Lorraine, Griffin, and Ashe got back to their Fifth Avenue Penthouse around midday, eager to see baby Kayla. The adorable little toddler waddled toward Lorraine as they stepped out of the private elevator, her little arms outstretched. Lorraine scooped up Kayla, who was growing her own clutch of red hair and spun her around to the child’s delight, cackling and laughing until Lorraine pulled her close for a tight, loving embrace.

Griffin crossed the room to Jeremy Bush, wearing his usual warm and friendly smile. “She behave, Jer?”

“Like an angel, Grif, just like an angel.”

Griffin and Jeremy turned to share the sight of Lorraine holding Kayla, Ashe cooing and smiling at his baby sister. “Yeah,” Griffin muttered, “an angel.”

Lorraine sniffed and winced. “This little angel’s carrying around a load of sulphur.”

Jeremy was quick to react, crossing the room and reaching for the child. “I’ll take care of that.”

“It’s okay,” Lorraine said with a smile, “I want to. Join me?”

Jeremy stood for a split second with a worried expression on his face that Lorraine thought she understood. But he quickly replaced it with a smile and said, “Sounds great.”

Lorraine carried Kayla down the hall to her nursery and laid her down on the dressing table. Jeremy fished out a fresh diaper, his brown hair hanging over his face.

“So, Jer, how’s everything going?” Lorraine said.

“It’s great, Lo’, just great. I love working here, being around you, looking after the kids. It’s … I’m just so grateful.”

“So are we, Jer. You’re great with the kids, Ashe is doing great and we know we can trust you. Believe me, it’s been as great for us as it is for you.”

Jeremy nodded, but a nervous silence passed while Lorraine handed him Kayla’s soiled diaper. “You’re not … firing me, Lo’?”

“No, Jeremy, no, of course not. How could you imagine such a thing?”

“Well, I … y’know, you’re doing the diapers now … ”

“Yeah, now. I’m not gonna keep doing ‘em! But I love the time I spend with Kayla and I love the time you spend with her, too.” Jeremy smiled and sighed, relieved. But Lorraine added, “But you don’t have to spend all your time with the kids, either, Jer. We want you to have a life, too.”

“Are you kidding? My life rocks, Lo’ … thanks to you. Really, I’ve never been happier.”

Lorraine tried to smile but it wasn’t easy. She took the clean diaper from Jeremy and wrapped it around Kayla, taping it shut. “Jeremy, I’ve known you for about four years now. You were my first friend in New York and you’re still my best friend … except Griffin, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Jeremy said.

“So, I hope you won’t mind if I say … you don’t seem that happy to me, Jer. I know you're comfortable here and that this is a good situation for you, for us all. But that’s more like being contented, y’know? Before all this, before I met Griffin, you were the one encouraging me to get out more, to meet new people — ”

“And I was right.”

“And you still are, Jeremy. But now it’s time to take your own advice. Get out there a bit, go socialize, mingle. You used to go out every night, Jeremy.”

“I have responsibilities now, Lo’, the kids need me bright and early, I can’t be partying all night. That scene, the dance clubs and the drinks, you remember the trouble that got us into, the trouble it got you into.”

“I do, Jeremy, I do remember. And now I want you to remember; remember what a shut-in I became, I want you to remember the lonely life that was waiting for me if I hadn’t followed your advice, taken a chance, let go of the past.”

Jeremy smiled, eyes misty, hand gently stroking little Kayla’s face. “I do remember, and I love you for caring so much about me, Lo’. You’re really a good friend. But it’s not about that, I’m not afraid.”

“Even after what happened at the library, even after watching me get shot, almost killed?”

“No,” Jeremy said, too fast and too loud, then softening his tone to add, “it’s not that, it’s just … I feel like I’ve matured, that’s all. That whole scene, it’s just not for me, not anymore.”

Lorraine smiled softly, tapping Jeremy’s shoulder. “Okay, Jer, well, if you ever feel like getting out a bit, not to a dance club but, y’know, but maybe a museum or whatever, I think you should. You need or want any additional time off, it’s yours anytime.”

Jeremy leaned forward, his forehead gently bumping Lorraine’s, Kayla shrieking in toddler delight.

* * *

Lorraine’s parents were small on her laptop monitor, peering at her from the Skype window. Sally Devonshire sat with a martini glass in one hand, brows forever unimpressed. She’d been so proud to be a grandmother, but her joy had passed and her usual sense of disapproval had returned.

“Glad you guys enjoyed your trip,” Lorraine said. “Four months is a long time.”

“It was too generous, dear,” Sally said. “You need that money for your children.”

“How was Europe?”

“It was great, what a trip. I mean, vacation,” Larry said.

“It’s nice to have you back, Daddy,”

Sally glanced at Larry but Larry ignored her. “I’m a grandfather after all … I’ve got responsibles now.”

Lorraine repeated, “Responsibles?”

Sally rested her head in her hand. “He’s into some Canadian TV show now about this drunken idiot who mispronounces everything.”

“Your mother’s great, isn’t she? But you know what they say, ‘Beauty’s in the eye when you hold her.’”

Lorraine sat stunned at her computer, trying to conceal her astonishment. “Anyway, I think I’m going to be doing some work with Griffin coming up,” she said, “I’m very excited about it.”

Sally took a sip of her martini. “You really think that’s a good idea, dear? Remember the last time you worked together?”

“We had your granddaughter.”

“Before that, dear, the shooting? You almost died!”

Lorraine waved her off. “That was a one-time thing, stupid Donal and his obsession with me, his anger at Griffin. But, he’s behind bars, Mom, we won’t ever have to worry about him again.”

“What about that sex maniac?” Sally asked. “Lord knows where he is now.”

“It’s been over a year, Mom. Griffin’s right, he’s hiding away somewhere. A guy like that, who knows if he’s even still alive. Believe me, Mom, one thing I’ve learned is that you can’t live in fear, that’s no kind of life at all. You gotta get out there, take a shot. That’s the only way to get anything accomplished. And you can see for yourself what the rewards are.”

Her parents shared a glance, then looked back at their own computer monitor. “What about the kids, dear? Shouldn’t you really be taking care of Kayla?”

“Jeremy’s great with both kids, Mom. Ashe is almost thirteen, Kayla’s on her feet. It’s time to get out there, do something. You worked while I was young.”

“And maybe I shouldn’t have, dear. Maybe if I had, we’d be ... closer, happier?”

Being closer wouldn’t necessarily make me any happier, Lorraine wanted to say, but of course she didn’t.

Redirecting the subject, Lorraine said, “And it’s really a great idea, I’m telling you.”

“It’s not that free school thing, is it?”

“Learning centers, Mom, and yes, it is. What doesn’t sound good about that?”

“Why, nothing at all, dear.” Sally took another sip. “I’m just saying, and I know this from years of dealing with Section 8, HUD housing, some people don’t want to be helped. They don’t want a leg up. They want a free ride.”

“No, Mom, I’m not going to listen to another one of your rants — ”

“What, rants? And it’s not a race thing, dear, it’s not. It’s the lower classes of any race or color. You start off wanting to help them, then all they do is take, take, take. Eventually, they turn on you, Lorraine, you mark my words; they turn on you.”