April walked quickly down the hallway holding back the...well, she wasn't quite sure what she was holding back. There was a mix of emotions going through her.

First of she was angry, angry that her husband went off behind her back and talked to Mr. Martel. But she was also happy because he had considered what she said and thought that it might work. Which lead to her other feeling, disappointment. She was sure talking would work, but the father didn't want to hear her excuses, he was going to do what he thought was right for his son. Then there was the final emotion, fear. She could actually lose her job, and her license to practice. She wasn't the kind to use the Avery name for her gain, but maybe that was the only way she could save her career.

She sighed as she continued walking. This was way more serious than she thought.

________

It had been a few days since Mr. Martel had shown up at their apartment door. The man's lawyer hadn't contacted them, but April didn't want to get her hopes up thinking he had changed his mind.

Her anger towards her husband had subdued and she was quite grateful to have him around to get her through this. But now, that comfort was going to be missing for a while.

"Do you have to go to Boston?" she asked sitting on their bed

"Yeah" he replied walking away from the closet with a few folded jeans in his hands "I don't want to go Ok? With all this going on I don't want to leave you here"

"Then why are you going?"

"My mother said it's important foundation business and that I have to be there"

Catherine had called the day before, telling her son there was urgent foundation business they had to take care of. His mother wouldn't divulge the important matter but ensured him that it was important and that he would be back in Seattle soon after.

"I wish you could stay," she said

She was aware that she was being a bit selfish.

"Me too," he said sitting beside her and taking her hand in his "I have to though. But I'll be back in a few days. And if you get a call from those lawyers, I'll be here before you know it, ok?"

"Ok" she sighed before he pecked her lips

The entire ride to the airport would have been quiet if it wasn't for their daughter in the back seat. Jackson didn't want to admit he would miss her big mouth. After they arrived and goodbyes were made, April watched her biggest support walked through the doors, off to the other side of the country.

________

"Lydia sweetie, can you come here please?"

Jackson had been gone for a day, and April was coping well enough. But just because she was going through her own problems didn't mean she couldn't tell when her daughter was going through her own.

The first week of school had come to an end, and Lydia was still struggling with being in the third grade. It was great being in the same class with Bailey, but it was hard becoming friends with the other kids in her class. Most of them saw her as "little" and didn't gravitate to her. She never had trouble making friends, so dealing with this was hard for her. The work she encountered so far wasn't too difficult, but her discomfort in the vastly different teaching style and social issues had her struggling a bit. A little breakdown while doing homework prompted April to have this talk with her.

"Come sit," she said patting the space next to her on the couch when Lydia came to the living room

Lydia took her seat and waited for her mother to speak.

"How'd your first week go?" April asked''

Lydia shrugged, something that was totally unlike her

"Are you still having trouble settling in?"

Lydia looked up at her mother and didn't say a word. She didn't have to though, the answer was in those intense blue eyes of hers that were beginning to tear up

"Oh sweetie" April said opening her arms and Lydia threw herself right into them

"The kids don't like me mommy" she sobbed, "They think I'm little"

April's heart broke. This was what she was afraid of.

"And the work is hard" she added

"Oh, it's Ok," April said rubbing her back "Everything is going to be fine"

"What if it isn't?" her daughter asked raising her head to look up at her

"It will. You are a brilliant, funny and friendly girl, you'll get through this"

"What if I can't do it?"

It seemed that her daughter was being very negative and it was time for a serious pep talk.

"Look at me," she said raising Lydia's chin so she was looking right at her "Sweetie, you're going through a little challenge in your life. Everyone goes through them, even mommy and daddy"

"Really?"

"Really" she answered "But as strong people, we get through the challenges and become better people. You're strong, I know you are. You can get through this, don't you think so?"

Lydia thought for a moment.

"Yeah" she hesitantly answered

"Yeah, I think so too, and so does daddy," April said "So what do you say? Promise you're going to try?"

It took a while for her to answer, but she eventually said "Yes"

"Good" April smiled "Now how about we facetime with daddy?"

"Yeah!" Lydia grinned in excitement, her mood instantly changing

"Alright!" April said matching her daughter's excitement before pulling her phone out and calling Jackson

________

The next day, a bright sunny Saturday. Lydia was at home with her babysitter while April walked the halls of the hospital. Her talk with her daughter about challenges had filled her head and she thought that maybe she should follow her own advice and face her challenges.

Now, she found herself walking towards Mason Martel's room. The lawyer had told them it was best for her to stay away from the Martels, but she had to face this, had to try this talking thing on her own.

She was a few feet from the door when she spotted Jo walking out of the room. She was the boy's new doctor.

"Wilson!" she whispered getting the doctor's attention

Jo's eyes widened when she spotted her, but she quickly recovered, not wanting to make a scene. She checked the room through the glass door before quickly making her way to April.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed "That man does not like you"

"I know" April respond "I just came by to try to talk to him"

"Did you not hear what I just said? He doesn't like you. What makes you think he would want to talk to you?"

