A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OVER 1,000 VIEWS! That's amazing, you guys! I really hope people are enjoying this story (and if not, that's okay, too)! Please feel free to fact-check me on anything or let me know if I dropped a plot element or if something doesn't make sense. I love you ALL!

Chapter 24: Heartland

Monday came much faster than Rebecca thought it would, and soon she found herself on a plane to Iowa, seated next to the Love of her life. She was both nervous and excited, for the idea of meeting Trent's family was a lot to take in, as this was a huge step for the both of them.

Cat had met Trent and Rebecca at the airport and after semi-polite greetings from her brother and a hug from Rebecca, she had found herself one row behind them on the plane. Sighing, she settled in to begin the long flight to Iowa. With a brother who was indifferent to her, and a family waiting back home that she really didn't want to go back to, not with all this mess going on. But family was family.

Taking out her phone, she texted Nate with a small smile. [Hey Handsome. Just took off on the plane. I will miss you. Be good and think of me until I come back. lol lol! Miss you already. xx]

xoxo

George had gotten to work early, just like he always did, every day. He had Nathaniel's work schedule printed up, the calls he would have to make, the clients he would have to talk to, laid out on his desk in neat piles. Had his ritual morning drink, warm, on his desk as well and then promptly went back to his own desk.

He was learning not to be clingy, or to give off any vibes that anyone, not just Nathaniel, could pick up on. He had been thinking a lot about himself and how he should react to certain situations and had a therapist meeting set up for later in the week. And even though he appeared to be busy and not care for the comings and goings of the office, he was watching for when Nathaniel walked in, to gauge his mood before he did anything else.

xoxo

Nathaniel had never been the type to hate Mondays, but today was not his favorite. He wasn't looking forward to going back to work, even though he knew Rebecca would be gone with Trent for… What was it again? Josh had said Cat had said something about going to their father's funeral, but that didn't sound exactly right. No, she'd said, "Hopefully, we'll attend his funeral", which Josh had thought was surprisingly dark. Was he dead yet? Josh didn't know.

He got ready and headed to work after making himself a strawberry and pineapple smoothie. Then, as he settled into the workspace he shared with Darryl, he got a text.

It was from Cat, and his entire face lit up. He texted back,

[Fly safe, gorgeous. Let me know when you land. I'll think about you because I want to, not because you tell me to💐]

xoxo

Cat chuckled and replied: [You really are a charmer, you know that. I will let you know as soon as I land. Have to turn phone off now though, getting looked at by stewardess. Wouldn't want to get tossed off the plane midair. lol I'll miss you xx]

xoxo

"Who's that?" Darryl wanted to know. Nathaniel looked up at the friendly, nosy man.

"She's a friend," he said. "Well, we… We're dating. Non-exclusively, at least, not yet."

"Oh, that's exciting!" said Darryl. "Good for you, getting back out there after things with Rebecca and Mona, you know…"

"To say the least," Nathaniel agreed. "Here, do you want this coffee? I've got my smoothie."

George had indeed noticed Nathaniel's arrival and how he had passed off his coffee to Darryl and had also heard that he was seeing someone, and that person was most definitely female. He felt a bit angry about the whole thing, but again, Nathaniel wasn't his. He had thought that he had made peace with this thought, but it was still hard.

Still, they were at work, and he had promised in his letter, to try and be better. Once he had gotten a list of clients and meetings set up for Nathaniel, he stood and walked over to his office.

"Nathaniel…Darryl. Good morning." He said politely, and with a hint of a grin. "I have the lists for your meetings today, Nathaniel. Oh, and you have a client calling in an hour, so I put that brief for you first. Anything else I can get for you?"

He smiled at them both, as if to say that he was asking either of them and not just Nathaniel.

"Actually," said Nathaniel, "may I have a moment of your time? Darryl, if you don't mind?"

Darryl made himself scarce, but still eavesdropped outside the door, and beckoned Paula over to do the same.

Nathaniel gestured for George to take a seat. "Look, I know I haven't been treating you fairly," he began without preamble. "I've had some time to think. Hell, the girl I've been seeing even talked some sense into me. She's fine with me exploring… things… with others." Nathaniel put a finger under his collar and blew out a breath. This was a little more awkward than he wanted it to be, but he couldn't just sidestep George forever. He met the other's eyes with determination.

"If you…" He lowered his voice. "If you want to, and you think you can handle it, I'd be okay with possibly a friends with benefits situation."

