"Lula, I am so happy you made it up for the baby shower. My mother and sisters loved you!" Mary Lou had her feet up and she was surrounded by the boxes and bags that still hadn't been unpacked from her surprise baby shower the day before. "I just wish Steph and Val could have been here."

"Girl, who are you tellin'? Steph has been working two server jobs usin' Val's ID so she can cover the rent and Val only ever leaves the house when she is decked out like Stephanie to go to the hospital clinic. I needed me some sanity."

"I still can't believe Stephanie agreed to raise Val's baby as her own so Val can marry Steve. He is so not worth it." Mary Lou rubbed her belly.

"I think Steph is still thinking its 50/50 Val will change her mind, and then Val spends an hour at night talking to Steve's dumb ass, saying nothing at all that has anything to do with real life. Meetin's she's been to, projects she is wrapping up…none of which exist. It is CRAZY!" Lula shook her head.

"Well, he is as dumb as a box of rocks, so it is no wonder he isn't suspicious. Val could do so much better." She showed Lula to the dresser and the two women started putting away all the matching outfits the boys had received.

"She did, but he is in a cage somewhere goin' thru God knows what." Lula prayed every night for Lester to come home. Him being MIA was making Tank crazy.

Mary Lou shook her head. "Do you believe Les is still alive? Val seems like she thinks he is never coming back."

"Tank believes it and Ric does, too. Which I think is why Val didn't decide to put that child up for adoption. Then Les would never get to know the child."

"I guess the same could be said for Ric. He is doing the right thing because he wants a relationship with his child. You know, he helps Rachel with her AP Calculus and AP Spanish homework?"

"Tank told me and that he's been helpin' her with the AP United States Government and Politics class and that Bobby was helping her with AP biology."

"It is true- she and Bobby were working on the Krebs cycle and I felt like I was having nightmare flashbacks of high school." Mary Lou sighed. "I told Stephanie I felt like I was betraying her by helping Rachel, and Steph told me she would be pissed if I didn't step in. That Rachel is just a kid and doesn't need any more shit heaped on her."

"Steph is amazing. I don't think I could be that big a person if it was Tank instead of Ric." Lula shook her head. "I just can't believe Ric's cousin did it to them."

"Yeah, that Marion is some piece of work. Did you here she got engaged to Sybo Diaz, a guy who went through Basic with Les and Ric. Les introduced them last year and Ric told Bobby he wants to warn the guy off."

Lula laughed out loud. "It ain't funny, but it's funny."

Mary Lou got serious. "Lula, does Steph ever talk about him?

"No. But I share a wall with her and some nights I hear her cryin'; it would break your heart. Does he?"

"Not around me. He did ask Bobby about her. Just wanting to check and see if she was doing okay. The whole situation was just such disaster. "

"True that. I think it would have been at least a little easier if they hadn't slept together."

Mary Lou nodded. "Worst timing in the history of sex."

The two friends talked for hours, unpacking all Mary Lou's gifts and putting everything away. It wouldn't be long until the twins arrived.

Marion called Rachel, hoping Ric wouldn't answer. He was still annoyed with her over one simple exaggeration and she really didn't want to hear it today from him today. The man could really hold a grudge.

Rachel heard the phone as she was unlocking the door, so she ran to the kitchen to answer.

"Hello?"

"Rachel?"

"Hey, Marion."

"Are you alone?"

"Yeah, Ric won't be home for a while yet. I am just getting in and need to finish up an assignment and then I have to get dinner started." Rachel had no time for Marion's gossip today.

"Did you know?"

Rachel's hand went to her belly. "Did I know what?"

"That Ricky's little gringa is pregnant."

"What?!"

"Her name is Stephanie Plum, isn't it?" After Rachel confirmed Stephanie was the girl Ric had been dating, Marion continued. "She was scheduled for a prenatal ultrasound and from her records it looks like she is due at Thanksgiving. Did you really not know? My cousin didn't tell you."

Rachel couldn't answer. Holy fuck! Ric was with Stephanie from the weekend after he and Rachel hooked up until the day Rachel told him she was pregnant. The baby would be a sibling to her own. Fuck! Did Ric know? He certainly hadn't told her. Or had Stephanie never told him? Would Ric divorce her to marry Stephanie? Rachel pressed her hands against the countertop, the phone held in the cradle of her neck. She needed to stay calm.

