Joey was home at her curfew Friday night thankfully so we didn't have to worry about hounding her or lecturing her. Hopefully now that she understood Lin and I supported her relationship with Elliott but just didn't want her sleeping over she'd play by the rules. She slept in on Saturday and had a game in the afternoon.

After breakfast I went back into my bedroom to finish getting ready and heard some rustling in my closet. I furrowed my eyebrows and opened the door. There I found Alex, climbing the shelves, trying to get to her dress box.

"Alex!" I called to her, gripping under her armpits to get her down. She held on.

"I want to try on my dress again!" she told me. I sighed.

"Then you need to ask," I told her. "You don't just barge in and climb the shelves. They could break."

"I wanna show Daddy!"

She finally let go and I set her on the floor. "You may try it on one more time before we go to the seamstress, but that's it. I do not want it getting ruined. Understand?"

She nodded and beamed as I got the box down from the top shelf. The kid was obsessed with this dress. It was funny because she wasn't a big wearer of dresses, like Joey. Both were somewhat tomboys. She clapped as I walked it to the bed and opened it. I helped her into it and then she ran down the hallway to find Lin.

I sighed and walked down the hall to join them, hearing Lin compliment her.

"It's beautiful," he told her. "And you've got to take good care of it, right?"

"Uh-huh," she agreed, swishing her dress from side to side.

"Alright, kid," I told her. "Let's go take it off and put it away."

"No!" she told me. I sighed and looked at Lin. Lately she'd been picking all kinds of battles and it was getting exhausting.

"Alexandra," Lin had a warning tone to his voice. "Listen to your mother."

"She's not my mom," she said, hands on her hips. That hurt. I opened then closed my mouth, not sure what to say as Lin looked at me sympathetically. I just turned and walked back to my room to let Lin handle it.

I went into the bathroom and began to brush my teeth. It was never a secret that the younger two kids weren't ours. We were always open with them about their parents and how much they were loved. Lin and I wanted to keep their memories alive. Alex called us Mommy and Daddy now, so to hear her say I wasn't her mother was a slap in the face.

I heard Lin coaxing Alex to take the dress back off in our bedroom and then the rustle of it being placed in the box. Alex ran off and I heard Lin approach the bathroom as I rinsed my mouth. As I stood up he came to stand behind me, hands on my hips.

"Don't take it personally," he told me, meeting my eyes in the mirror. "She's trying to push your buttons."

"Well, she's succeeding," I told him, shoving my toothbrush back in the holder. "I don't get what's up with her lately."

Lin pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "I don't know," he agreed. "But I think it's just a phase. This family tree project has brought feelings up and we need to help her deal with them."

"I think we should send her to a therapist," I told him, turning around. His eyes searched my face, patiently listening. "Her behavior's been worse lately too. The arguing, the running away. This can't continue."

"I agree," he said, his hands snaking around me to rest at my back. "I think it could help."

I nodded and he kissed me. "I'll call Monday," I decided. "I'll ask around for recommendations."

"Dad?!" We heard Joey call from the doorway. He stepped back and craned his neck around the bathroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Alex is making a mess in my room and she won't leave," she reported. Lin sighed and made his way down the hallway to solve the problem. I put on jeans and a t-shirt, listening to Alex screaming and protesting. It wasn't even ten a.m. and she was already driving me crazy.

When I walked out, Alex had been given a time-out and Lin was keeping a close eye on her. Jack was playing happily nearby with some Legos. Such a chill kid. I let Lin take the lead with Alex the rest of the day, knowing my patience had already worn thin.

___

We all went to Joey's soccer game at 2:00. I brought some toys for the kids to play with and a blanket to sit on. Lin and I cheered Joey on as her team faced the top-seeded opponent in their league. Near halftime they were down 3-1.

"Good hustle!" Lin shouted after a strong play which unfortunately didn't end up with a goal. The other team's defense was rock solid. Joey had started the game and had been going nonstop for a good twenty minutes. As the other team got the ball and the girls all jogged to the other side of the field I noticed Joey dragging. She was walking and had a pained look on her face.

"What's up with Joey?" I asked Lin.

"Dunno," Lin said, watching her. He then cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Pick it up, Joey! You got this!"

We clapped our hands together, hoping to motivate her. She stopped midfield and hunched over, letting her hands rest above her knees. After pausing there a few moments, her hands went to her lower stomach and she fell to her knees.

