"Can we go to California this summer?" Leighton asked her mom as they walked into their house Sunday night. They had spent the entire day at her grandparents eating and swimming in the pool. She was so happy McKenzie was back. She hated not being able to see her all the time. It sucked having her best friend live so far away.

"Leighton," Stacy narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "Where did you get an idea like that?"

"I miss Kenzi," Leighton sighed. "It sucks that she has to live so far away. Why did Aunt Rachel have to move anyway?"

Stacy had wondered that very same thought when her sister first mentioned that she was thinking about moving to California. She stressed herself out thinking about Rachel being far away, Ford had to step in talk her down many times. It didn't get by her that there had been something wrong with Rachel the longer she stayed in Mississippi.  She loved the small time life. Her shop in Jackson gave her the fill of city life. If she really wanted to experience the city life, New Orleans wasn't that far away. Rachel though, was different. Her younger sister didn't mind the small town life, but Stacy could see how if wore on her.

Rachel never really quite fit in when she moved back home. Stacy chalked it up to the years she spent on the road and living Lance's crazy life. It probably would have effected her if she had been following Lance around. Stacy figured once your experienced something like that it would be hard to settle back in to life in Mississippi. The town where everyone knew who you were, who your parents were, and even your grandparents. Gossip was plenty and over the years the Bass family provided enough fodder in town.

First Rachel had wound up pregnant and unwed. The Bible Belt ate it up. Busybodies speculated who the father was and how Jim should have demanded a marriage. It didn't matter that Kenzi was now thirteen. The gossip didn't stop. Even when Rachel moved to Orlando. It still was discussed. It picked back up when Rachel moved back. The topic was still discussed even today. Then Lance came out. Stacy remembered how her parents had received sympathy bouquets like her brother had died. She was disgusted how the members of her community had reacted and she wasn't shy about unleashing her sharp tongue on what she thought of their narrow minded opinions.

"I know Leighton," Stacy answered her daughter. "I miss them too. I hate they had to move away."

"They didn't have to move away," Leighton huffed sitting at the bar stool watching as her mother put away the containers they brought home. They were filled with leftovers. She was already thinking about the peanut butter and chocolate concoction Rachel had made. It had been delicious. She'd been disappointed to learn that it had been finished until her aunt pulled her aside and whispered she had made an extra one just for her to take home.

"I think they did, Sweetie." Stacy rearranged the items on the shelf to make room for the pie container.

"Why?"

"I'm not entirely sure." She heard her daughter's dramatic sigh behind her and wished she had the answers. There have been plenty of long nights where she had stayed up trying to figure out a way to help her sister; to figure out what she needed. No matter what she did, Rachel never opened up to her. At first she took it personally, Rachel had always been closer to Lance. Then she learned that Rachel didn't open up to anyone regarding what had happened in Orlando or who McKenzie's father was.

"Does it have to do with JC?'

Stacy blinked in surprise at the question. It had been completely off the wall question. She shut the fridge and turned around to face her daughter. "Why on earth would you think Rachel moving to California would have to do with JC?"

"Because he's Kenzi's father."

"WHAT!" Stacy shrieked, staring at Leighton, her eyes wide.

"You didn't know?" Leighton asked feeling her stomach drop.

"Where did you hear JC was Kenzi's father?"

"Kenzi told me."

"Kenzi told you," Stacy repeated.

"Yeah, she said she's been doing some digging. She's looked through Aunt Rachel's old things. She found out JC's blood type and it fits with what her blood type is. She doesn't think JC knows though. She's trying to figure out how to tell Aunt Rachel and then she's gonna tell him."

Stacy pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

"It's good right?" Leighton asked slowly. "Kenzi finally getting her father? They all look really happy in the photos on Facebook. And maybe now people will stop talking about Aunt Rachel like she did something wrong."

Stacy sighed at her daughter's words. "I'm sorry you had to hear what people say about Rachel. I'm sorry you have to hear what they say about Lance." There had been many discussions with her daughter about Rachel and Lance the past couple of years since the first time Leighton had come home in tears when a kid at school told her Rachel and Lance were going to Hell. She had already started discussing the topic with Kellen and Keagan, but they were still a little young yet to know exactly what was going on. They saw Rachel as their aunt and McKenzie as their cousin. It didn't matter if there was a wedding or not. They saw Lance as their uncle and Michael was their bonus uncle. All that mattered to them was Michael loved their uncle and that he played nerf wars with them when he came to visit.  "Leighton, you have to tell me everything you know. What has McKenzie been telling you?"

