"Can't sleep and decided to do some cleaning."

"Kim, we won't lose the house. Maybe not so don't start packing."

"I'm not doing it for that reason, Kitt," Kim said, rubbing the dust from the picture gla.s.s. She smiled down at the image of her husband. Simone approached. The wall had shadowed spots from where the pictures once hung. It was strange to have so many pictures of Dennis memorialized this way. Yet she had grown accustomed to it.

"Then why are you doing it? Taking them down? Why?" Simone asked.

"It's time. In group therapy I learned about some of the things that anch.o.r.ed me to my habit. Immortalizing Dennis. I used his death as my excuse." She stooped and carefully put the picture in the box. "He's gone, Kitt. Nothing I can do or say will change that. My boys deserve their mother, not what they've had. They'll never have their father, just like Dennis never had his. So I have to find a way to start again. No matter how much my heart begs me not to."

"I'm so proud of you. That takes a lot of courage." Simone smiled.

Kim laughed. "Don't be. I haven't pa.s.sed the true test." She stood, releasing a burdened sigh. "I got a stash of pills under the sink. Not sure if Mom got rid of them all. Can you go into my bathroom and make sure they're gone before I go in there."

Simone was saddened by the request. Somehow Kim's addiction never seemed real to her. Not like her mother's. But watching her and hearing her fears, she shuddered to think of how close they came to losing her. "Yeah, Kim, I'll take care of it."

She did just that. Searching the bathroom she found pills, different kinds of pills and too many to be sure of, so she dumped them all in the toilet and flushed them away. Lowering the lid, she sat there and stared at the empty bottles and wondered about their choices: Diane's escape into liquor, Kim's escape into self-medicating, and her own choices to hide in her marriage behind Keith's shadow. How far off the path they went. How it led them to where they were today. And then it hit her, the only time in life when the Wilson women was different, was when they didn't feel so lost and abandoned. A solution. Simone hurried out into the hall. Kim looked up at her curiously when they nearly collided.

"I got an idea!"

Kim smiled. "Okay. Calm down."

"No seriously. It's the best idea. How we can beat Keith's a.s.s. Get him to back off."

Kim crossed her arms. "Let's hear it."

"Daddy. Let's call Daddy."

Kim's smile faded.

"Are you crazy? Di-Mama will go nuts."

"Think about it. Who else can get us out of this mess? You know he can. So does she. And he'll want to, Kim. Let's call him. What do we have to lose?"

Cain put away the last of her things in the drawer. Maryanne sat on the edge of the bed. She stared straight ahead. She hadn't spoken much on the drive through the night to the facility. After the exhaustive exchange of paperwork that had to be finalized, he found her sullen again, withdrawn. He tried to understand. Still he barely could.

"I'll give Bonnie your contact information, but they don't want you to have any visitors until, until after a few sessions. For your own good. I got approval to stay."

"Have I really turned into your mother?" she asked, her eyes blazing with the accusation that neither of them need speak.

"I brought you here to help you. You think I want to put you in a place like this?"

She looked away.

Cain walked over to her. He put a hand to her shoulder. "I'm here for you. I plan to be."

"No you aren't."

"Maryanne."

"I want you to go, Cain." She returned her gaze to him. "I can't do what I need to do with you around. You and I both know it."

"Let's see after a few days."

"No! I want you to leave. This is about me, not us. When it's time to discuss us you can come back. Right now I don't want to see any of you. Do you understand?" She looked up into his eyes.

Her rejection of his help stung. He still cared for her. They were so different now. He didn't know how he could truly help.

"I'll check back on you this weekend," Cain said.

"Don't."

He shook his head and walked out. She was right. They'd failed each other. Her only hope of recovering was away from them all. As he walked out of the facility, he thought of his mother, the plan, the things that couldn't be undone. Cain hesitated. He had intended to delay everything for a week or so, and stay at Maryanne's side after the meeting that would seal all of their fates.

This was it.

If he walked out of the hospital doors, he was in it to the very end.

Could he do it? Really do it? One thought of Simone and then his wife and he knew the answer. He needed to free them all. And this was the only way.

Cain dropped his hands in his pockets and started off. Once he pa.s.sed through the automatic doors a black sedan waited for him. It was parked next to his car. He searched the parking lot for any sign of Andrew's tail. He saw none. Drawing back the cuff of his sleeve, he checked the time.

"Cain Gatlin?" A voice spoke behind him.

"Yes?"

"Agent Cafferty. Come with me please."

Cain nodded. He and the Federal agent walked over to the sedan. The door to the back seat was opened and he slipped inside. Just as Rachel said, there was no going back.

Simone set the phone down on the coffee table. Kim's eyes were on her. How long had it been since they'd spoken to their father? Four or maybe five years ago they saw him at a funeral. Before then, it had been close to ten years since they saw him. Neither of them could forgive him for abandoning them and Diane, and none of them had tried. But to hear his voice felt as if time hadn't past. It was far more jarring than the events of the past week. She found herself trying to catch her breath.