George waited till Darryl was out of the room and then smiled faintly back at Nathaniel, wondering what he wanted to discuss with him. But that was not what he had in mind at all. He blinked, and tilted his head a moment, wondering if Nathaniel was being serious.

"But…I thought….you didn't want to have anything to do with me in that way?" He asked guardedly. "You made that very clear, Nathaniel. And don't you have a girlfriend now…or something?"

He wouldn't lie that he was excited about the idea, but he didn't want to be hurt or to hurt Nathaniel again.

Nathaniel understood what George was asking. "I discussed it with her," he said, "and she's okay with us being open. And you, you're not a bad guy by any means. I mean… you've got nice skin, and apparently you know what you're doing in…that department. But just to be clear, I want to keep a line between our 'friendly' life and other aspects of my life. No getting jealous when I go out with Cat or when I'm hanging out with other— I mean, platonic— friends. Got it?"

George thought he was hallucinating. He wanted to—have friends with benefits? But keep to certain rules? He could do that—couldn't he?

"If that is what you want. If you are sure you really want to do this…I—I can promise to try to control my emotions as far as all that goes." He replied with a hint of a grin.

Darryl had caught much of their conversation and turned to Paula with a wide-eyed look on his face. Nathaniel and George were becoming sort of a thing? Good for them, he thought cheerily. George had been pining after Nathaniel forever. And the fact that Nathaniel was bi, and dating a woman who was okay with polyamory, was fun and exciting news too!

Nathaniel figured what he was offering was better than nothing, and besides, why not explore his sexuality with someone who was safe and fairly nice?

"Let me know if it gets to be too much," he said. "I don't want to hurt you, after all." And he did want to make up for dismissing George out of hand before. If both Trent and Cat thought he was being unfair, maybe they had a point.

George cleared his throat and looked down before looking back at Nathaniel. "I have…enrolled in therapy, so know that I am trying….and if—that offer to work out is still on the table, I would still be game."

"Yeah? It'd be good to have a steady workout buddy, since Greg— I forgot to text Greg. I should update him on all this."

George nodded and smirked a bit. "Will there be anything else?" He tried to keep his voice professional, as he was sure there were some Nosey Nellies trying to listen in and he hinted that with his tone of voice and the brief flicker of his eyes to the door and back.

Just as Nathaniel was getting ready to dismiss George, a package for Nathaniel arrived. Curious, George stayed to see just what it was since he technically hadn't been dismissed yet.

"Hmm? I wonder what that is. I didn't order anything," Nate said, puzzled. He looked at the label. It was local, as in, someone had paid to have it personally delivered to him via courier rather than put it through the post. But who in the world…?

He cut the package open and pulled out several items that were definitely not safe for work. An impressive, and strangely aesthetically beautiful, dildo. Condoms, both flavored like various tropical fruits and plain. A filler gag, a ball gag, and a blindfold. Heavy duty rope. Wrist warmers. A sort of machine the dildo could attach to.

George's eyes went wide, and he sidestepped just so, to block the window by the door, so no one attempting to peek in wouldn't see what Nat had gotten.

Nathaniel went crimson. "Great!" he chirped, putting everything back in the box and clumsily closing it. "We can use some of this. Very useful." He tried desperately to look as though being sent sex toys at work was a normal occurrence for him.

Hearing that Nat wanted to use some of that with him, George, made him grin just a bit before he was able to school it off his face. "Very well." He said, still trying to remain professional and letting Nat know that he too, agreed.

Nathaniel had never seen such a nice-looking phallus before, outside of— well, no, not even in porn. The package wasn't from any chain store that he knew of. But wherever it was from must specialize in appealing toys. It was around the same size as Nathaniel's own, so naturally he thought it was the perfect size; it was well-formed, the rubber "skin" was realistically shaded, and it even had balls. The image was burned into his mind. He'd never seen one like that before, and yet something about it seemed…familiar to him.

George nodded again as he looked back at Nathaniel. "Will that be all? Or is there anything else you require?"

Nathaniel was still deep in contemplation about his pac— ah, his toys. He didn't hear George's question. He just sat there, with his brow furrowed, thinking.

xoxo

Looking over at Trent, Rebecca slipped her hand into his, sensing his conflicting emotions as well. "Tell me about Iowa, Love?" She asked softly to start a conversation to take both of their minds off what was waiting for them. "I have never been before. What's it like?"