"Ric hasn't mentioned it. I am curious how you found out."

"My girlfriend is a receptionist at the hospital and registered her." Marion reviewed the name address and phone number given.

"Marion, you are invading her privacy and this is none of your business. It's almost like you are trying to make trouble for Ric and me. I have to go. I have a meal to prepare."

"Well, I never- I am trying to look out for you."

"Like you were looking out for me when you got me drunk at your house party and thought it would be funny to have your Army Officer cousin be the one to fuck your horny underage girlfriend?" Rachel's voice was firm. Marion had told her the best way to get over her ex was to get under another hot guy- Rachel listened to her like an idiot. "You were supposed to be looking out for me- it is what friends do. What real friends do, anyway. And telling him I was in my twenties was a bitchy thing to do to somebody IN YOUR FAMILY! He could have been in big trouble. I had no idea how much till I got here and found things out. You could have ruined his life. Don't call me again, and for fuck's sake leave the Plum woman alone- she'd had enough shit rain down on her because of me. Back off!"

"You ungrateful bitch- you and Ric deserve to be as miserable together…"

Rachel slammed the phone down. She couldn't listen to another word. She needed to tell Ric. Tell him and see what he decided to do. She tried to start the pasta but she was sobbing. If he left, where could she go?

"Captain, I need a minute." Tank stood in the door. Ric stood and dismissed the two 2nd lieutenants Ric was interviewing to check their Spanish skills.

After the door closed, Ric asked his friend, "Is it Rachel?"

"Actually it involved Rachel, but it is about Stephanie Plum."

Ric dropped a blank face in place, but Tank had seen the moment of anguish on his friend's face. "Don't sugar coat it. Just tell me."

"Ric, Sybo called me. He says Marion is going on about needing to warn Rachel because Stephanie is having your baby and you will leave her." At Tank's comments regarding his faithless cousin, Ric started to grind his teeth.

"Stephanie isn't pregnant with my child. She was on the Depo shot when we…" God, what if she was pregnant now… He had no say in anything she did to heal her heart. God, he was nauseous and his head was starting to throb.

"I know Stephanie isn't having your baby."

Wait, what?

"How can you know that?"

"I wasn't going to mention this until it was necessary, because it is a hair-brained ridiculous scheme… But basically Val is having Lester's child but is using Stephanie's name and insurance to do so. It seems the high school boyfriend had an accident, near death, and now sees Val is actually all he wants and they will be getting married in Trenton in the end of January. Her fiancé is not aware she is pregnant- in fairness he was in the ICU and a rehab center. Anyway, Lula tells me that Steph stepped up and said she will take care of the baby- a boy, I'm told, until Lester comes home and then they will figure it out."

"Are they insane?"

"Rhetorical question, Ric. I didn't correct Sybo, because I don't want the girls to get in trouble for insurance fraud but you will need to tell Rachel- Marion has likely already called her."

Ric left the office at a run.

When he arrived home, he knew he was too late. Rachel's eyes were swollen and his heart ache for this poor girl who was stuck with him, a man she knew didn't love her.

"Well, I can see Marion has been up to mischief."

"Ric, you didn't tell me your ex-girlfriend is pregnant, too."

"She isn't... she was getting Depo monthly while we were together." Ric didn't like to share Stephanie's private medical information but he needed to put his young wife at ease."

"But Marion said..."

"Marion is an idiot. Couple that with the fact that Stephanie's sister is crazy and you get here." Ric shook his head.

And then he explained everything to Rachel- from the first day at the diner to Tank telling him the story this afternoon.

"If this can get the girls in trouble, why are you telling me?"

"Because I trust you to keep the information to yourself. And when my Abuela gets wind that Steph is having a baby- all hell will break loose and I want you to know what is really going on." Ric did trust her.

"When will Abuela be heading back to Florida?"

"My mom is trying to convince her to stay until our baby is due, then come stay and help you for the first few weeks."

"Oh, Ric, that is so kind of her. It will make everything so much easier." She went to him and his arms closed around her, saying a prayer that he could make her happy, even with his broken heart.