Present

Cassidy was having lunch with her sister Cadence. Although they did this on regular occasions Cassidy had said very little today and she could feel her older sister's eyes burning into her.

"So," Cadence interjected into the silence "How is everything?"

"Fine," Cassidy replied as she absentmindedly pushed her salad from one side to the other.

"Cassie, it's me, you don't have to pretend" Cadence said taking her hand.

"I don't want to talk about me, how's Denny doing with the baby?" Cassidy said quickly changing the subject.

Her sister snorted in an attempt hold in her laughter.

"Oh he tries" she giggled finally "Josie is giving him a run for his money. She's a daddy's girl through and through"

Cassidy smiled, she was glad to finally see her sister be happy again. She hoped someday she'd remember what it was like to be that happy.

"You should come over some time, you haven't been over since she was born," Cadence said intently.

"I can't just come over, you know that" Cassidy snapped.

"Cassie, how long are you going to put up with this?" Cadence asked "you need to leave him before he does something horrible to you"

"He already has done horrible things to me" Cassidy reminded her. "Every time I try to leave I end up in the hospital or in the fetal position. I can't risk leaving right now,"

"What do you mean you can't risk it now?" she questioned.

"I'm pregnant," she admitted. "I took the test this morning, I haven't told anyone yet"

"Cassidy, he could kill you, do you realize that?" Cadence said frustrated with her sister's stubbornness.

"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about my kids, and Nathan, and you," Cassidy said.

A darkness came over her sister's face.

"I'm sorry," she said wiping away an errant tear "I have no right telling you how to handle this situation when it is my fault you're in it."

"Cadence," she sighed "don't say that. There's a lot of things that I blame you for...global warming....tornados....not getting a pony when I was six......but not this."

She smiled slightly but it didn't reach her eyes. Cassidy's phone went off before she could say anything.

"That's my alarm," Cassidy explained "It's time to pick up Bella"

"Well, give her a kiss for me," Cadence said as she rummaged through her purse for her wallet.

"I will," Cassidy said.

*One Month Later* 

Cassidy pulled up to the huge stone building that was her daughter's private school. She sighed checking her makeup in the mirror before getting out of her silver SUV.

"Mrs. Kennsington," Mrs. Contra, her daughter's teacher called.

"Please call me Cassidy," she said trying not to sound annoyed. She had told her repeatedly she wanted to be called Cassidy. A piece of her soul died every time someone called her 'Mrs. Kennsington'. If she had it her way she would never be called that again.

"Mommy!" Her daughter, Arabella cried.

"Hi, sweetie," She responded hugging the girl.

"Arabella is doing very well academically," The teacher said trailing off.

"But?" Cassidy asked sensing there was some negative after thought coming.

"Arabella," The teacher said addressing the youngster. "Why don't you go get your coat and backpack on while I talk to your mom?"

Yeah, that's not good

"Arabella is having trouble socializing with her peers," the teacher explained. "By this time in the year each child has usually made at least one friend."

"She doesn't have any friends?!" Cassidy said "She has friends, um, Misty and Kendra, she talks about them all the time."

"I wouldn't call them friends, so much as rivals," the teacher said. "On the first day of school, Misty introduced herself to Arabella, and Arabella said and I quote 'That's a stupid name, are your parents stupid?' Things went down-hill from there."

"Why wasn't I aware of this before now?" Cassidy said enraged.

"I told your husband about it and he said she probably misspoke," she said "That's why I wanted to bring it to your attention."

"Thank you," she said as politely as she could "I will certainly talk to her"

"Arabella," Cassidy began once they were in the car on the way home. "Why did you tell Misty her name was stupid and ask her if her parents were stupid on the first day of school?"

"Because she said my hair looked stupid," she said crossing her arms.

"Well, sweetie, how about you don't use the word stupid anymore," Cassidy said "It's not a nice word"

"Daddy says stupid all the time" she challenged.

"That's really not helping your case Arabella. Just don't say it anymore, you didn't like being called stupid so don't call other people stupid."

"Okay," she said huffing out a breath.

........................................................................................................................................................................................

Arabella stood at the window waiting for. Her husband was late and she was so glad. She truly hated him and couldn't wait to be away from him.

"Where's daddy?" Arabella pouted in front of the window "he's late"

"Your daddy is very busy and I am sure he will be home soon." Cassidy said trying not to get irritated.

Maybe he got in a horrible car accident and died she thought to herself. She instantly regretted it when she looked back at her daughter's sad face.

"Arabella, honey, why don't you read your book while you wait for daddy to get home, it will make the time pass quicker.

Ten minutes later the door swung open and her husband, Drew walked through the door.

"Honey, I'm home!" He bellowed as he stepped into the house. He shrugged off his coat, hanging it on the coat rack.

"Daddy!" Squealed 5-year old Arabella as she jumped into his waiting arms "you're late!" She said pointing a finger at him.

"I'm sorry precious, I had a very busy day at work," he said plopping down on the couch, Arabella being taken down with him. Spencer rolled her eyes at the two. Arabella slid off her father's stomach back on to the carpet where the book she abandoned to greet her father was. Drew continued on about his day "two car accidents, one GSW, and three babies" he stood up smiling "and speaking of babies" he sauntered over to Cassidy placing a hand on her slightly extended belly "how are you two doing?"

"Good," Cassidy said trying to ignore that he still smelled like his mistress "most days I think girl, but today I think boy"

"I'm sure you'll change your mind a thousand times before the baby is born"

"What's a GSW?" Arabella asked thoughtfully.

"It's a really bad boo-boo" Drew said.

Just then there was a knock at the door. Cassidy walked over and opened it grinning from ear to ear as she saw her parents, each holding one of the twins.

"Come in, come in, you didn't have to knock," she said kissing Emma and Ella.

They set the girls on the carpet either side of Arabella.

"Twinsies!" She crooned at the three year old twins.

"How do you tell them apart?" Arabella asked

"A mother has her ways," she says with a smile. Cassidy's mom walked over to Cassidy, who was still at the stove.

"Honey, why don't you let me finish dinner," she said combing her fingers through Cassidy's hair "you should be taking it easy"

"Mom, I'm barely three months" Cassidy protested but backed away from the stove knowing she wouldn't win. She went to the fridge and poured herself a glass of apple juice. She was about to go spend some quality time with her children, when the phone rang. "Hello," she said answering it without looking at the caller ID.

"Yes, this is her," she said apprehensively.

The next thing anyone heard was the sound of glass shattering as it hit the tile.