The children had settled and Mike was reading them a story when the front door flew open. Alex and Carolyn hurried into the house. Sean and Molly sat on either side of him. Maggie snuggled with Sean and Tommy held Molly in a hug, while Harry sat in the recliner, holding onto a teddy bear.

The two women stopped and looked at the scene before them. Mike looked up at their expressions and said, "What?"

Alex spoke first. "Are you kids all right?"

Maggie answered, "We're fine, Mommy. I taked care-a all my babies til Daddy and Uncle Mike got here. Harry he'ped me."

"Me, too, Mama!" Tommy announced.

Maggie nodded with a smile at her beloved little brother. "Tommy played with Molly so she wouldn' be scared."

Alex smiled at Harry, who slid off the recliner and approached cautiously to give her a hug. When her manner was reassuring, his caution slipped away.

"You did everything exactly right," she told the children, reassured by their calm. Bobby and Mike had obviously gone to great lengths to reassure them about their grandfather and she wasn't going to destroy that in a moment of blind panic. "Where's Daddy?" she asked as she kissed each child, including Sean.

Tom answered, "Dada bye-bye."

Maggie smiled and hugged him. "Daddy went to see Grampa," she said.

Alex looked at Mike, who said, "Nassau University Medical Center. He left about fifteen minutes ago."

He bit his lip to keep from adding a comment about Goren's driving. Carolyn would have a cow if he said anything about it, and he didn't want to open that can of worms. At least Bobby wasn't a reckless driver. "Are you okay with the kids?" Alex asked. "I'm sure Reggie will be home soon."

"We're fine. Go on to the hospital."

"Tell Reggie what happened. She can drive you and the kids home."

He nodded and looked at Carolyn. "I guess you're going to take my son and go."

"Do you want me to?"

"Take Sean? No."

Maggie looked between Mike and Carolyn, who were two of her favorite people in the world, and she sensed the tension between them. She didn't understand it, and she didn't like it. "Can't Sean stay, Aunt Car'lyn? I will he'p Uncle Mike watch him."

Carolyn hated being put on the spot, but she finally nodded. "Okay, he can stay. I'll come back to get him tomorrow."

Mike made no effort to hide his surprise, but he didn't comment. As Carolyn walked toward the door with Alex, he said, "Okay, troops. Let's finish this story."

Once they were out on the porch, Alex said, "Good decision, Carolyn. You have to trust him. He's Sean's father."

"How did you do it with Bobby?"

Alex smiled. "It was a no brainer with Maggie. Besides, I think it was always Maggie who took care of Bobby. By the time Tommy and Molly came along, I didn't even have to think about it."

"But this is Mike."

"And he will be fine with Sean. I trust him with my children. He learned a lot from Bobby and Maggie. You see how much the kids adore him."

Alex waved to Carolyn as she backed out of the driveway, then she got into her car and left, not worried about leaving her children in Mike's care. They would take good care of him.

There was no missing her husband when Alex walked into the emergency room. The waiting room was mostly empty, and he was pacing restlessly in the middle of the room. His agitation made the few other people in the room wary, and they sat on the far side of the room, watching him. She also watched him for a minute before she called his name. He stopped midstride and turned toward her. She met his eyes and ran into his arms.

Folding his arms around her, he buried his face in her hair and drew in an uneven breath. Eyes closed, he found calm in her embrace. When he felt able to talk, he softly said, "He had a heart attack. They've stabilized him and they're going to transfer him up to the cardiac care unit. He's in stable condition right now. Maggie's quick response was critical in saving him."

She trembled and softly sobbed into his shirt, and he held her.

It was very late when Alex got home. Bobby's car wasn't in the driveway, which puzzled her. She went into the dark, quiet house and, after getting a drink of water, went upstairs. Her bed was empty. She checked on Molly and Sean in the crib then changed her clothes and checked on Harry. It was a good sign that he no longer woke when she opened his door to check on him as he slept.

When she opened Maggie's door, the little girl appeared to be sleeping. As she pulled the door closed, though, Maggie called to her. Alex stepped through the doorway into the room and sat lightly on the edge of the bed. "What is it, baby?"

