\Jason led Elizabeth to the back porch and directed her to sit down. “I thought about telling you this on the phone,” he told her. “But I couldn’t leave you to deal with it alone.”

Elizabeth frowned. “I don’t–I don’t understand.”

“Earlier this month, I saw something on the docks.” He hesitated. “Michael saw it first. It was Ric. He…” Jason stopped. Decided to just lay it out for her. “He was kissing someone else.”

Her expression was frozen, unreadable. “He was.”

“I knew that you’d want a reason, you’d need one so I went to see him.”

Elizabeth looked away, her eyes still blank. “And he told you I would understand.”

“Yes.”

Her lips twisted into a smile. False and empty. “He would say that.”

Confused, Jason sat back. This wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. He’d prepared himself for tears, for hurt, for anger. Not this…icy acceptance.

“Late in February, Dr. Meadows told us that sex was no longer an option,” Elizabeth remarked in a clipped tone. “Because of my previous miscarriage and how far along I was, she didn’t think it was a chance we wanted to take. I agreed. I thought Ric would understand.” She stopped talking. There was no hesitation, she just stopped talking.

After a moment, she continued. “When we got home, Ric wanted to discuss our options. He said he didn’t think it was fair that his needs would have to be ignored because I happened to be pregnant. I knew that no matter what I did, said or thought, he would do what he wanted to do anyway. So I just said nothing.” She rubbed her hands together, a little cold. “I’d always heard about the women who could look the other way. I never thought I’d be one of them.”

“You deserve better than that,” Jason said earnestly.

“I’m sorry Michael saw it. He must have been upset, confused. I can talk to him if you want,” Elizabeth said.

“He was worried about you. Sure that you’d be hurt. I–I thought the same thing. Elizabeth, how can you let him do this to you?”

Hearing the anger in his voice and knowing how disappointed he must be in her, Elizabeth’s eyes burned with tears. “At least I have the pretense of not being alone,” she whispered. “I am so…tired of being alone.”

“I–I’m sorry.” Jason swore under his breath. He got off his seat and knelt in front of her. “I didn’t mean to judge you. I just–you deserve so much, Elizabeth. You’re so generous and kind to people who don’t treat you right or don’t deserve it. You don’t deserve to be hurt like this.”

Tears scalded down her cheeks. “Then why does it keep happening?” she whispered brokenly. She covered her face with her hands and started to sob.

Michael peered around the corner of the kitchen door. “Liz?” he asked hesitantly

Elizabeth jerked her head up and blinked rapidly. “Michael.” She wiped at her eyes.

“Michael, go back inside,” Jason said.

“I’m sorry you’re hurt,” Michael said, ignoring an order from his guardian for the first time. He came to her side and knelt next to Jason. “You should never have to cry.”

His words just broke the floodgates open again. She started to sob in earnest. Michael stood and wrapped his arms around her neck. She hugged him tightly.

Feeling useless and like a failure, Jason stood to leave them alone. Elizabeth reached out and took his hand. “Please–wait.”

He did so and watched as she drew Michael away. She kissed the child’s cheeks. “You are an amazing young man,” she told him intently. “You have such a large heart and an incredible wealth of kindness. Please don’t ever forget that or lose it.”

“You do too. You should never ever have to cry, ” Michael repeated solemnly.

“Wouldn’t it be a lovely world if no one ever had to cry?” Elizabeth asked with a tearful smile. “But sometimes, it’s the tears that help. It helps you remember that you’re alive, that you’re living, that you can feel. If you’re never sad, how do you know when you’re happy?”

Michael bit his lip. “That’s good, I never thought of it like that.” He frowned. “So, you’re okay?”

“I’m okay.” She kissed his forehead. “Go inside for a little while. Jason and I have some things to discuss.”

Michael nodded and turned to his uncle. “You’ll take care of her?” he asked.

“I’ll take care of her,” Jason promised. “Go inside.”

