"Doris, are you unwell?"

Doris looked up from her lunch. She needed to find a new place to have lunch. Way too many people had been clued into the courtroom. "I'm fine."

Lillian leaned against the other table and watched Doris eat. "Did you hear about Natalia and Olivia. The rumors are flying that they're a couple."

"Really?"

"Doris."

Doris stood, threw out her lunch leavings, and slung her back over her shoulder. "Lillian. I'm fine, you can tell Buzz that verbatim."

Lillian stood there stunned as Doris powered out of the courtroom.

Emma was over at the farmhouse with Natalia. Olivia was quite sure that they were baking something, or watching an endless marathon of brain altering Disney DVDs. On the way home from the retreat the previous day Natalia had asked Olivia what they should tell Emma about their situation, about what had happened.

Olivia had begged for a little time to figure it out. But in the mid-morning light Olivia still had no idea how to deal with any of it.

Finally she grabbed her keys off the dresser and was nearly at the suite's door when it flew open. Olivia took two quick steps back. It was Doris and she didn't even give Olivia a second to gasp in surprise let alone speak.

"I get it. I don't deserve anything good. And I'm the only one to blame for my crappy life. I lied to everyone for years. I treat people like chattel, I don't deserve to have a great daughter like Ashlee, or to have your love. and I know it's only my fault. I know that." She sucked in a breath, "But I want a chance too. People who are evil and horrible and, and, they get a chance, I want a chance too. And, I know that I don't have a chance, but.."

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and finally cut Doris off, "Are you always going to be like this now? Gooey and..."

"Gooey?" She nearly bumped into Olivia, "I'm laying my heart out there, what little heart I have left according to Springfield. GOOEY?"

Olivia bit her lip, bit the inside of her cheek, and her tongue. It wasn't a good time to laugh, it was a horrible time to laugh. And yet she just couldn't help herself. Laughter burst from her in waves. She was laughing so hard that she had to sit down on her bed so she wouldn't fall down.

Doris was nearly red and had her hand on the door knob when Olivia finally got control of the laughter and found her voice, "Wait." She cleared her throat and wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry. That didn't. Do you know how long it's been since I've laughed like that?"

Doris turned. She was still obviously furious. "I am not laughed at, ever."

A short staccato laugh came from Olivia, "Mmm... well, you'd better get used to it. Because..."

Doris was on a roll, or, at least, she thought she was. She stalked towards Olivia and poked her in the chest. "Is that what this was, all a set up. Poor Doris, she's gullible enough, I'll set her up and knock 'er outta the park right. Someone to keep you warm until Ms. Perfect Pants comes to her senses right?" She threw up her hands, "I'm done. I can't..."

Olivia had spoken, but Doris hadn't been listening. "What?"

Olivia cleared her throat, "Really? Ms. Perfect Pants?"

"Olivia."

"Doris. I broke up with her. I mean, I have to say, it's my first break up where I only kissed her once and never had sex. But we broke up. That's why I went to find her. Though..." Olivia squinted, "She sorta broke up with me first too. And gave me some news. She's pregnant."

Doris was way beyond stunned, or flabbergasted, she was on the brink of being totally and utterly gob smacked.

"Doris, will you say something, anything?"

"I love you." Doris' hand flew to her mouth than pointed at Olivia. "I didn't say that, you did not hear that. Erase it from your memory."

Olivia smiled, "No take backs." She draped her arms over Doris' shoulders and felt Doris' arms around her waist. "And I don't know where I am yet in all this. Whether I love you too. Hey, I know that I like the sex..."

"It is pretty nice."

Olivia was pseudo aghast, "Nice? Nice. I'll have you know I've had Alan Spaulding begging for his Momma."

"Puleeze, he's easy."

Olivia chuckled, "Okay, you might be right."

Doris sighed, but didn't move. "And I'm stuck with Natalia Rivera and her brats for the rest of their lives."

Olivia tried to take a step back, but Doris didn't let go. "She's my best friend. No matter what happened with our... with the wedding, and the proclamations and, everything. She got me and Emma through the hardest thing I've ever faced, and she's not going to go through this pregnancy alone like she did with Rafe. I will be there for her in whatever way she wants me to be."

Doris sighed, "Guess that you'd better buy the Davidson place now huh? Give Emma back her ducks, not to mention when she runs away, it's only a short walk to Natalia's place to find her."

"What? They're not sel..."

"Remember to whom you're speaking Ms. Spencer. I'm the Mayor of this township, I know everything."

Olivia nodded with total seriousness. "Except for hat fashions." She smirked as Doris gave her a squeeze. "What? Just think of Natalia and Rafe as your penance for not coming out to your daughter sooner."

Doris groaned and after a moment met Olivia's eyes. "I don't know if I can be out to the town."

"That's okay."

"But Ashlee..."

"I actually have a bit of an idea for that."

Natalia paced back and forth in her living room. Emma had gone home. She was alone again. Words ran through her head. But she wasn't having much luck putting the words together in sentences that made sense. She mumbled to herself. "Preggars, Frank no, Olivia, not anymore. Father Ray... don't' go near him unless someone else brings him up. No relationships, friends, family."