Leighton looked at her mother, her eyes darting toward the stairs wanting to escape. "I can't. It's a secret. I promised Kenzi I wouldn't tell."

"Leighton, Honey," Stacy reached out laying a hand over her daughters. "I know it's important to keep secrets but I know I explained to you that it's wrong to keep secrets when they could get someone hurt."

"How will this hurt Kenzi?" Leighton asked, wide eyed.

Stacy pursed her lips as she thought of an answer that was appropriate to tell her daughter. "Leighton, there is a lot of grown up stuff..." she paused when her daughter rolled her eyes.

"You always say that when you don't want to explain. That's not fair. You want me to break a promise to my best friend but you won't even tell me the truth."

"Leighton," Stacy sighed. "You need to understand that McKenzie searching for her father is something that Rachel needs to know. Your Aunt Rachel wasn't exactly happy when she found out she was pregnant with Kenzi, okay? She never talked about who McKenzie's father was.... Not to me, not your grandma. Not even to your Uncle Lance. Kenzi asking these questions could cause Rachel to be hurt. Kenzi could wind up getting hurt."

Leighton was silent. She didn't want her cousin to be hurt. She just wanted her to find her father; to know what it felt like to have one. She didn't want her aunt to be hurt either. She sighed. "Okay..."

*~*

"I see you cheated on me and went back to Lance as your partner."

Rachel laughed softly as she sat down on the edge of her bed. The house was quiet. Everyone retired for the night after a long day of being outside. It had been a good day. She got to catch up with family members she hadn't seen in awhile. There was good food, great conversation, and lots of laughter.

"Then Kenzi ditched me also." She could hear the teasing in JC's voice. During the afternoon she found herself in the pool chicken fighting. Up on Lance's shoulders once again, she fought against Stacy who had been on Ford's. Just like when they were kicks, she and Lance were victorious over Stacy. Then Kenzi and Leighton wanted in on the fun. Kenzi took her spot on Lance's shoulders and Leighton climbed on her father's.

"Oh, Kenzi didn't fair too well," Rachel chuckled. "Leighton knocked her into the water, she came up and told Lance that you were a much better partner."

"No she didn't." JC gaped settling on his couch with a glass of wine he had poured for dinner. "How did Lance take that?"

"He was so offended." She laughed again remember the look on her brother's face. "He dunked her so much I swear she swallowed half the pool water. Then Leighton joined in to help and attacked Kenzi. Then they both went after Lance. He was water logged when he got out."

"It looked like you had a good day." JC had spent more time on his Facebook page today than he had previously. Pictures had started coming in almost immediately when Rachel had posted photos of the family together before church. Afterward, there had been a steady stream of photos posted of the get together. He didn't know a lot of the people in the photos; had only been able to pick out her immediate family. There had been one photo that caused him pause. He didn't know who posted it, had only seen it because they had tagged Rachel in the post. Rachel was sitting in a lawn chair cradling a baby in her arms. His heart had jolted at the sight and he never wanted anything as much as he wanted that photo. Rachel holding a baby in her arms. His baby.

"It was a good day," she echoed and snapped off the lamp next the bed and settled down in bed, pulling the covers up over her. "I haven't seen a lot of people I had seen in awhile. It was nice to catch up. Kenzi got to play with a lot of her cousins. We all ate too much food. Thank God Momma only has one of these planned."

"What do you guys have planned tomorrow?"

"Sticking around town. Stacy couldn't get away tomorrow. So she's working, but Tuesday morning we're going to head down to the Gulf and have a day at the beach. Weather is supposed to be perfect."

"Sounds like fun," JC said and he longed to be there with her. It amazed him how important Rachel had become to him in such a short time. McKenzie too.

"I wish you were here to come with us." She said softly into the darkness of the night.

JC smiled, feeling a warmness spread through him. "Me too." He had seriously contemplating hoping on a plane to Mississippi when Rachel told him Diane mentioned he should have come.. If he wasn't needed in the studio this week, he would have left in a heart beat.

Rachel felt her phone vibrate in her hand and she pulled it away from her ear to see who had sent her a text. Seeing a message from Stacy she frowned.

‘Meet me at 8 for coffee tomorrow at Java Up. It's important.'

Rachel frowned at the message and put the phone back to her ears. "Hey, give me a second. Stacy's texting me." With JC's ‘okay' in her ear, she sent Stacy a reply. ‘Why?'