"Shit!" Lin cursed. He shouted to stop the game and a whistle blew. Lin rushed to the field and I stayed with the little kids. Her coach trotted on as well as Joey let herself collapse onto her back. I could see tears in her eyes as she clutched at her abdomen.

Lin crouched down next to her, and he and her coach talked with her. After a minute, they helped her up and Lin guided her arm around his neck. He began to walk her off the field, towards us, and the crowd clapped respectfully as they did whenever a player was injured.

As Lin approached he told me we needed to get her to a doctor.

"Dad, no!" she protested as he guided her to sit down on the lawn chair.

"Yes," he told her firmly. "I've never seen you in pain like that. We're going."

"But it's mostly gone now!" she continued to argue as I told the little kids to pack up their toys.

"We're getting it checked out," Lin informed her. Joey groaned and let her head collapse backwards. I folded up the blanket we'd gotten and slung my lawn chair over my arm. Joey was able to walk on her own now.

"I can take Joey to the doctor if you want to take the others home," I offered to Lin as we started walking. Joey was a teenager and probably would prefer not to visit the doctor with her dad. Plus, I'd seen her grab at her abdomen. Maybe it was a female problem.

"She'd probably prefer that, thanks," he said quietly. Lin kissed Joey's head and she rolled her eyes as we parted ways. Soon, we had found an urgent care clinic nearby and we walked in.

I checked in with the receptionist and got the needed forms to fill out. Joey slouched in a chair, thumbing through her phone. She was pissed that she was having to miss the game when her team was losing.

We only had to wait about ten minutes. I followed Joey back as she was weighed and her height was taken. We were shown into a room and the nurse took her blood pressure. Everything looked good. We were left alone in the room to wait for the doctor.

"How long have you been having this pain?" I asked her.

"Just every once in a while," she mumbled, her arms crossed as she slouched again. "Can I go back to the game if there's still time?"

"No," I told her. "We're going home after this."

"But they're counting on me!" she protested, sitting up.

"You are not the only member of the team," I reminded her. "Missing one half is not the end of the world."

"It is when you're losing," she muttered. The doctor knocked and then came in.

"Hello," he greeted us both, sitting in his swivel chair. "What seems to be the problem today?"

I waited for Joey to tell him but she stayed quiet. "Joey was playing in a soccer game and then she collapsed with pain in her abdomen."

"The abdomen," he repeated, nodding. "Joey, can you describe the pain? Is it sharp, dull? Constant?"

"Intermittent," she said. "Kind of a dull ache. Sometimes it gets sharp though. That's what happened today."

"And how long has it been bothering you?" he asked.

"A month or so I guess," she said.

"Have you started menstruating?" he asked her, scooting closer.

"Yes," she said.

"And has that always been regular?"

"Yes," she said.

"Are you sexually active?"

She paused and her face flushed. "Yes."

"Any pain during intercourse?"

She was quiet for a few moments but then replied, "Yes."

"Any discharge?"

"No," she said.

"Alright," he said, pushing back and patting the exam table. "I'm gonna have you lay down and I'm going to feel around your abdomen a bit."

Joey sighed and reluctantly laid down on the exam table, still in her soccer uniform. The doctor began pressing down on different places on her lower abdomen. Joey had an uncomfortable look on her face but didn't look in pain.

"Are any of these places tender?" he asked her. She shook her head and then he pressed down on her lower right abdomen.

"Owww," she complained. "There."

He nodded and continued feeling. No other spots were tender. "I'm going to have the nurse come do an ultrasound. External and internal. I suspect you might have an ovarian cyst."

"A cyst?" she asked as he stepped away, taking off his exam gloves. Joey adjusted her clothes and sat up.

"Yes," he said. "It's likely nothing to worry about. Most females experience cysts of some kind. Most of them are too small to notice but if they get big enough they can cause discomfort."

I asked him a few more questions, but we wouldn't know what we were dealing with until they did the ultrasound and possibly took a sample. I thanked the doctor and sat down.

"Ugggghhh..." she complained, still sitting on the exam table. The doctor had set out a gown and instructed her to strip from the waist down.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing," I assured her as she changed. "He said most cysts just go away by themselves."

"It's disgusting," she said, scrunching her nose.

"It's pretty common," I reminded her. "Nothing to be ashamed about."

"Can we not tell Dad?" she asked. "It's embarrassing."