"Oh, it's beautiful," said Trent. "My mom used to take me to the children's museum all the time. People are pretty friendly, there's a lot of parks we can take walks in and observe the wildlife…. Maybe my mom will even take us to a zoo!" Trent tried not to show it, but he was scatterbrained and nervous. He hadn't seen his father since he was twelve, and now the man who had left his mother for his auntie was in the hospital. With a heart attack. He knew Rebecca's own family history was complicated; her father had left when she was 12, and she had a half-brother, although much younger than Trent's half-sister. So she wasn't likely to bolt. It would be good to have her nearby for emotional support. But he still didn't want to go back home. He missed his mom, from time to time, with her warm smile and gentle kindness, but in her own way, she was still grieving her husband's betrayal. She accepted Catherine's existence far more readily than Trent ever had, and while it was true that Catherine had never asked to be born, maybe if she hadn't been, Trent's father would have stuck around. That was highly irrational, he knew, because she had been three years old when….

Rebecca could tell that he was nervous, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He was cute, in a way, being all worked up and excited while trying to remain positive about the way the trip might go. Rebecca was looking forward to meeting his mother and smiled at hearing how positively Trent talked about her.

"I am really looking forward to meeting your mom, Babe. She sounds really nice, and I am sure there is lots that we can all do while there. I would really like to get to know her better."

Trent squeezed her hand back. "Oh, she's great. You're going to love her. She knows all the best things about you, you're practically family to her already. My aunt, on the other hand…" He sucked in a breath. "We'll swan dive off that bridge when we get to it."

She noticed his slight manic attitude when it came to his aunt, and she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "We can face anything together, my Love. Just think…eventually, you will have to meet my mother. I promise she isn't as scary as I make her seem….she can be worse." She laughed softly.

"Actually," Trent admitted, "I know what your mother is like. I saw her when she came to visit you in California. Honey, I am so sorry you had to live with that growing up." He brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. "All I can say about my aunt is, it's a good thing Catherine is dating someone like Nathaniel. Auntie will see it as 'dating up' and she won't give her a hard time. But when it comes to you, she always thought I was being foolish, wasting my potential. She has all the talents of a CIA agent, so…be careful." He grimaced.

"But I'll be right by your side. I have no problem defending you to family, and if it's a choice between you or them, my mind is made up. They can be happy for us, or they can stay out of our lives."

Rebecca chuckled softly and shook her head. Of course, Trent had seen her mother. He seemed to know everything when it came to her, and hearing his apologies to her for having a mother like that, she smirked and leaned into him gently. "It's alright, Love. It made me stronger, in a way as well as made me a tiny bit neurotic at times."

"And I'm not worried about your aunt, Babe." She said with a grin. "You will be there, and that's all that matters. I can face anything when I am with you." She was ecstatic to hear his words though. They were the exact same, she had said about her friends and their thoughts. They could be happy for them, or not. Wouldn't change her mind at all.

"We should do fun things while we're there," said Trent. "For you. You'll see, it's not a bad place to raise children, not that there's anything wrong with West Covina— oh… I'm sorry. We hadn't discussed children yet. It's been on my to-do list. I know you donated that egg for Darryl, but how would you feel about raising a child of our own together?"

Rebecca blinked. Sure, it had been in the back of her mind ever since they had gotten together, but she didn't really have time to think about it as it hadn't been discussed between them yet. Well, now was a good a time as any.

"Children? Trent, I would love for us to have a child together one day." Her words soft and light with a soft smile as she looked up at him. "I think you would make a terrific dad, and I would love to be a mom eventually."

That idea just made her so warm and happy inside. The two of them sharing their love with someone they both created, to continue sharing said love with. What a wonderful idea!

Cat settled into her seat and tried not to listen to Trent and Rebecca's conversation, but when the mention of children came up, her perked up a bit. Trent? Rebecca? Kids? That was an idea! She almost squealed but bit her lip and settled back into her seat.

Trent lit up with that wide grin he had whenever he was excited. "REALLY?" he practically squealed.

Rebecca smiled at seeing Trent's excitement and like always, it filtered into her. "Yes, Love. Really." She nearly giggled at his squeal. He really was adorable.

"You want to have a baby? Let's start on our honeymoon! Oh—" He dialed it back a little. "I mean, I'm happy you feel that way. Do you want a boy or a girl? I already have a girl name picked out. But I'd be ecstatic with either!"

"I wouldn't mind either. Long as it was born healthy. Girl, boy, doesn't matter. It will be someone else with whom we could share our love." Now that he had asked her, she couldn't help but think about it and smiled faintly to herself when she pictured just what a child of theirs could look like. "Boy with your eyes, your smile….Girl, that looks like us both. Both ideas make me happy, Babe."

