There was tension in the air that was palpable. They had only seen Stephanie a handful of times in the last year. The last had been when she married Leon. The situation was still new to them and for her to show up like this made Grant and Sabrina both uncomfortable. Penny came downstairs in a jeans skirt, unable to find her red one and beamed from ear to ear.

"Aunt Sabrina!" She ran to her and flung her arms around her

Sabrina hugged her close, "Oh Penny." She said then pulled back, "Let me look at you." She studied her for a moment, oh my sweet girl you are so beautiful, she thought, "You get prettier all the time."

"What are you doing here?" Penny asked, "We didn't know you were coming."

"Oh well, I decided to surprise you." She explained

"Mark!" Penny called out, "Aunt Sabrina's here."

Mark came running in from the kitchen, "Aunt Sabrina!" He hugged her tight

"Mark, how's my star soccer player?" She asked

He pulled back, "Okay, we lost our last game though."

She looked her son over, my handsome little man, "You'll beat them next time, right?"

"Brini, I hate to do this but we've got to leave." Stephanie explained, "I've got several meetings with clients today."

"Oh, that's alright." She replied, "Is it okay if I just take my things up to the guest room?"

"Uh yeah, that's fine." Grant said, "I've got to go, come on kids." He kissed his wife, "Good bye, sweetheart."

"Bye." She said

The children said their goodbyes after earnest protests to play hooky and hang out with "Aunt Sabrina" were shot down by both parents. Stephanie and Sabrina stood alone in the foyer.

Stephanie eyed her sister, "What's going on?"

"I told you, I just wanted to surprise you."

"Stephanie, don't play games with me." She said making her point clear by dropping the charade, "You don't just show up here out of the blue for no reason and where is Leon?"

She drew a sharp breath, "He's in London, I…I told him I needed to spend some time with my sister." She hated lying to her but she didn't know how to tell her she'd gotten herself into another mess

She didn't believe it for a minute but didn't have time to argue, "Well, I've got to get going. We'll talk about this later."

"Why don't I come with you?" She suggested, "I could help you with your clients. It would be fun."

She sighed heavily, "Alright."

Later that evening after dinner Sabrina played a board game with the kids while Stephanie and Grant cleaned up the kitchen.

"Did she tell you why she's really here?" he asked, their first moment alone all day

"No." She whispered in reply standing at the sink she rinsed out dishes and handed them to him, "She insists it's just a surprise and that Leon is in London."

"Do you suppose she decided to leave him?" He asked putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher

"I don't know but something is very wrong, Grant. We may have switched places but I still know my sister." She explained

"Mom." Penny said at the doorway of the kitchen, "Are you and Dad coming? We want you to play with us."

"We'll be right there, sweetheart." She said then turned to Grant, "Whatever it is bothering her, I intend to find out what it is."

He pulled her close to him, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, why?" She asked smiling, "Don't tell me you're going to become one of those husbands who's going to hover over his pregnant wife and drive her crazy."

He returned her smile, his bright blue eyes shining with the deepest of love, "I know it's not always easy for you to see her with the children. I know you wonder if she'll one day change her mind."

"It's always there, I suppose." She admitted, "The charade was easier before…but I have my sister back. I can't help but be happy about that."

"Speaking of happy." He said, "We should tell her about the baby."

She nodded in agreement, "I started to this afternoon while we were together but I thought it would be best if we told her together. When they came home I told the kids to let us tell her. Otherwise they would have already let it slip."

"I agree." He said pulling back, "And I suppose now is as good a time as any."

He took her by the hand and they walked into the living room to find Sabrina and the kids deep in the middle of a game.

"Brini." Stephanie began, "We have some news we want to share with you."

She looked up, "Oh and I guess by the smiles on your faces, it's good news."

Stephanie and Grant looked at each other then back to Sabrina, "Brini…we're having a baby."

Sabrina forced a smile and immediately went to her sister and gave her a warm hug, "That's wonderful!"

So now you have my children and one of your own and I have nothing

"Aunt Sabrina, the game." Mark whined

She turned around, "Oh yes, of course."

"Mom, you said you and Dad would play with us, too." Penny reminded her

"Okay, okay." She said and they joined them on the floor

Later that night Stephanie woke up to her stomach growling. Something else to get used to in my new life, midnight cravings. She was wrapped in Grant's arms and managed to slip away without waking him. She put on her robe and as she passed the guest room heading downstairs she heard crying.

She knocked quietly on the door, "Brini." She said softly and poked her head in

Sabrina was curled up in a ball on the bed crying. She went to her and put her arms around her, "Steph." She whispered once again dropping the charade, "Talk to me."

She pulled back and wiped her eyes, "I can't." She said, "I can't." They would be safer not knowing anything

Stephanie held her tighter, "It's alright." She assured her, "Whatever it is, it's going to be alright."

"Stephanie." Grant's voice called from outside and as if on instinct both women turned to look at him

when he quietly entered the room, "What's going on?"

"It's alright, darling." Stephanie assured him then looked at Sabrina, "Isn't it, Brini?"

She nodded, "I'm sorry I guess I…I just."

"It's the baby, isn't it?" He asked looking at the woman he had shared his life with for twelve years then to the woman who shared his life now, so much alike yet so very different. Maybe Sabrina was right, maybe Stephanie didn't want to pretend anymore and came here because she wanted to tell the truth after all this time

Sabrina shook her head, "No, I mean I have to get used to all this. I've only seen you a handful of times and…no I'm happy for you really."

Stephanie held her again, "Do you think you can get some sleep now?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Stephanie got up from the bed and joined Grant on the other side of the room, "We can talk tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night."

When they stepped out in the hall they were met by a worried looking Penny and Mark, "Is Aunt Sabrina okay?" Penny asked, "We thought we heard crying."

This old house, Stephanie thought, and these damn paper thin walls, dear God I hope they didn't hear me call her Steph

She smoothed Penny's hair back from her face, "Yes, sweetheart, she's fine. Now you two go on back to bed."

"Okay." They said in unison and went back to their rooms

Once back in their bedroom they stood for a moment and Grant took her in his arms, "She still wouldn't tell you?"

She rested her head on his chest, "No and I really don't understand. Even after everything that's happened we still tell each other everything."

"She seems afraid of something." He concluded

"Yes, she does." She agreed, "But I can't make her tell me."

He gently rubbed her back, "No you can't."

A slight smile formed on her lips, "But I know what I can do." She said pulling back and looking at him with those sapphire blue eyes, "Get myself a snack. You want to come with me?"

He laughed softly, "And so it begins, my love."

LONDON

"You fool." He seethed, "She didn't go over the ravine. She's still alive."

"But how?" He asked

"I don't know but you have been incredibly sloppy." He replied, "I guess I'm going to have to take this into my own hands."

"But we don't know where she is."

"We can find out." He told him, "I've done some research on our Lady Sabrina Longworth. It seems she has a sister in America. My instinct tells me she thinks she'll be safe there."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I will make sure she is taken care of, no loose ends this time."

TBC