‘I need to talk to you and it's really important. Don't bring anyone either. Come alone.' Stacy's reply came through fast and her frown further deepened.

‘Just tell me now.'

‘I can't. Not over the phone. Please just meet me tomorrow.'

‘Okay. I'll be there.'

She was still frowning when she put the phone back up to her ear. "Okay, I'm back."

"Everything okay?"

"I'm not sure." Rachel said and explained the short text exchange to him. "I'm not sure what is so important that she has to tell me in person. We saw each other all day today. She didn't mention anything about having to tell me something."

"Maybe Kenzi is planning another trip," JC teased.

Rachel groaned. "Bite your tongue! With Leighton and Kenzi, it's hard to tell. She gets me in trouble with Stacy she's not gonna have to worry about Joey taking her to the convent, I'm gonna drop her off there myself."

*~*

The next morning Rachel pulled in to the parking lot of Java Up. The drive thru was fairly busy and as she was pulling into a parking spot, she saw Stacy coming out of the door with two coffee containers in her hands. Her face was pinched tight and Rachel felt the dread growing. Whatever Stacy wanted to talk to her about, it didn't look like it was good news.

"Morning," Stacy said climbing into the passenger seat of Rachel's car.

"Morning," Rachel said, reaching out to take the coffee container Stacy's offered. "I feel like this is some secretive meeting, sitting here in the car of a parking lot. Why can't we go inside?"

"Too many people." Stacy told her.

"Don't want to subject them to one of your rants?" Rachel teased her lightly. "I'm sure the people in town know exactly what happens when you're angry."

"You make me sound like The Hulk," Stacy rolled her eyes, taking a sip of the hot coffee.

"There's an image," Rachel giggled. In her mind she thought about drawing that image as a joke for her sister. "So what did you have to tell me? Did Kenzi start planning another trip? I swear if she has, you can yell at her. Maybe if she feels your wrath she'll stop doing it and getting me in trouble."

"She hasn't planned another trip as far as I know, though Leighton did ask to go to California this summer. I bet Kenzi was all over that."

"You guys should try to come out this summer," Rachel told her sister, latching on to a topic to ward off whatever Stacy really wanted to talk about. She had a feeling she didn't want to hear it. "If not you can send Leighton out for a week."

"I'll have to think about it," Stacy replied, knowing that Leighton would love to fly to California by herself and stay with Rachel for a week. "It might be a little hard since we're planning a vacation over Christmas." Yesterday after church before everyone had started arriving, the Bass family had a discussion about going away for a vacation. Since everyone lived where it was warm weather most of the year, they decided to get away to the mountains and go skiing over the Christmas break. It was still in the early planning stages. "Listen Rachel..."

"I don't know if I want to hear this Stace..."

"I know. I'm sorry," Stacy looked at her younger sister, her eyes full of sympathy. "But I have to tell you before you get blind sided with it. Least you can prepare."

"What's going on?"

"Kenzi has been digging in to who her father is," Stacy could see the emotions on Rachel's face before she shut down. She bit back a sigh. McKenzie's paternity always caused Rachel to shut down. "She thinks she knows who it is."

"What?" Rachel asked, paling at Stacy's words. One of her worst nightmares had come true.

"Leighton told me all about what Kenzi's been doing." Stacy reached out and grabbed her sister's hand.

"She...she knows wh..who it is?" Rachel felt her stomach rolling. She swore she was going to be sick.

Stacy nodded, squeezing Rachel's hand. "She thinks it's JC..."

"What?" Rachel snapped her head toward Stacy, her eyes wide.

"Kenzi thinks JC is her father. Apparently she's found some of your old things in the attic. Notebooks, sketches, old photographs... she figured out his blood type somehow and realized it's a possibility."

"Oh God..." Rachel whispered covering her face with her hands.

"She's getting ready to tell you... to tell JC..." Stacy said softly. She dropped her sister's hand and rubbed her back instead when Rachel learned forward in the seat. "I knew I needed to tell you. I know how hard this is for you. I didn't want you to be caught off guard when Kenzi came to you."

"Oh God..."

"Sweetie, what can I do?"

"Nothing. No one can do anything." Rachel felt the tears well in her eyes.

"Is Kenzi right? Is JC her father?"

"No." The walls she had built crumbled and she started crying. When Stacy drew her into her arms, she went.