Trent beamed. They discussed baby names—Trent wanted Trinity for a girl, and literally anything other than Terrance (his father's name) for a boy—and soon moved onto lighter topics.

xoxo

Bethany Maddock had risen even earlier than usual to prepare for the arrival of her beloved son. She had cleaned the house, fed, and brushed all the animals, brought out the tablecloth she used for company, and even prepared a picnic for lunch; they would be arriving around noon. She thought they could have an enjoyable time at the zoo, and she could get to know her future daughter-in-law, before attending to Trent's father in the hospital.

She had been polite, but cool, towards her sister when Annmarie had called to gossip about Trent marrying some girl they had never met. Bethany hadn't told her it was probably Rebecca; Annmarie wasn't an idiot. She would know it was either Rebecca or someone very like her.

True, they had never met her, but Bethany at least felt like she knew her. A beautiful, successful, whimsical young lawyer who had almost made junior partner in her law firm in New York, then flown out to California to find herself, and made senior partner at her firm there! How romantic and exciting! And Trent had kept the flame in his heart burning for this glamorous young lady for twelve years, since he had first seen her in the college cafeteria but been too shy to introduce himself. The idea of winning her heart had pushed him to lean into the tech boom and start his own computer programming firm, coincidentally also in California. He had come back to visit her periodically and had assured her that he was being the utmost gentleman. Never would his eye wander or his hands stray. She had raised a good boy, and she was so proud of him.

xoxo

Annmarie wasn't sure what to make of all the goings-on at the moment. She had called Catherine to try and let her know about her father, days ago, and when she had gotten no answer, she had called Trent. The boy was very hostile but polite towards her, as usual, but upon hearing that he was going to get married had thrown her for a loop!

Just who was he marrying!? It couldn't possibly that girl who had strung him along for all those years. She thought it stupid, that Trent would 'waste' himself pining away for a woman who very obviously, at that time at least, had no interest in him. And now, after she had nearly killed him, they were going to get married?! It was insane!

She had gotten no help whatsoever from her sister, Bethany, when she had called to gossip. Bethany thought Trent walked on water, which Annmarie thought was weird, considering it was her son. Thought that this cute love story was just that…a cute love story. She either didn't see or wouldn't see it for what it was.

Obviously, the girl was 'settling'. Trent was her nephew, but he was odd at the best of times.

She couldn't really think about this now though, as they were already on their way, and she had to head to the hospital to see to her husband. She would find out exactly what that girl's motives were though.

xoxo

Bethany was humming all the way to the airport. It was an old song, a nursery song, stuck in her head. "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes…"

She was so excited to see her son and niece and meet the newest member of their family. She would have to find out if Catherine was seeing someone, too. She hoped she'd packed enough food for all of them.

xoxo

When their plane landed, Trent had fallen asleep with his head on Rebecca's shoulder. He woke up instantly and stretched. "Mmmm!"

Soon as they landed, Rebecca sighed softly as she, too, had fallen lightly asleep and smiled faintly at how peaceful Trent looked as he napped on her shoulder. When he woke, she stretched as well and once deboarding, holding hand in hand, Rebecca was excited about meeting his mom.

They de-boarded, hand in hand, Trent's backpack slung over one shoulder. He was wearing the blue striped hoodie he'd worn the night he'd lost his virginity, and his usual blue jeans, but instead of loafers, he had opted for sandals that strapped round his heels.

"Time to greet Mom," he said happily, then turned behind him and, in an uncharacteristic gesture of affection, grabbed Catherine's hand. "Then we'll all face the firing squad. Together."

They walked down the causeway and she smiled faintly to see Trent reach for Cat's hand. She knew how those two felt about each other. To her, it was glaringly obvious, that Cat loved her brother, and that she was upset about his glaring indifference at times. Seeing them bond like this, right now, made her happy.

To say Cat was surprised by Trent's actions was an understatement to say the least. When he took her hand, she looked up at with curiosity, only for an instant, and then smiled to herself. She entwined their fingers together and went to greet his mother.

Bethany was delighted to see her family when they got off the plane! Trent looked so happy and healthy, and there was something in him she hadn't seen the last time he had come to visit. He was genuinely living his best life now.

Rebecca was just as beautiful as Bethany had imagined, she thought as she gave the younger woman a big hug. "Welcome, Rebecca," she said warmly. "I've heard so much about you. I'd say you're pretty as a picture, but you're even prettier than the pictures he showed me. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! If there's anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable, please don't hesitate to ask."