"I just thought that maybe I can work things out," she said "How's Mason doing? Any progress?"

"He's the same, but stable" Jo answered "I'm totally stumped. All the things I thought of, you already tried"

"You're starting to think it's a mystery illness too huh?"

"Yep" Jo answered "And I'll try my best to figure it out"

"Hopefully you have better luck than I did"

"I hope so. I gotta go, see you later ok?"

"Ok"

"And don't go in there!" she warned before quickly walking away, heading to a surgery

April had no intention of listening to Jo and was about to approach the door. But she stopped herself when she heard the couple talking in the room.

"I'm starting to think he has bad luck," Mr. Martel said

"Why would you think that?" Ms. Martel asked

"Whenever I leave town for work, he gets sick" he answered "This is the worse he's ever been"

"You have a point" the woman responded "The universe probably has it out for us"

There was silence between the two for a while, and April thought maybe then was a good time to go in and talk. But she froze in place again when Mr. Martel revealed some big news.

"I'm going to quit my job," he said

"What?"

"Whatever is going on with Mason is serious. I need to be here for him"

"But you love your job"

"I do. But how can I enjoy it knowing what he's going through?"

"Jonah I can't let you do that"

"But I will," he said "I'll find somewhere to work here in Seattle. Once Mason is better and can leave, I'll move back in"

"Move back in?" Ms. Martel asked

She wasn't the only one asking that question. April stood outside still listening, confused a bit by his statement. Were the Martels separated?

"Yes. I know it's weird for a man to move in with his ex-wife, but my son will need me. We'll figure out how to co-exist for his sake"

April's eyes widened. The Martels were divorced?

_________

"Lydia! Time to wake up!" April called down the hallway before heading back to the kitchen

It was the dreaded Monday morning and Lydia still hadn't gotten out of bed. As April prepared breakfast, her mind was focused on many things, including the Martel parents. She still couldn't believe they were divorced. She had been calling the woman Mrs. Martel this whole time when, technically, she wasn't a Mrs. anymore. Then again, she never corrected it, maybe she was just used to it.

Lydia had yet to come out of her room, and it was getting late. Getting the eggs off the stove, April made her way down the hallway and to her daughter's room.

"Lydia! Wake up" she said

When April got a pained groan as an answer, she quickly opened the door. Her daughter was still in bed, covered from head to toe. She let out a groan again.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I don't feel too good," Lydia said preceding a long groan

"What hurts?" April asked making her way to the bed

"Everything" Lydia stressed before groaning

April stopped in her tracks and tried to hold back a smile. She knew what this was.

"Everything hurts?" she asked continuing her way to the bed

"Mhm" Lydia groaned again

April took a seat on the bed and removed the covers over her daughters head. Lydia greeted her with the most pained expression she could muster.

"My poor baby," the redhead said stroking her cheek

Lydia coughed a few times and her mother's eyes widened in faked surprise and placed her hands on her forehead.

"You have a fever" April fibbed

"Mhm" Lydia hummed before coughing again

"Guess I'll have to take you to the hospital," April said getting off the bed and heading to her daughter's closet

"The hospital?"

"Yes. I know exactly what this is and you'll need surgery to fix it" she said pulling her daughter's clothes for that day

"Surgery?" Lydia's eyes widened, she was no longer groaning or coughing

"Yes. Dr. Alex should be there. I'll call him and tell him to prep the O.R. By the time we get there, everything would be ready"

"Uh mommy, I don't feel so sick anymore," Lydia said beginning to sit up

"You don't?" April asked turning to face her

"Yeah"

"But everything was hurting just a while ago," she said stressing the word 'everything'

"Yeah, but I'm fine now"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mom. I prayed and Jesus healed me" Lydia said seeing the disbelief on her mother's face "It's a miracle!"

April shook her head in amusement before making her way back to the bed and taking a seat.

"I knew you weren't sick Lydia" she admitted

Lydia slowly looked up at her mother "You did?"

"I did" she confirmed "Why are you pretending to be sick? Still worried about school?"

"Yes" the little girl answered

April pulled her daughter to her side

"You can't pretend to be sick to get away from it sweetie. You'll eventually have to stop pretending and face it. So it's better to just face it now and get it over with. Remember what I told you? This is just a challenge you need to get through, and once you do, everything will be fine"

Lydia nodded

"How about you go get ready for school? Breakfast will be ready when you're out"

Lydia nodded again before April kissed her forehead and left the room. She returned to the kitchen and platted her daughter's food and placed it to the side before doing the same for herself. She took a seat and scooped up some scrambled eggs ready to dig in. But her hand froze mid-air when an idea came to her. She suddenly dropped the fork full of eggs back onto the plate.

She smiled to herself. She might have just figured out what was wrong with Mason Martel.

________

And there you have it, chapter 25. If you liked this chapter, don't forget to vote or comment! It's greatly appreciated. Hopefully, the next chapter would be up next week, so look out for that. Until then.