A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. In this chapter, the plot turns a bit more dramatic (dare I say melodramatic) but what's a good story without a little complication? I hope you enjoy it and I am already working on future chapters.

The smell of fresh coffee and sweet blueberry pancakes spread throughout the condo and woke everyone's senses as they padded to the breakfast table, still wearing their pajamas. Since Andy moved in with them, he and Rusty took turns making breakfast on Saturdays, and this week was Rusty's. Rusty handed his mother a cup of coffee, with half a teaspoon of sugar and foamed milk while he prepared Andy's cup with almond milk and no sugar.

"How do you take your coffee?" he asked Lacey, who looked much better now that she had a good night sleep.

"I don't drink coffee," she mumbled.

"Okay, then orange juice then?" Rusty offered.

"No, the acidity makes, ugh… I'll just have water," she replied. "Sorry," she said with a shrug as she took a seat. The fact that she was slowly changing colors didn't escape Sharon who eyed her suspiciously.

"So, are you nervous about calling your father?" she asked, her voice syrupy. Andy and Rusty already knew that tone. It was the way she spoke when she was trying to entrap someone and make them give her information they never intended to share.

"Yes. I've waited to talk to him ever since I found out his name. Do you think he'll want me?" the insecurity in Lacey's voice was evident. Sharon looked at her. This girl seemed fragile and craving for love and acceptance, but it could also be an act. The fact that Sharon was unable to figure out if Lacey was genuine or fake worried her. And if she was only trying to contact Jack and just get to know him, then Sharon knew that Lacey might end up very disappointed.

"Well," she started. It was better to alert Lacey to the possibility that Jack may not be interested in meeting her at all. "I'm sure you're excited, and I don't want to ruin it for you, but you might want to consider the fact that Jack, as we know him, is not the most reliable person in the world." She knew she put it mildly, but she didn't have the heart to tell Lacey of all the pain and heartache he caused Emily and Ricky as they were growing up.

"So what you're saying is that you think he gave me up for adoption because he didn't want me?" Lacey asked, her voice not devoid of distrust.

"I don't know why he gave you away, Lacey. Jack was not around here often during that time," Sharon responded. "I am just advising you to keep your expectations low because Jack tends to avoid responsibility wherever he can, that's all." Lacey gave her a quick nod, and Sharon realized that her attempt to warn Lacey might have had an opposite effect. "Anyway, you can use the house phone to call him after breakfast." It was a peace offering, more than anything else, and she wasn't even sure why she felt so guilty about telling Lacey the truth, but she did.

Throughout breakfast, she watched Lacey and tried to engage in conversation with Andy and Rusty at the same time. She noticed that Lacey mostly picked at her food, but didn't bring the fork to her mouth a single time. She must have been very nervous to talk to Jack if she couldn't bring herself to eat. Sharon hoped that the call would help put Lacey's mind at ease and provide them both some much-needed answers.

After they had finished eating, Lacey helped Rusty clear the table and wash the dishes. Sharon and Andy went to the bedroom to change out of their pajamas. Andy tried to address the elephant in the room, but Sharon blocked the attempt almost immediately. She didn't want to discuss her fears and worries about Lacey and her intention until she had the chance to talk to Jack and hear his side of things. She promised herself to be as open minded as possible, even if the notion of Jack's unfaithfulness and its result still troubled her. She realized that no matter how long it has been, the idea that she was replaceable in the eyes of the man who promised to love and cherish her until death do them part still hurt. And these were not emotions she wanted to share with Andy. They had a good thing going, and she wouldn't want to say or express something that would ruin their relationship.

"Are we not going to talk about it?" he asked with frustration when he realized that she had completely shut him down where Jack and Lacey were concerned. The noise that came from the bathroom gave her the perfect opportunity to avoid that conversation.

"Did you hear that?" she asked and walked towards the door that led from their bedroom to the bathroom. She knocked on it lightly before she opened it and went in. Lacey was sitting on the floor, looking pale and faint as she vomited the content of her stomach into the toilet bowl. Sharon released the clip that was holding her hair up and kneeled next to Lacey, quickly gathering her hair and clipping it up.

"I'm so sorry," Lacey said when her stomach calmed down a little. "I'll clean it all up."

"Don't think about it right now." Sharon noticed the beads of sweat that formed on Lacey's forehead and the way her eyes glazed over. She placed her palm on the younger woman's forehead, not surprised to find out that she was burning up. "You're running a fever."

"It happens to me sometimes. It's nothing serious," Lacey replied. "I'll take a shower, and it will go down." Sharon could tell that Lacey's breathing was labored as she attempted to slide out of her shirt.

