs. T, are you sure that you're alright?" he asked, eyes swimming with worry.

She nodded weakly, and forced herself to sit up, paste on a smile. Or at least the closest thing to it that she could manage, anyway. "I'll be fine; I think that it's just a twenty-four hour bug or something."

Dylan shook his head. "That doesn't sound right. You didn't come to church yesterday morning, but you did for the evening service. And David said that you didn't feel too well Saturday morning.

"Amanda." He looked at her gravely, knowingly, advising, "Talk to David about it."

And so saying, he left. Amanda took the trash out, effectively hiding the tests from further discovery, and then resumed her fetal position on the couch, certain of one thing.

Dylan knew.

After leaving the Thomson's, Dylan ran long and hard, but thinking even harder. He thought that maybe Amanda had gotten the actual point behind his seemingly casual remark. He was sorely tempted to tell someone, but who? Who would help Amanda without it getting around to David? That meant that the usual adults – the Martinez's, the Hayes's, and his own parents – were out of the running. But maybe Jade… or Haley Brooks. If anyone, one of them.

But he wouldn't tell anyone quite yet. He'd wait and see if Amanda would simply tell David without all of the drama. That would be for the best, and it made the most sense to him. For now, he wouldn't interfere.

David Thomson knew that he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was no idiot either. So, on the way home from the sheriff's department, David reviewed the facts.

His wife had been sick the past three mornings.

Neither one of them had been prepared for what had happened at Valdosta, and to that end, David knew that pregnancy was a possibility. And he knew that she knew it, too. And judging by the way that she had started withdrawing from him again… at best, she regretted what they had done. At worst, she knew that she was carrying his child and was too afraid to tell him.

And, really, if the latter was the case, he didn't blame her for being afraid. But he would admit that it hurt all the same. For the past week, trying to get her to trust him had seemed like a hopeless battle, even with the guys' encouragement and Caleb's Love Dare. It made him physically sick to think that the trust and love that she had showed towards him during those first couple of weeks after Valdosta might be gone. He didn't care for how long it was absent - any amount of time was too long – but if she was pregnant, he just had to wait it out. Until she told him, or until it became obvious.

He sighed.

Whichever came first.

But until he found out to the affirmative, he couldn't really just jump the gun and assume that she was expecting… could he? No, he'd give her time; let her come around until she told him whatever it was that was bothering her.

For now, he wouldn't interfere.

Olivia opened the door to the house and crept inside. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she looked at Duke at her side and raised a finger to her lips. Since Mommy wasn't feeling good, she would do her best to be quiet while she got a drink. Dylan had been right; it was hot outside today.

But when she stopped, just outside the living room on her way to the kitchen, she heard crying. Olivia peeked carefully around the corner, making sure that it was Mommy who was crying. It was, but why was she crying? She was supposed to be happy now, since she and Daddy had gotten married.

Olivia nibbled at her lip, looking at Duke for an answer. But since he couldn't answer and probably didn't have an answer anyway, she took him by the collar and led him back outside, going as silently as she had come. Mommy never even saw her there.

She sat down on the steps, propping her hands under her chin, and looked at Duke. "What do you think is wrong?"

Duke just bumped her shoulder.

Olivia shoved him roughly away, upset and confused. "Stupid dog." She muttered.

Mommy and Daddy didn't like it when she said that word, but Mommy had said it a bunch of times earlier in the day when she had been in the bathroom before Dylan had come into the house. Was that why Mommy was upset? Had somebody done something "not smart" that Mommy didn't like?

She would ask Daddy when he came home, she decided, going over and sitting on the swing that Daddy had set up last week for her. He would be able to figure it out for her.

Despite his worries, David grinned when his house came into view. His daughter was swinging back and forth on the swing, looking towards the road and waiting for him to come home. Her faithful caretaker, Duke, was once again by her side.

His eyebrows drew together, though, as he caught sight of Olivia's expression. Something was wrong. He parked and hopped out of his truck, heading towards his little girl.

She met him halfway across the yard, saying, "Mommy's crying inside."

"What do you mean?" David asked, crouching down to her level.

Olivia pointed towards the house. "When I peeked in a minute ago, she was crying on the couch."

David raked a hand through his hair. "Alright, sweetheart."

"Daddy, I thought that everything was good now? Can you make it better again?"

"I thought so too, princess. And I'll do anything that I can to make her happy again, alright?"

"Alright, Daddy."

David pulled her into his arms for a long hug before he stood up and headed into the house.

Please review! Thanks so much!:)