11:

JC waited until the sobs subsided before speaking again. "I can’t even begin to understand what you must be going through. I do know, though, that you are strong enough to make it."

Gina sniffed. "That’s what Mama said."

"You told her?"

"No, Joey did. He was on the couch when she got up the other morning and she wanted to know why."

"Oh . . . "

They sat in silence for a while. Gina was remembering the conversation she’d had with her mother the day before.

*~*~*~*

"Honey," her mother said, stepping into the kitchen, "I know what’s wrong."

"How?"

"I talked to Joey this morning." Gina’s head shot up, eyes wide with fear.

"Your dad and I were talking-"

"Daddy knows?" She felt the panic setting in.

"Yes. But he’s trying not to say anything. He loves you. You know that. We want you to know that you can always come home." Gina cried then, leaning against her mother in the kitchen. With her tears, she brokenly poured out all her fears.

"Trust your instincts, honey, and trust God to get you through this. You’re strong enough to get through this and anything else because God won’t give you anything you can’t handle. Think about it. Pray about it. Talk to Joey. And don’t ever doubt yourself."

*~*~*~*

 

Heather sighed and glanced out the window. Beverly was downstairs with Chris and the twins. Her own mother, brother, and sister in law had left that morning with Gina’s parents and brother. Her father had left the night before because he had to get back to work.

It was nice to have a few minutes to just relax. She hadn’t done that since before the babies were born. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed it. She wondered if maybe she had stayed busy on purpose to keep from thinking about things. She was a worrier. She could barely plan a vacation for worrying about money and reservations. So now that she had a few free moments, she was worrying about everyone.

Gina and Joey were just a mess. After watching them closely lately and mulling over all she knew of their past, she felt certain that they <i>could</i> get through this and be that much stronger for it, but she wasn’t so certain that they <i>would</i> get through it. Sometimes there was a difference between forgiving and forgetting.

Sugar and Justin weren’t much better, though she couldn’t figure out why. She needed to talk to Justin about that. And someone needed to talk to Sugar too. She had been acting very strangely the past week or so. Even with taking care of twins and Chris, Heather had still had time to notice that. If something didn’t change, that relationship would end. That would be a shame. She had never seen Justin happier or more in love. Not with Britney . . . not even with Heather herself. Then things had changed. First he hadn’t told Katie how he felt and she left, then the accident . . . but after that things had been going so well. What happened?

Lance. Now there was a definite problem. He was drinking WAY too much. Everyone was noticing it. Z had called and asked hem to keep an eye on him, and even Gina had mentioned it the other day. He needed help, but she didn’t know where to start. Perhaps that was one she should leave to Chris.

Something was off with JC too. Sometimes he seemed really out of it, and he looked terrible. It wasn’t over losing Amanda, that was for sure. Their relationship had been based on mutual lust. No, it was something else, something dangerous. But what was it?

 

Chris burped Alex and lay her gently in the playpen. His mother was doing likewise with Alan. They looked so much like their mother. Beautiful. That was the only word for it. He laughed as they squirmed and scooted until they were side by side, their heads touching. "They do that all the time," he said. "Even in separate cribs, they squirm to whatever side is closest to the other, and press their heads up against each other."

"They don’t like being apart."

"Yeah . . ." Chris fell silent, in awe of his children as always.

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