The doorbell rang and she jumped. She wasn't ready. She had the sudden urge to go hide in the kitchen and wait for them to just go away. But that would solve nothing. She did idly wonder why the doorbell had rung, instead of them just letting themselves in. And by them, she meant Frank.

She found out when she opened the door. "Frank. It's not your house, so ya ring. Dude, did Buzz raise ya in a barn? Ma." Tears glistened at the edges of Natalia's eyes, "Ma, what's wrong?"

"You're such a good young man Raphael. You have to grow up some, but you're such a good man."

"Ma..."

Natalia took a step back and both Frank and Rafe entered the farmhouse. Rafe sat down on the couch while Frank looked like a caged cat and stood stiffly by the mantle, his arms crossed over his chest. Natalia sat down next to her son and folded her hands in her lap. Finally she started. "I have news."

"Ma, I don't want to hear about Ol..."

"Rafe. Be silent." Rafe blinked in surprise and went silent. "Just listen for a minute." She glanced up at Frank and back to Rafe. "And don't interrupt."

"Ma..."

"Raphael." Rafe put his hands up. "First. You need a haircut." Rafe frowned, but didn't speak. "Secondly, while she will never." Natalia paused, "For now, maybe forever, Olivia and I, we're not together anymore. Not that I really ever gave us a chance to be together, that said. We're still friends, very good friends. She's been there for me, and will still be."

Natalia lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, but to their credit, neither Frank or Rafe spoke, "And third. I'm pregnant."

Frank's mouth dropped open and Rafe laughed. Frank braved Natalia's wrath and spoke, "Are you sure?" Natalia nodded, "Is it mine?"

Natalia was about to respond when a sort of growl noise came from deep within Rafe's chest and the young man stood. Getting between his mother and Frank. "Frank, man, how can you even say those words."

Natalia stood and put a hand on her son's shoulder. "Rafe, it's okay."

Rafe bristled, "He's callin' you a whore Ma."

Frank didn't know who the conversation had gotten so off the track, "Rafe, Natalia, that's not what I meant."

Rafe made an 'as if' noise and sat back down. "Bet Olivia didn't ask that when you told her, right Ma? Are you gonna ask if she's gonna keep it next Frank?"

"Don't put words in my mouth young man."

It was Natalia's turn to get in between Frank and Rafe. "Stop it you two." She started with Frank. "Frank. yes, I have slept with no one..." She pinned her son with a look. "Any... person... since we did. Yes, they're yours. Yes, I plan to keep them, and I hope that you'll be in their lives, but I'm going to raise them, they'll be Riveras, not Coopers. This won't be the start of us again. I need time on my own, time to be me... to..." She shook her head with a sigh. "Find me. I've always lived for everyone else." She put a hand on Rafe's cheek, "And I don't regret any of my thirty four years, but I need to figure out who I really am."

She walked to the front of the farmhouse living room and looked out the window. "I've even been thinking about calling my parents."

"Whoa." The exclamation came from Rafe. "You sure Ma?"

She turned and face them again, "I don't know, but I know that the first time in a long, long time, I feel in control of my own destiny. So, I set the rules." She met Frank's eyes, "That doesn't mean I'm going to be unreasonable. I know better than anyone that a son, or two, they need their father. And these two boys are yours as well, but-I-set the rules."

Frank slowly nodded, "I... I know it's a long way away, but..."

"Olivia will be there too. I'm going to ask her to be my coach." Frank nodded again, "We can all be a family Frank." A smile appeared on her lips, "We're all family here in Springfield anyway."

Rafe laughed and popped from the sofa and went over to his Mom, giving her a crushing hug. After a moment she wiggled out of it. "Raphael. I may be done talking to Frank, but I'm not done with you young man."

Rafe swallowed and Frank spoke up, "Do you want me to stay Rafe?"

Rafe seemed to think about it for a second before he shook his head, "Nah, I figure the ritual disembowelment should be done in private. Thanks though man."

Frank approached Natalia, but paused before he got there. "I..."

Natalia pulled him into a quick hug, "I promise, I won't shed any of his blood."

This made a small smile inch onto Frank's face, "I'm going to hazard a guess that Rafe won't be back to my place tonight?"

Natalia's gaze bounced between the two men. "That is up to Rafe. Bye Frank." Frank gave a backwards wave as he left the farmhouse. Natalia turned to Rafe. "Rafe. I need you to understand that I don't know what will come next, and it may be with a woman or a man. I don't know. What I do know is that I'd like to find another priest, someone who's not Father Ray, and I'd like to have him counsel us some." She paused, "And, I would love for you to move back in, but, I can understand if doing so would... cramp your style."

Rafe gave his Mom a look, "Ma, I'm an ex-con who works at a hardware store in a town that sometimes feels like it's the size of a postage stamp, where, by the way, I'm practically related to all the eligible women in the town. I have no game to cramp."

"You'll really?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't make a big to-do about it Ma. Gotta teach the little brothers how to properly drive you into premature gray hair right?"

Natalia smiled and hugged her son again, "I love you Rafe."

"Love you too Ma."