"Let me help you with that," Sharon offered and gently took hold of Lacey's wrist, guiding it out of the sleeves of her shirt and then sliding it over her head. Lacey brought her feet to her chest in a miserable attempt to cover her naked torso, but Sharon saw what the girl was attempting to hide. Lacey's body was covered with bruises in different stages of healing, and while the girl was clearly underweight, it was almost impossible to miss the swollen stomach. Sharon blinked a couple of times, trying to find the words to express herself when she noticed a round bump under the skin of Lacey's chest. She immediately recognized what it was. When her best friend was diagnosed with cancer a decade earlier, she had a port that was used to administer chemotherapy that looked just like the one Lacey had.

"I'm so so sorry, Sharon," the tears that started streaming on Lacey's face surprised her. "I wanted to talk to my father before I would decide if I should tell…"

"You're sick and pregnant?" Sharon asked.

"I was about to start chemo when I found out about the baby. And I couldn't go through with it." Lacey's voice shook.

"How far along are you?" Sharon wondered.

"19 weeks." With Lacey being so thin due to her obvious illness, Sharon was not surprised that her stomach wasn't bigger. "My doctor said that I might be able to carry the baby to term, before I…"

"Okay, that's a lot to take in," Sharon took a deep breath. Her heart was beating at a pace that was reserved for extremely stressful and frightening situations, and she tried to make sense of the thoughts that were racing through her head at an unimaginable speed. She looked at the girl in front of her, who was so young, and unfortunately, might always remain young, and felt her heart constricting painfully. Even if Jack took responsibility for her, losing her to cancer might push him off the wagon, just like the divorce had, and for the sake of Ricky and Emily, Sharon had to prevent it from happening at all cost.

"Lacey, I want to be honest with you about something," she said and knew that Lacey's haunted expression would stay with her for many days. "Jack is an addict. He has been battling with alcoholism and gambling for twenty years, and he had a slip up not long ago, caused by a traumatic event. He managed to get himself back together, but getting to know you and learning that you are sick might jeopardize his sobriety," Sharon explained. There was no nice or sensitive way of saying it. "So unless Jack can donate an organ or bone marrow to save your life, I ask that you don't contact him."

"Sharon, I understand it's a difficult situation for you," Lacey said, and it was evident that she was conjuring all the strength that she had to say those words. "But so is mine. In a few months, I am going to die, and my child will be an orphan. I grew up in the foster system. I don't want that for my child. My baby needs a real family, and Jack has a family. So I really need to contact him, please."

"When Jack is on a bender, he is not a family man. He is an addict seeking his next drink and gambles away everything he owns. He has missed most of his children's childhood and walked out on them and me in our critical moments as a family. Do you really want that kind of man to take care of your baby?" Sharon asked. She watched the tears that began streaming down the young woman's face. It was not fair that Lacey had to deal with so many difficulties at such a young age. "What about the baby's father?"

"He was a one night stand, and I don't even remember his name," Lacey admitted.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do. You're going to stay with us until Jack returns to LA, and then we will reconsider contacting him. I may be able to soften the blow for him, okay?" Sharon asked. Lacey nodded, realizing that it was the best option for her. She knew that finding a job with her medical situation would be impossible and that meant that she wouldn't be able to rent a place of her own or afford food. "Now, do you need any help taking a shower?"

"No, I'll be fine," Lacey replied and pushed herself off the floor. Sharon did the same.

"Let me know if there's anything you need," Sharon said before showing Lacey where she could find towels before she left the bathroom, contemplating the impossible situation that landed on her doorstep the previous evening. "God must be testing me," she said to Andy when she walked back to their bedroom. He looked at her curiously but hasn't said a word. Sharon took a seat on the end of their bed and bit her bottom lip, wondering how she could describe the situation to him. She could sense his eyes on her, but couldn't bring herself to utter a single word. Andy took a seat by her side, and his proximity was comforting and painful at the same time.

"Tell me?" his voice was soft as he brought his palm to cup her face. She offered him a sad little smile and leaned forward so that her forehead touched his. Sharon let out a deep sigh and opened her mouth to say something, but her voice was trapped in the depth of her throat, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "It must not have been easy being married to Jack, and I accept that you don't want to talk to me about that part of your life, but if and when you're ever ready, I will listen," he promised and wrapped his arms around her. Sharon pulled away and captured his lips in a quick and gentle kiss. She couldn't explain it all to him yet, but she could let him know she appreciated him for wanting to be in her life. It was more than she could ever expect of Jack. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his again, praying for strength to face the challenges that were to come.

-To Be Continued-

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts about this story so far, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.