Michael obeyed and disappeared into the house. Jason turned back to see Elizabeth struggling to get out of the chair. He took hold of her arms under her elbows and finished the job.

“Thanks,” she said. “It’s getting difficult to move these days.”

“You should lay down,” Jason said. “Should you even be standing at all?”

She didn’t answer, only looked to the door where Michael had gone through. “You would have to be the most abusive and neglectful father to screw that boy up.” Elizabeth looked up at him. “And since you’re not, I think Michael’s very lucky to have you.”

“Elizabeth…”

“Thank you,” she continued. “Because I don’t think I could have dealt with this alone.” She moved past him to stand at the railing, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. “This house is gorgeous. The scenery is just breathtaking. I’ve spent hours sketching out here.”

“I bought the house,” Jason said after a moment. “Less paperwork that way. It’s yours if you want. For as long as you need it.”

“You have been so wonderful to me since this all began,” Elizabeth continued, deciding to argue that later. “And I’m really glad I got this chance to know Michael.” She bit her lip. “I don’t think I’ve thanked you.”

“It’s nothing you wouldn’t have done for me,” Jason replied.

“I need you to call Alexis–she’s my lawyer. I need to file for divorce,” Elizabeth said. “I need for custody papers to be filed, nullifying any claims Ric might have to my baby. I can’t do it for myself obviously but if you could do that, I would really appreciate it.”

“I’ll call Alexis,” Jason nodded.

“As long as it won’t get her in trouble should the investigation turn to me,” Elizabeth said. “It won’t right?”

“Alexis can do all the paperwork without having to even speak to you. She just needs a way to get the paperwork to you, which is where I would come in and I’m not exactly new to dodging the law,” Jason said. “If you’re sure it’s what you want.”

Elizabeth sighed wistfully. “When you married Courtney, was there a moment where you truly believed that this would really work?”

“I don’t really remember,” Jason admitted.

“I had it right before I walked down the aisle to marry Lucky. I was walking towards him and I decided that it was okay if he wasn’t in love with me anymore. I still loved him and we were best friends. A lot of marriages start off worse than that.” She bit her lip and looked back at the ocean. “I walked down the aisle and I thought–I could make this work. But then I met him at the altar, I looked into his eyes and I realized that I loved him. But I wasn’t in love with him anymore and the really depressing thing was that I couldn’t remember when that changed.” She looked at Jason then. “I had the thought when I married Ric the first time. Because I was pregnant and he was so thrilled by that idea. And it was good in the beginning, it really was. Until I found Carly.” She exhaled slowly. “But I didn’t think there was any real chance the second time. That really should been a clue.”

She closed her eyes. “It’s what I want. A divorce, I mean. I’ll figure the rest out when this is over.” She bit her lip and looked at her hands. “There’s something I want to tell you.”

“All right,” Jason nodded.

“You’re one of the few people in my life that have never let me down no matter what. You’ve always been there when I’ve needed you and I just…” Elizabeth twisted her fingers. “There’s something you should know, that you deserve to know and I’ve wanted to tell you for so long…”

“Elizabeth,” Jason hesitated. “You can tell me anything.”

“I know.” She smiled then. “I know that.” She curled her fingers around the railing of the porch. “You mean so much to me, Jason, and I love you.” She paused. “You’re still my best friend and I just–I’m so sorry we’ve lost so much time because we weren’t honest with each other.”

He immediately understood that she didn’t mean love in the romantic sense and he didn’t mind. She was going to be divorcing her husband and delivering the child of a man she’d accidentally killed. He wasn’t about to tell her that he loved her–had loved her for years. Not now.

He kissed her forehead and smiled down at her. “I love you, too,” he said easily. “And I’ve missed you.”

Michael peeked out from the door and grinned. “You’re smiling again!” he said.

Elizabeth turned and motioned for him to join them. “Yep, I’m smiling again.”

“Great. I knew Uncle Jason would make it all better,” Michael said looking up at his guardian. “He always does.”

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