"It's your health, Joey," I told her. "You can't keep that from your dad. He needs to know."

"What can he do about it?" she pointed out.

"If something is wrong he needs to be aware," I said. "He's your father."

I understood it was a bit embarrassing, but Lin was concerned. He needed to know all the information we got. If she collapsed again in pain and he didn't know about her cysts then he'd be in the dark and that could be dangerous.

The nurse came in a few minutes later with a machine. Joey reluctantly laid back down and pushed her jeans down at the nurse's request. Jelly was put on her abdomen and then she began to press down with a wand, keeping her eyes on the screen. She pressed keys on the keyboard every now and then as she probed around.

She then instructed Joey to put her feet in the stirrups she pulled out from the table. The nurse guided her to move so her bottom was at the edge of the table. As a female subjected to a yearly exam, I knew this was never fun. It wasn't painful, but it was definitely uncomfortable.

The nurse instructed her to take a deep breath in and then release. Joey's face contorted in discomfort and the nurse began the exam. Thank goodness I had come with her and not Lin. The nurse tried to make some small talk with her while she continued. After a few more minutes the exam was finally over.

The nurse told us they'd call with results the next day and Joey was free to get dressed and leave. I stepped out to give her more privacy and waited in the hallway. As we left, she asked again if she could go back to the soccer fields. There were only five minutes left in the game at most and she needed to rest so I told her no. She rolled her eyes and groaned dramatically. I'd really had enough attitude from the girls today.

We got home and Lin had the kids set up in front of the TV with a snack for some down-time. I gave him a quick kiss and Joey went straight to the bathroom for a shower.

"How'd it go?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," I said. "She doesn't really want to share much with you, just be forewarned. The doctor thinks she has an ovarian cyst."

I explained to him how they were pretty common and it was likely to go away on its own. He nodded and asked a couple questions.

"Does it have anything to do with her being sexually active?" he asked.

"I don't think so," I said. "It happens to anybody."

He nodded again and pulled out his laptop to do a bit more research. Lin liked to be informed on everything to do with the kids, especially their health. He also knew Clarita would likely have some questions for him when she was told. She didn't like to be kept in the dark on things.

"It says here large cysts can burst during intercourse," he observed, looking at me. "Maybe she really does need to be abstinent for a while."

I looked at his screen to see what he was reading. "Maybe we should ask the doctor after we get the results," I reasoned. "Joey did mention she had discomfort recently."

Joey walked out with her wet hair up in a towel, looking bummed about how her day was going. Lin wisely steered clear of conversation about the doctor. "Did you hear from your teammates?"

"Yeah," she mumbled as she got a Vitamin Water out of the fridge. "We lost. 5-1."

"Ouch," he commented. "Well, they were a tough team. The important thing is to learn from the game. You'll be more prepared for next time."

"Yeah I guess," she muttered.

"Are you planning on visiting Elliott again tonight?" he asked her.

"Yep," she said, taking a sip. "As soon as I'm ready."

"Okay," he said. "Be home by midnight again."

Lin whispered to me to talk to her about not having sex until we knew the results. I nodded as he wandered over to the couch to sit with the little kids. Joey went to the pantry for a snack.

"Joey," I began, sitting on a bar stool. "Since we don't know what this is for sure, I think it's a good idea if you and Elliott don't have sex until we know."

She looked annoyed. "Why not?"

"Well, apparently a cyst can rupture during sex," I explained. "We don't need to complicate things."

"Come on," she said incredulously. "I doubt that will happen."

"But it could," I told her. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

"Whatever," she mumbled.

"Hey," my tone was firmer, tired of the attitude from both girls that day. Lin looked over his shoulder. "I'm on your side here. I don't want to see you get sick."

"You're overreacting," she told me. "It's not that big of a deal."

"It was a big enough deal that you keeled over during the game," I pointed out. "If you're in pain, you need to stop. Your body is trying to tell you something."

"Well I wish your body would tell you to stay out of my business," she sassed. I gaped at the insult and Lin overheard.

"Josephine!" he snapped. "Go to your room. Now."

She rolled her eyes and stormed off, slamming the door. There were tears in my eyes. All I wanted for my kids was for them to be happy and healthy. It seemed all I was getting was temper tantrums and attitude. Lin stood up, seeing I was upset, but I just wanted to be alone right now. I held up my hand to stop him and went back to my bedroom to cry.