"How is Grampa?"

Alex reached out and tenderly caressed her little daughter's cheek. "You saved his life, Maggie. You did exactly the right thing by calling 911 immediately. And then you took care of your brothers and sister. I am so very proud of you."

Maggie smiled. "Is Daddy proud, too?"

"Of course he is, sweetheart. Grandpa will be in the hospital for a week or so, and then he will come home...because you took care of him, too."

Maggie gave that some thought, and finally she said, "I jus' did what Daddy taught me to do."

Leaning down, Alex gave Maggie a kiss. "You did great. Go back to sleep, baby."

"Can I see Daddy?"

"He's not home right now."

"Didn' he come home with you?"

"No, he didn't. He had somewhere...else to be."

Maggie tipped her head to the side, studying her mother in the dim light cast by her nightlight on the far wall. "You are mad at Daddy."

Sometimes Maggie was too perceptive. "Yes, I am. Right now I am very mad at him."

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it, honey. It's between Daddy and me."

Maggie's brow furrowed. She was very sensitive to tension between her parents and she didn't like it. "But, Mommy..."

Alex pressed a kiss to Maggie's forehead. "Go back to sleep, baby. Don't worry about Daddy and me."

Alex tucked the covers around Maggie's little body and smoothed back her curly hair. So much like Bobby...

She rose and walked across the room. "Mommy..." Alex turned. "Do you still love Daddy?"

"Of course I do. I've been mad at him before, Maggie, but I have never stopped loving him."

Maggie studied her again for a moment, sensing that it was not the time to defend her father. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too, honey."

Alex left the room and closed the door. She stood in the hall for a few minutes, trying to sort through her feelings. Then she went to Tommy's room. As always, her sweet little boy slept peacefully, an ability that had been taken from his father long ago. She kissed his blond curls and walked over to Logan's bed. Gently, she jostled his shoulder. "Mike?" she whispered.

He made an odd snorting noise and turned toward her, slowly opening his eyes. "Nhuh? Alex?" He forced himself awake. "Uh...hi. How's John?"

"He's going to be okay because he got medical attention right away, thanks to Maggie."

"She's an amazing kid."

"Yes, she is."

"What's wrong, then? You didn't wake me to chat about Maggie."

"Would you come and talk to me, Mike?"

He let out a sigh and pushed off his blanket, following her out of the room and down to the kitchen. She took down two tumblers, fixing them each a rum and cola. "Booze," he commented. "Must be a serious talk."

"Do you know where Bobby is?"

"I thought he was with you at the hospital."

"He was. He left a couple of hours ago, but he's not home."

"Was he coming home?"

"He didn't say, but I expected him to be here by now."

He studied her face. "You're angry."

"Of course I'm angry!" she declared. "Mike, I have tried so hard to be understanding. I know it's a difficult time for him, and I have been very accommodating."

"You told him that you were okay with his friendship with Denise."

"I was, for awhile."

"Are you sure?"

"I..." She paused. "No, I'm not sure."

"So you're not okay with Denise?"

"I never had a problem with her. My problem is with my husband, with the relationship he's always had with her."

"So why did you tell him you were okay with it?"

"I tried to be, Mike. Given the circumstances, I really tried. I even offered my friendship, but she always turns to him."

"Alex, she knows you don't like her. Besides, she's been friends with him for her entire adult life and most of his."

"They've been more than friends for most of that time."

"Yeah, but not recently."

"Are you sure about that, Mike? Could you just turn off deep emotions like that?"

He shrugged. "I've never felt emotion that deep so I've never tried. And yes, I'm sure. He doesn't play games like that. You're the one he chose, remember?"

"Because she turned him down."

"Yes, she did, but it wasn't because she didn't love him. It was because she knew how much in love with you he was. She wouldn't put either of them in that situation. He loves you both, but you're the one he's in love with. You're the one who's had his kids. Give him some credit."

She shook her head. Mike always defended him. But before she could say anything, her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and took a deep breath before she answered it. "Where are you?" she said without preamble.

The other end was silent for a long while as he tried to process her tone. "How's your dad?"

"He's resting quietly. Where are you?"