"So?" Kim asked.

"He said he wants to see us both," Simone said.

"Kitt, you want to get Mama started on drinking again? She can't handle Daddy, not on top of everything else."

"She's stronger now, Kim. She can handle it."

Kim sighed. "Are the rumors true? Do you think?"

"Daddy's a business man. He did well for himself over the years. That's all."

Kim frowned. "You know what I'm talking about. What Diane keeps saying every time his name is mentioned? Do you think the rumors are true? That he has ties to organized crime."

Simone sighed. "I don't know, but we will find out, won't we? Keith and his family will do everything they can to break us, so we have to align ourselves with a strong ally of our own."

"But what about the attorney? You said she was bada.s.s. And your friend in Castle Rock? What about them?"

"She's my attorney, Kim. She can't do anything about this house, or your court case. And we don't have any real money to get you the help you need. I could be in court for years. We need to get stronger and gain control. Daddy might be able to help."

"If we go down this path and bring him into our lives, we have to be careful. Mama loves him. You know that. She won't take kindly to this or worse. She'll get caught up in the pain he caused her."

"I know. We'll have to prepare her. We can do it. We just have to focus on the goal, and that's protecting our own."

The phone rang again. Closest to Simone, she picked it up. It was Sue's number. "h.e.l.lo?"

"Ms. Wilson? I got a page from my answering service that you needed to speak with me?"

"Yes, thank you for calling. Madison. James Madison, do you know him?"

"I do."

"Well he called tonight. He's Keith's attorney. He wants to meet with me and my sister about the house. He represents her in the lawsuit against the city too. I think Keith is going to use him to intimidate me, us. Wait, I need to start from the beginning. Keith went to see Kim, my sister while she was in rehab. He threatened her. She's home now, but he told her to get me to drop the restraining order or he'll have her kids taken away from her."

"Interesting."

Simone frowned. "I guess. But it looks like they are trying to set a trap."

"They're desperate if they're using your sister to get to you. I'm aware of the Mayor's attempt to intervene as well."

"Yes! Yes! Detective Alverson was here. What do you suggest I do?"

The line went silent. Sue finally spoke. "Nothing. Don't go to the meeting."

"But my sister?"

"Is it in her name still? The property?"

"Yes it is. But he's threatening to move in with us."

"He can't do that." Sue said in a dry tone.

"What about the lawsuit? James represents her and he's going to drop her."

"Meeting with them won't change that. In fact, she should sever all contact with James Madison and hire new counsel. If he does anything to hinder her case with the city, she will have an even bigger one with his firm. He's not a stupid man. Don't play into their hands. We will have the medical records soon. A court order will be presented to his doctor tomorrow. I suggest you stick to the plan."

Simone chewed over the advice. All of it to her benefit, none of it to her sister's. "Okay, well thanks for calling."

"The office will call you with the court date. Chin up, Ms. Wilson, liberation is close at hand. Have a good evening."

The line clicked off.

"Well? What did she say?" Kim asked with hope in her eyes.

"Not much. That Keith's trying to scare us. She said you should get another attorney, and we shouldn't meet with Madison. She says he can't take your house if your name is on the contract."

Kim nodded. "What about the annulment?"

"Looks good. We got his medical records subpoenaed. A judge ordered it. We should have them tomorrow, then the court date, and it's over."

"That's great!" Kim smiled.

"We have to see Daddy. Kim, we agree on this. Will you do it?"

She sighed. "Fine. But we tell Mama together. And she sees him too. She needs, h.e.l.l we all need closure."

"Right. Closure," Simone mumbled.

"Your stomach hurt?"

"Huh?" she looked down and found her hand to her tummy. She moved her hand. "No, I'm fine."

Kim studied her.

"So tell me about Mathew. I met him, Kim. He's quite nice, and different," Simone teased.

"Don't change the subject. All night, you've been touching your stomach. Is something going on?"

Simone stroked her belly again. "I guess I should. I'm pregnant."

Kim frowned. "What? How? I thought Keith had a vasectomy?"

Simone bit down on her bottom lip.

"How are you pregnant?"

She looked up at Kim, and the awareness caused her sister's eyes to bulge from their sockets. "You had an affair?"

"His name is Cain. He was my next door neighbor. Keith's his boss," she confessed.

Kim laughed. Simone frowned. Kim's laughter was barely stifled by her hand as her eyes teared up. She doubled over, tickled.

"What's so funny?"

"Irony! Life! Priceless! Little sister is boning the next-door neighbor. I can't believe it."

"It wasn't like that!" Simone smiled.

"Girl! Does Keith know?"

"No! And he can't! If he found out my case will be blown out of the water."

Kim stopped laughing. She had to wipe hard at the tears. "How long has it been going on?"