"Don't you think you should tell her first before we walk in the door with our wedding rings on JC?" Laura asked as they stood outside of his parents' house. JC rang the bell and dug into his pocket for his ring.

"No...I don't want her to think that I was trying to keep this from her if I pull them out later on." He quickly slid his ring onto his finger.

Suddenly a door opened and they both looked up and plastered smiles onto their faces. "Ahhh!!! Josh!!" A woman yelled as she grabbed JC and pulled him into the house.

The red headed, heavy set woman wrapped her arms around him and hugged JC tightly as she screamed out to everyone in the house that he was finally there. "Hey, Sophia." he said as he kissed her cheek. The woman looked outside the door and noticed Laura standing there. Laura was terrified at the older woman's behavior and also of all the people that were in the house. JC had explained to her earlier that his family was over for a reunion barbecue, but she didn't expect to see his entire family tree in the house.

"You must be the darling Rachel that we have heard so much about from aunt Karen!"

JC turned around and could see Laura was more uncomfortable than she had been before. "No, Sophia. This is Laura. Laura this is my cousin, Sophia."

"Ooohh...I'm sorry. I just assumed you were Rachel." She said as she covered her mouth.

"No, me and Rachel are no longer together." he explained.

"I have heard so much about you too, hunny. Don't just stand out there...Come on in!" The woman yelled as she grabbed Laura's hand and pulled her inside.

Laura walked around and mingled with other family members. Most of his distant relatives mistook her for Rachel while others would ask her why Rachel was not there this year for the party. She was growing tired of explaining who she was to everyone...People who were now her new family and didn't know it yet. Laura wanted to crawl into a hole until the barbecue was over.

Besides the uncomfortable moments when Rachel was brought up in conversation, Laura had a pretty good time. She was actually starting to feel more apart of the family when JC's mom would bring her around and introduce her to people and brag about Laura's song writing career and all the celebrities that she had worked with and of course their new deal with Jerry. There were also those too frequent moments when people would ask if Laura and JC were together and his mother would explain that they were only friends and that she was also best friends with his ex-love, Rachel. She knew JC's mother wasn't purposely explaining her away as if she were no one special, but Laura couldn't help but feel sad inside. She pulled her long sleeves over her hands and pretended as if she were cold to keep people from noticing the rings on her finger.

Laura helped JC's mom and his sister, Heather, in the kitchen as family members began to slowly head to their homes and hotels. JC had been trying to talk to his mother all night, but she was too busy entertaining to give him a moment of her time. She told him to wait till everyone left so they could talk about what was on his mind.

Once everyone had gone, they all retreated to the family room to have tea and relax. Laura, JC, his father, mother, sister, brother, aunt and her husband sat around talking amongst themselves. They had turned on the television and noticed that Rachel was acting on a new show that was coming out. She was again brought up in conversation. Both JC and Laura were noticeably upset as they all continued to speak. JC tried interrupting but his mother kept on talking over him.

"Yes, Laura had went to visit her when she was guest staring on General Hospital as an old friend of Carly's. Who did you say Rachel got to do a scene with?"

"Anthony Geary...The guy that plays Luke on the show."

"Luke!? Luke of Luke and Laura, Luke?"

"Yes...That's the one." JC said as he looked over at Laura and leaned his body into hers to try and cheer her up. "Hey mom, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"In a second, Dear." she said as she went back to talking.

"Its kinda urgent."

"Just let me tell your cousin about that time Rachel took me onto the set of that Robert DeNiro movie that just came out.

"It's really important, mom."

His mother was now frustrated with all the interruptions. "What, JC! What is so damn important that it can't wait?"

JC was infuriated with her attitude. Laura closed her eyes and braced herself for what he was about to do next.  He grabbed Laura's hand and raised it up with his own to show off the rings. "This is what was so damn important!!" he yelled. The room suddenly grew silent as everyone starred up in shock at the wedding rings on their fingers.