Rebecca positively melted! The woman was warm, loving, and welcoming and when she hugged her, she felt herself just melt!

"It is very nice to meet you too, Ma'am. Thank you ever so much for the welcome, and the congratulations. It means so much to meet the parent that raised Trent to be the loving, wonderful man that he is. Thank you so much, for everything."

Bethany laughed lightly. "Well, thank you for being so good to my son," she said to Rebecca. "I know you'll make a wonderful wife."

When Bethany went to hug Trent, Rebecca mouthed to him, 'Omg! I love your mom!' and smiled brightly.

Trent had known Rebecca would love his mom. They were both the best women Trent had ever met in his life and he couldn't be happier they were getting along.

To Catherine, Bethany said, "Lovely to see you too, of course, dear. You look like you've been taking good care of yourself? Everything is going well at work?"

"Hello Aunt Bethany, How are you?" She smiled faintly. "So nice to see you again. Everything is going well, thank you. Work is good, busy, busy."

As Cat didn't volunteer any information about her dating life, Bethany didn't pry. She smiled bracingly at them. "Well. Shall we go picnic at the zoo before walking into the fire? I brought sustenance!"

Cat beamed and nodded. That had been one of her favorite places as a kid to go. "That sounds like an awesome idea."

The four of them went to the zoo and Bethany set out the picnic she had packed: cucumber sandwiches without crusts, caprese salad, apple and carrot slices with homemade mixed nut butter, individual pineapple yogurts, Capri Suns, and those twisty-top Kool-Aid drinks Trent had loved as a kid, the blue flavor.

Sitting in the sun, hearing the sounds of the animals and people as they passed by, Rebecca had never felt more at peace. She enjoyed talking to Bethany, Ms. Maddock, and getting to know her better and letting her get to know her. She was so warm, and friendly. Was this what it was like? To have a parent that actually cared about you? To make sure you had everything you needed and were actually interested in what you did, thought, or said? It was so…refreshing, and she quickly bonded with the woman as they sat together, talking.

The lunch was quite a spread too and before they all knew it, the food was gone, and there was nothing more to do but catch up.

Cat talked a bit about her work, and even threw Nathaniel's name out there for her aunt to hear about and talked about how they met and how they were now dating. That had caught Rebecca's attention, but if anyone could keep that boy straight, she knew Cat could.

Overall, it was a good start to the day. Sitting with Trent, getting to know his mother, watching Cat enjoy herself as well, in a beautiful place. Rebecca didn't want this moment between them all to end.

Trent was surprised Cat mentioned Nathaniel and seemed to be actually into dating him. But it was a good thing. She was happy, and her easygoing nature would make Nathaniel, dear Nathaniel, happy as well. He turned to Rebecca and planted a sweet kiss on the back of her hand.

He talked a little about work as well, about how Darryl had contacted him earlier that morning while he was running errands, because one of Mad Tech's clients wanted to contract with Mountaintop and expand their hotel chain. Trent and Rebecca were invited to choose representatives to spend a day at one of their hotels and then discuss the merger over brunch the following day.

As the picnic wound down, Bethany was also not anxious to leave, but she also knew if she didn't take the kids to visit Terrance in the hospital, her sister would never let her hear the end of it. So with a grimace, she indicated that they would be going to the hospital next.

Rebecca felt the shift in both Trent and Cat the second Ms. Maddock said that their time, for now, had wound down and that they should at least try to visit the hospital. That made her instincts perk up a bit as she wondered, just who was Mr. Maddock? That made both of his children seemingly 'shut down' from their bubbly personalities with Trent's mother, to a somewhat guarded persona at the mention of that man's name.

It didn't take them long to pack up the lunch basket and all pile into Ms. Maddocks car, heading on their way. Sliding her hand once more into Trent's, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze and gave him a warm, loving smile. She was here for him. No matter what….

xoxo

Annmarie looked up at the sound of the hospital door and she instantly went stiff at seeing who entered. Trent and Cat, it was good to see them. Even her sister, as she knew as family would come. But when she saw the woman at Trent's side, her hackles rose. So, this was Rebecca, was it? She knew her instantly from the way Trent had gushed over her over the years.

Her eyes stared at the woman critically. Searching for a weakness of any kind in the other. Searching out a flaw in her character that would make marrying her, an issue. Testing instantly, Trent and Rebecca's relationship bond simply by the way they were around each other. She wasn't sure about Rebecca yet…and really had no intention of getting to know that woman unless she absolutely had to. She would put on a smile, though, and greet her, but it was not warm at all. Not like Bethany's greeting had been.

