I stood there staring at my mother's mother. She was frail looking. Not at all what I had expected. A tall man came down the hallway and said, " Mom...Who's at the door?"

Walking up behind Lynne stood whom I assumed was my uncle Bryan. He looked too much like my mom and aunt Jamie Lynn. Not to be.He stopped dead in his tracks.

" Momma?"

" This is Britney's baby girl, Bryan."

Now the awkward silence was almost deafening.   "You're Ava?" Bryan said, breaking that silence.

" That's me. And you are my Uncle Bryan." I said , trying to get my voice not to shake. The last thing I wanted these people to see was that I was nervous as hell. 

" Yes. Please come in." He said, pulling his mother back a little so I could come into the house.Closing the door behind him. HE lead his mother and me into what looked like the main living space. Lynne sat down on one of the large leather couches. She was silent. I looked from Lynne  to Bryan and then back to Lynne. Bryan spoke, " Sodid your dad finally get his head out of his assand let you come and meet us?"

Taken aback about what he said about Justin I replied," NO. I came on my own. He doesn't;t know that I'm here. I wanted this. "

" This whole thing is what destroyed your mom. " Bryan said, as he got up and went into the kitchen coming back into the room with what looked like a wine glass filled with red wine He handed the glass to his mother. She took a sip off the glass and spoke.

" None of this was Justin's fault. Bryan. With everything going on at the time that Ava came along, I would have done what your sister did. She did it to save Ava from having a childhood like she had. Please tell me that you had a happy childhood." Lynn said almost sounding like she was begging me to tell her something good had come out of this entire arrangement. 

" I has a wonderful childhood. I was raised by two lovely people. , who treatment me like I was their own. They are and always will be my mama and Papa. My dad was there as much as he could be. I just graduated college back in May. I started Law school a couple of months ago."

" Did you hear that Bryan? She's gonna be a lawyer."Lynne echoed me.

" That's good I guess. You aren't gonna be in the business then?"

" No. Unfortunately I couldn't;t carry a tune in a bucket. Which makes no sense, seeing who my parents are. But, I am gonna make a difference in my own way. "

Bryan stood up and walked out of the room . Leaving me alone with Lynne. She reached out her hand to me. I put my hand in hers.I could feel her hand trembling. 

" You look so much like your momma at your age. What is that 23?"

" I'm 24. Just turned in August. : I said, gripping her hand. She looked down at our hands , surprised by the gesture. 

" I know. My Granny told me that too. She said that I look just like her with my dad's curls."I said pointing to my Curly blonde hair. 

She smiled and said,; He always did have a head full of curls. How is your Granny?"

" She's good."

" I'm glad you're here, Ava Lea." She said , her hand no longer shaking in mind. Holding onto it firmly.

"Me too."