"I'm, uh, I'm in Brooklyn, on my way home."

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Uhm, no."

Something inside her snapped. She had tried so very hard to be understanding and sympathetic, but he finally pushed her too far. "Don't come home, Goren," she snapped, her tone cold.

"What?"

"You heard me. Just...stay...stay away."

She ended the call and glared at Mike, daring him to challenge her. Wisely, he remained silent. When her phone rang again, she refused to answer. She went up to her bedroom, leaving Mike to deal with her wayward husband.

When Bobby came home, he wasn't surprised to find Mike waiting for him. He was surprised that his friend was on the porch. "She kick you out, too?"

"Not yet. What were you thinking?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's closer to dawn than sunset and you're just getting home."

"We went to Denise's because she needed something, remember? She never got around to telling me before we took off, so I went back to make sure she was okay."

"Did it occur to you to call her and ask?"

"She didn't tell me the first time. She just asked me to come over."

"And? What did she want, other than you?"

Bobby let out a heavy sigh. "I...I don't know. She was sleeping when I got there. I made sure she was okay and I left." His face turned hard. "I'm not sleeping with her, Mike."

"I know that. It's your wife who questions it, and it wouldn't be a problem if you'd come home at a decent hour, bonehead."

"How can she...? I thought we'd worked this out."

"So did she, but I guess it's not as worked out as either of you thought it was. So if you weren't at Denise's, where were you for half the night?"

"Just out. I went down to Canarsie Pier and watched the water, trying to come to terms with everything. I...I just..." He closed his eyes for a moment. "How mad is she?"

"Oh, she's plenty pissed. The eggshells are super fragile, buddy."

"Did she really mean it? She doesn't want me to come home?"

"That I don't know. You'll have to ask her."

"Do you think I should?"

Mike shrugged. "That's your call. Personally, if I was in your shoes, I'd be sleeping on the couch."

"I've never slept on the couch because she's mad at me."

"There's a first time for everything. Too bad I don't have my place anymore. You and I could go there."

"I thought she wasn't mad at you."

"Give it time. She always gets pissed at me when I'm not mad at you because she is."

Bobby looked up at the house. "I wish she'd make up her damn mind. Either she's okay with Denise or she's not."

"I don't think she knows. But when her husband is out til all hours at an old girlfriend's place, one he has a lifelong history with, well, she gets insecure."

Bobby frowned and stuck his hands in his pockets. "But...I'm not doing anything wrong! And I wasn't at Denise's!"

"It doesn't really matter. How would you feel if she was hanging out with Joe or Ricky?"

His frown deepened. "I would worry because they're both dead."

Mike laughed. "Okay, Mr. Literal. An old boyfriend, then, one she was particularly close to."

He gave that some thought. "I...I don't know. I would like to think I would trust her. And if it made her happy..."

Mike shook his head. "You are too tied up in what satisfies her."

Bobby waved his hand toward the house. "Look what happens when I do something I want to do!"

Mike leaned back in the chair. "Yeah, but what you choose to do can threaten your relationship. The one time you take a stand, you're fighting for the woman Alex has spent the last eight years being jealous of."

"If she wanted me, she could have had me in a heartbeat, until she married Ricky."

"The only thing that ever stood in the way was that wonderful lack of communication you suffer from."

Bobby rubbed the back of his neck, agitated and feeling persecuted. "Why does she keep setting me up? She tells me something is okay and then gets mad when I fucking believe her."

"Because she's a woman?"

He pulled out his car keys. "I hope my daughters are better than that," he snapped, walking back to the car.

"Where are you going?"

"To find a couch. I will not sleep on my own couch because she's mad at me."

Mike got to his feet and walked to the passenger side of the car. Bobby scowled at him. "What are you doing?"

"Saving your marriage. If I don't go with you, you'll go back to Denise's and, couch or not, it's over between you and Alex. Then, after Denise dies, I'll find myself back in the same hell we were in during Alex's marriage to Ricky, and I am not going back there. So let's cruise around for awhile, maybe get some breakfast." He got into the car. "And don't worry about Alex. I already left a note."

Bobby laughed softly and started the car.