"Trent, Cat. Good to see you, my dears. So glad you could make it."

"Our pleasure." Trent spoke for himself, Catherine, and Rebecca.

Cat knew this would be hard for all concerned and so said nothing at her mother's greeting.

Rebecca had never felt more awkward in all her life, except for the times she had to deal with her mother butting into her life. No matter where she went or what she did, it never seemed good enough for that woman, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.

To Rebecca's credit, Cat thought, she had simply smiled and ignored the snub Annmarie had given her. Cat knew how Annmarie felt, and she didn't agree at all. Trent was happy, why couldn't anyone see that? Cat put such thoughts out of her mind for now.

Annmarie's eyes turned and she held that fake smile in place as she met Rebecca's eyes. "So, you must be Rebecca? Wonderful to meet you."

The greeting from Trent's aunt was frigid and Rebecca could feel the outpouring of hostility.

"Oh yes—Annmarie Bowles, may I present my fiancée, light of my life, beacon in my snowstorm, Rebecca Bunch." Trent avoided Catherine's gaze as he introduced his aunt to his fiancée. He had used Annmarie's given surname; while he knew Annmarie had legally changed it, he had found no record that she had ever married his father.

Annmarie turned and looked back at her daughter and her Nephew. "Your father is lucid and awake finally. He has been asking for you. I shall leave you both to it then." So nodding, she walked out of the room, her sister, Bethany following.

Rebecca kept her smile in place and nodded politely before the women left the room. She had noted, though, the use of name when her Beloved introduced her. Using her maiden name…passive aggressive much?

Cat cast Trent a look as she walked behind the curtain first to go talk to her dad. To see how he was and if he really was doing better. That was what they were here for after all.

Trent refused to let go of Rebecca's hand, and was reluctant to let go of Catherine's, either, as they went into the exam room.

Terrance Maddock smiled sharkishly at his daughter. "Catherine," he said. "You're looking well. Trent has been taking good care of you, I see. Why don't you spread your wings for once rather than remaining under his, hmm? Your mother and I aren't going to live forever. We'd like to have at least a chance at grandchildren."

Trent's hand went, it seemed, instinctively to his heart. That was unkind. "She's doing perfectly fine," he called through the curtain. "Don't treat her like a brood mare."

If meeting Trent's aunt had been unpleasant, it was nothing compared to when Rebecca met his father. First thing out of that man's mouth was condescending and snide and Rebecca felt herself blush at the man's suggestion to his daughter. Poor Cat.

Cat didn't miss a beat though, as she was used to fielding such things from her father, but she was impressed and a little surprised when Trent stepped up to speak out for her.

"Life is good for me, dad. When I decide to have children, it will be because I want to, no other reason. And I enjoy my job." She managed a chuckle as she shook her head at the man before her. "How are you feeling? You look terrible."

"Hmph," Terrance grunted. "You smart-ass kids. Wasting your lives in California. Both of you, pushing away every suitor who approached because of your sheer arrogance. Back in my day—"

"Actually." Trent and Rebecca stepped through the curtain; he still had a firm grip on Rebecca's hand. He held it out so his father could see the ring. "I'm engaged. We went to Harvard together and reconnected in California." There was a rare bite to his voice. "Was it arrogant of me to go after the most beautiful, intelligent, and winsome woman in the world? Admittedly, yes. But it worked out for me, and Catherine's love life will work out the way she wants it to."

Terrance looked appraisingly at the girl his son was clinging to. "Ah, yes. The infamous Rebecca." He took in the girl's appearance. She looked exactly like a younger Bethany, except for those.

"You've got a nice pair on you, little lady. You can nurse my grandchild and my son at the same—"

Rebecca felt herself go cold at Terrance's words and felt Trent go stiff at her side.

Trent released Rebecca's hand. "Please, father. Don't embarrass us."

"I'm just saying, if your mother had kept her figure like that, after she had you, well, things might have been different. Good job, boy, you really snagged a hottie. I bet your first time together was…" He did a chef's kiss gesture.

An inferno of rage shot through Trent's every nerve. "Yes, sir," he said, his voice perfectly calm and controlled. "I see your point. Ladies, may I have a moment alone with my father, please? You shouldn't have to hear this…locker room talk."

Seeing the look Trent shot his father, Rebecca felt her heart trip over itself and she shot a look at Cat, who looked miffed at her father as well. So many emotions raged within that room that she thought she would drown!

