"I'm sorry Mrs. Detweiller, but we can't take on any more employee's at this time. We were tight on budget and had to fill a spot quickly."

"Oh," her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "But I have a letter stating that you were going to hire me." She held out the official looking parchment to the man behind the deck. His thick mustache hid his mouth and his bald head glistened with sweat.

"I understand, but it took you nearly four months to get back to the states with your degree and we couldn't wait that long to fill in the single spot we had open. And with a job as intense as this, I'm unsure you would make it under the pressure given you... state." He looked her up and down, eyes resting on the small bump of her stomach.

Her jaw dropped. My state? I will give him a state to be concerned about!

Before she could punch his lights out he stood up and smoothed out his blazer. "We will contact you when another position opens up, but I am unsure of when that will be. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a meeting in ten minutes. Mrs. Patew will see you out." And with that he was out the door.

Disappointment and anger flooded her heart. What am I going to do now? Flip burgers?

"This way, ma'am." The receptionist said, waving her arm towards the office exit.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Spinelli strode out of the corporate building towards her car. She pulled out her phone and dialed her mom.

"Hello?" Flo asked on the other end.

"Mom? I didn't get the job. They didn't hold my spot like I was told and now I don't have a job and I don't know what I'm going to or what I'm going to tell TJ! How am I suppose to provide for my family if I can't even get a job? What was the point of going to school if I couldn't use my degree for anything?"

"Ashley, calm down," her mother soothed. "Everything will be okay. We will job hunt when you get home. Now, come back. I made some sandwiches and tea."

Somehow, just hearing her voice calmed her down.

"Okay, I'll be there soon. I love you."

She hung up and climbed into the car, thinking of all the possibilities of finding a different job.

TJ folded the clothes from their luggage and placed them neatly in their drawers. A knock came to the door and he turned. Joe, Ashley's big brother stood in the door way.

"Hey Teej," he smiled at his brother-in-law.

"Joe, good to see you." The two shook hands and TJ invited him into the room. "When did you get in?"

"The misses and I drove in around noon. She's putting the kids down for a nap."

TJ nodded and got back to folding the clothes.

"I, uh, heard about the baby, congrats man," Joe sat on the bed next to the luggage, folding his hands in his lap. It was hard to believe his baby sister was having a baby herself, a baby with her best friend. The two had been nearly inseparable since the night she knocked on TJ's door when she was five. Joe's eyes shifted over, realizing TJ was looking at him.

"Yeah, thanks. Is everything okay?"

Joe's heart weighed heavy. Everything that happened to Ashley seemed like a dream. He almost didn't recognize her in the picture she sent with a letter six months ago saying she was moving back to the states soon. He was happy that she was happy. Glad to have her back home with family, about to start her own. But something sat inside him, something dark pulling at him, warning him about something but he couldn't figure it out.

"Yeah, everything's good. Just glad to have you guys back." Joe gave TJ a weak smile and stood up. "I better go check on Carol, make sure the little ones aren't giving her any trouble." He strode out of the room and turned the corner to his old bedroom, carefully opening the door.

His wife, Carol, was laying on his old bed, the twins laying on either side of her. All three of them were snoring. They were only here for two weeks until he had to get back to work. He smiled at the three and eased out of the room, flicking off the light. He walked down the hall into the kitchen where his mother was making tea and sandwiches. Picking up a triangle, she smiled at him.

"TJ's unpacking and Carol and the kids are napping." He said, biting into his sandwich.

"Ashley is on her way back. They didn't hold her spot in D.C." Flo's smile faded as she poured herself some hold liquid into a mug. "Tea?" She asked, holding up the kettle.

"I'm good with coffee," Joe laughed, picking up the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup.

"Should have known," Flo smiled.

The two stood in the kitchen, everything quiet and still except for the refrigerator buzzing with cool power. The front door opened and slammed shut followed by Ashley's heavy foot steps stomping in the living room. Joe put his coffee down. He walked into the living room, hoping to surprise his little sister. She was sitting on the couch, her face buried in her hands. She was crying. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders the way he use to when she was younger. She fell into his hold and sobbed into his chest, taking deep breaths in to cry harder. Everything she had worked for was snatched away from her. Five years of studying, late nights in the lab, two jobs, and sucking up to professors had just gone down the drain.

TJ rounded the corner and saw the scene, pain and sadness fell on his face. Joe motioned him to come closer and they easily traded spots. Ashley was now crying into TJ's chest, clutching his shirt with her fist. Joe smoothed her hair down and walked away. He almost ran into his mother if it weren't for the agility skills he developed since being a dad of twins.

"Is she okay?" Flo asked.

"No. She isn't and I don't know how long it will take before she starts feeling hopeful about her degree again. I mean, she just got it and her dream job was ripped away from her."

"I know," Flo looked down at the two coffee mugs of tea. "I'll go put this on the coffee table for her, for when she's ready."

Joe nodded, watching his mother walk into the living room, placing the hot mug on the table.