"Yes," Terrance agreed. "Leave, so the menfolk can speak freely. Bah, women, always so uptight."

"Dad! Behave yourself. That's no way to talk about Rebecca. She is a genuinely nice, smart, friendly young lady." Cat spoke up, frowning at her father. Hearing the way he talked about her mother and Trent's mother made her mad as well. "And don't insult Aunt Bethany. It's degrading! Whatever happened between the two of you, she is still family!"

Turning, she took Rebecca's hand and led her out of the room as Trent suggested. "Honestly…that man! I don't know what my mother saw in him." She cast a small smile of apology at Rebecca. "Don't worry, They will sort it out….they always do."

Rebecca, at a complete loss, and face flaming, kept a tight hold of her tongue. Knowing that to speak out against someone's family was considered rude upon first meeting.

xoxo

Out in the hallway, the sisters stared each other down. Barely speaking to each other to give each other greeting before Annmarie stared in on the other.

"She came, I see? That girl? Did you see the way Trent looks at her? I don't like her at all! How can you let your son marry someone like—that? It's positively indecent how long he has chased her, and now suddenly, she is interested in him! Do you really think she loves him? My God, Bethany, she pushed him off a roof!"

What Cat and Rebecca had left in the room was nothing compared to what they walked into in the hallway. Rebecca froze. Today was so not her day.

Bethany laughed airily. "Yes, I see the way Trent looks at her. It's ever so romantic. She won't have to worry about him straying… dear sister. I raised my son to be the utmost gentleman so that his children won't have to suffer like he did. Once he's made his choice of a bride, there's no turning back. It wouldn't matter if I approved of her, which I do, by the way. A lawyer who made senior partner at her firm before she was 30? At least we know she wouldn't be after Trent's money. I'm glad she came around. She seems like a perfectly nice girl. As to the roof incident, he explained to me that it was all a misunderstanding. Just one of his antics gone awry, no harm done. It's a beautiful story, actually. She came to visit him in the hospital and realized how foolish she'd been for pushing away a man who had been devoted to her and was willing to offer everything she could ever want on a silver platter."

Hearing Bethany stick up for her, made Rebecca smile in thanks to the lovely woman as she cut her eyes to Annmarie.

"Yes, I am incredibly lucky. To have realized my mistakes and to have not only forgiven your nephew and son for his antics, but myself as well." She said in a clear voice as her hand slipped from Cat's who stood there, shooting daggers at her mother.

"Trent is a lovely, brilliant man and I should have seen it all along from the very first. But, you know how it sometimes happens…you don't realize what you have till you almost lose it, and visiting him in that hospital, to apologize, was the single most bravest thing I have ever done and I am so glad I did so, because it brought us back together, stronger, in a way that I would never have imagined."

She paused and thought out her next words, before continuing.

"I love Trent. He is all I ever wanted, and there is nothing that I wouldn't do for him. So do not judge me for my past, I am trying to make it up for it and I intend to make him very happy! As happy as he has made me."

xoxo

As soon as the girls left, Trent sat by his father's feet and began to rub them as Terrance tossed out more crass comments. Trent's fortitude served him well. As he came to a natural stop in the reflexology, his father didn't notice him take out a syringe he'd stolen from the general hospital back home. He didn't wait for Terrance to finish his next horrible, lewd sentence before shooting an air bubble between his toes and giving him another— fatal— heart attack.

He pocketed the syringe and pressed the Call button on Terrance's remote, allowing himself to cry tears of rage that anyone could talk about his beloved fiancée or mother that way, and pain from having been abandoned and having to share his father with a sibling. Then he walked out of the exam room.

xoxo

As Rebecca turned to walk towards the waiting room, Annmarie's voice called after her.

"So it isn't just that he is rich, then? That he can take care of you and as my sister says, 'give you everything you ever wanted on a silver platter?' When I first heard about your change of heart…my first thought…Gold-digger…"

"MOTHER!" Cat gasped out in a harsh tone! "Don't say that! Rebecca is no such thing!" Her eyes furrowing as she looked at the women before her.

It was all Rebecca could do to keep her composure. She was but a guest. She simply turned and smiled sweetly at Annmarie. "Well…I am sorry you feel that way. For truly, there is no one who makes me happier than your Nephew." Her eyes shot fire though, as she looked at the other woman.

xoxo

"He didn't make it," Trent said quietly through his tears.

Cat's eyes went wide at Trent's words and before she realized what she was doing, she had dashed back into her father's room, and they all could hear her scream of anguish as she realized that what Trent had said was true. Her father was gone. Sure, she hadn't liked the man all that much either, but he at least had been around for when she had grown up, and still, it was her father and you only get one.

"And Rebecca isn't a gold digger. She doesn't know how much I earn," Trent added, having caught the tail end of Rebecca's and Annmarie's argument. "What I offer her is emotional security. We have plenty in common, we love being together, and we make each other happy. Please stop pretending you care about me or whether the woman I marry is good enough for me. You're the reason I lost my father. Both as a kid, and now. If you didn't stress him out and feed him deep fried pig fat for every meal, he wouldn't have had a heart attack."

How he could speak so calmly with tears streaming down his face was another mark of his extreme fortitude. He had tried, and failed, to hold back tears when Rebecca had turned him down before, but now it was appropriate to cry.

Everyone's attentions were turned from practically snarling at each other, to the sound of the code blue alarm coming from Terrance's exam room. Each and every one of them went still. Rebecca went to Trent's side and slid her arm around his waist gently, leaning against him as she looked up at him. Wanting to comfort him as she could sense his pain. Though he had admitted many times, that he hated his father, for what he had done, it was still hard to lose a parent. No words were needed as she held him, giving whatever support she could.

Annmarie threw a look of severe disgust at Trent, Rebecca, and Bethany, before she headed in to join Catherine and to see for herself what had happened to her husband. Her cries could be heard too.

Bethany didn't need to check. If Trent said Terrance didn't make it, then Terrance didn't make it.

It broke Rebecca's heart to hear Cat's pain, to see Trent's and his mother's as well. She wished she could do something, anything to help.

Trent held Rebecca close, then he pulled her to Catherine's side so he could hug her too. This was the hardest on Catherine, he reasoned. He had been like a real father to her. He stroked Catherine's hair and tried his best to soothe her.

Cat was too distraught to even realize what was happening and seeing Rebecca and Trent come up beside her and her brother, for once in his life, open his arms to her, she didn't hesitate and turned to hug them both back as she sobbed. She didn't even know why she was crying, and that made her even more upset. Her father was a disgusting man at times and had said some mean things and acted coldly to her as she had grown up, but in the end, he was the only father she had had.

Rebecca felt for them both as she wrapped her free arm around Cat's back and pulled both her and Trent into her as she sought to comfort them both. She lightly rubbed Catherine's back as the woman sobbed, until it slowed and she softly hiccupped. Only when she was able to throw Rebecca a soft, but sad smile, did she pull back with a sniff as she wiped her eyes, looking up at her brother.

Seeing he was handling this much better, made her nod at him as she turned to go to her mother, leaving him and Rebecca behind.

"I am so sorry, Love…" Rebecca said softly, gently, as she looked up at Trent. Those words didn't begin to cover the depth of emotion she felt and felt within the room. It was hard, to lose a parent.

Trent continued stroking Catherine's hair until she pulled away to leave, and then he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and let her go.

Rebecca's loving warmth almost made him start crying all over again. He didn't care that his father was dead, but he did feel for his sister.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "It was his time, though. It was bound to happen."

xoxo

Bethany stopped a doctor on the way out of the room.

"Cause of death?" she asked, just to confirm. "Please. I'm family."

"Heart attack," the doctor answered. "Looks like he had another one after he was brought in."

Bethany nodded her thanks and patted the doctor's arm. Then she called the family lawyer. Her tone was cold and businesslike.

"Ms. Korbel, this is Bethany Maddock. I'm calling from the hospital to inform you that Terrance Maddock has just passed away. Annmarie or I will forward you the death certificate as soon as we receive it. Then will you please contact us to administer his estate…. Yes, very sad. Thank you for your kind words, I'm quite bereft…. He is?!…. I will let him know. Thank you again for your time."

She went into the exam room and gently touched Trent's arm.

"Once Ms. Korbel gets a copy of the death certificate, you need to meet with her. Apparently, he named you executor of his estate."

Rebecca blinked. Trent…the executor of his father's estate? That was something, to say the least.

Trent thought it was rich that his father, who had abandoned him, insulted his mother and sister and now fiancée, and sent him away for college but refused to pony up for Catherine's education (probably because of his views on women), had named him, Trent, executor. Was it because Trent was his closest living male relative, or was it some twisted way of making the past eighteen years up to him?

"That's fine," he told his mother. "I'll bring her the certificate myself as soon as the ink dries."

He could use this to his advantage.