“MOM! DAD! We’re here,” Brian called as we walked out of the snow and into his parent’s house.

“Brian, is that you?” I heard Jackie call from the kitchen.

“Yeah, mom, it’s me,” he called back as Jackie came around the corner, a huge smile on her face.

“DADDY!” we heard Baylee squeal as he came from the living room. He was running as fast as his nearly 3-year-old legs could carry him. Brian knelt down so that he was at Baylee’s level, and he pulled his son into his arms, giving him a big hug.

“Hey buddy! I missed you,” he said, sharing a private moment with our son despite the people standing all around us.      

“I missed you too, daddy. And Mel, too,” he smiled a big, toothy grin similar to his father’s.

I knelt down to their level, too, so Baylee could give me a hug. “I missed you, too, buddy,” I smiled, hugging him close to me, glad to have him back in my arms.

When I pulled away and stood up, Jackie immediately traded places with Baylee, hugging me tightly and securely in her arms, even bypassing her own son so she could hug me first. “I’m so glad you’re here, Mel. I used to ask Brian what happened to you all the time, and when he told me that you hosted the morning show in Atlanta, let me tell you, I made sure I was up every morning to listen to you on the Internet.”

I smiled sweetly at the woman in front of me, amazed that she cared enough to get up early every morning just to listen to me. “I missed you, too, Jackie. I was so nervous on the plane, but then I remember the first time I had met you and how sweet you were, and I felt like I was coming home.”

“You are always welcome here, dear,” she returned my smile.

She then turned to her son, grabbing him in a hug while Harold hugged me. “Hey Harold. I hope this little one hasn’t been giving you too much trouble,” I smiled, referring to Baylee.

“Oh, he’s definitely a handful. He’s just like Brian used to be: extremely hyper and ultra curious,” he laughed.

“Ummm… Harold, I hate to break it to you, but Brian is STILL extremely hyper and ultra curious,” I laughed along with Brian’s dad.

“Hey, no talking about me, unless it’s something good,” Brian interrupted.

“Well, I guess we won’t ever be talking about you, then,” Harold laughed, causing me to crack up as well.

“Harold, Melanie, behave,” Jackie interjected at Brian’s hurt face before breaking into laughter herself.

“I can see I am not appreciated here, so I will just take my son into the living room and spend some time with him,” Brian pouted. Baylee had other plans, though, as he latched on to my leg, begging me to pick him up.

I reached down and lifted him into my arms, and when I did, my ring caught the light, catching both Harold and Jackie’s eyes. “That’s a beautiful ring, Mel. Is that the engagement ring your husband gave you?” Jackie asked.

I shared a look with Brian, who nodded ever-so-slightly letting me know it was okay to tell them. “Actually, Jackie, this ring was from Brian,” I admitted, adjusting Baylee in my arms so that we were both more comfortable.

Jackie’s eyes turned to her son, silently asking the question on her mind. “Mel and I are going to get married after the trial with Leighanne is over,” Brian explained. While he was talking, I felt Baylee’s head start to droop onto my shoulder as he fell asleep.

“I’m going to go take Baylee upstairs for his nap,” I quietly informed the others, turning to go upstairs with Baylee still in my arms.

“I’ll go with you, and when we get back, we’ll explain everything to you, mom… and dad,” Brian promised. At their nod, he followed me up the stairs to Baylee’s room.

We tucked him into bed, watching him for a couple minutes while he slept. He was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. He was so full of life and energy, and he always made the people around him smile. He was a lot like Brian in that way. No matter what Brian was doing, he could always make the fans around him feel comfortable and smile. Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at our boy sleeping soundly. I was afraid of losing him… or losing moments like this. The cases hadn’t been going in our favor at all. Brian and I were running ourselves ragged because we were both too scared to sleep. The nightmares that we were both having were too much for us to take, so instead, we slept only as much as necessary for survival.

“Are you ready?” Brian sighed. I just nodded, too chocked up to respond. “Here we go, then.”

We walked down the stairs, hand-in- hand to find Jackie and Harold waiting for us at the dining room table. Brian held out my chair for me before taking his own beside me.

“I know what you’re both thinking…” Brian began, but Jackie cut him off.

“Brian, what are you doing? You know how this family feels about marriage and faithfulness,” she lectured.

“Mom, it’s not as easy as you make it out to be. A lot has happened over the last four years that I tried to hide from you,” Brian admitted.

“Like what?” she asked, her face showing her worry.

“Like the fact that Leighanne has been cheating on me since before we even got married,” he whispered, ashamed.

“She what?!” Harold loudly bellowed. It was obvious that he was upset.

“I didn’t find out until a couple years ago, and even then, I wasn’t sure. But this whole mess with her in court helped me see that it was true. We talked to a couple of producers and directors she’s worked with, and they all admitted to sleeping with her during our marriage and before our marriage, but they refused to testify on the stand,” he told them the whole story.

“I can’t believe she would do something like that,” Jackie seemed amazed. I scoffed before I could even think to stop myself. At both Jackie and Harold’s looks, I looked down, ashamed I had let that slip so easily.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. I just get so frustrated with the fact that she can fool everyone with her innocent act and be so cruel and unforgiving to me without regard for my feelings or my rights,” I explained.

Luckily, Brian spoke up, explaining to them what I was talking about. “Leighanne has done some of the most awful things to Melanie that I have ever seen… and, regretfully, I helped her with some of them,” he said, looking down in shame for a second before continuing. “Mel and I met up again during the group’s hiatus. We ended up sleeping together after we realized that we still loved each other, even after all these years. I broke all things off with her, though, when Leighanne found out. A few months later, Mel found out she was pregnant with Baylee,” Brian paused at his parents’ gasps of shock. When they had recovered, he continued. “Leighanne came up with the idea to pretend she was pregnant and for Mel to sign over all her parental rights to Leighanne… and Mel only agreed to it because I asked her to.” I could tell it was difficult for him to admit all the mistakes he had made to his parents. He had always lived to make them proud of him. He lived for their love and support, and I knew he was afraid that after admitting the truth, he would lose that.

“I was already distraught after Brian walked away from our love for the second time, so I wasn’t thinking clearly. And when Brian asked me to follow Leighanne’s plan, my heart shattered, and I never thought it would heal again. So, several months later, Baylee was born and I ran away. I eventually ran to my best friend, John, and married him, agreeing to be his cover for his secret life. See, John’s actually gay, but he was trying to break into the Christian music industry. Anyway, Brian hired John and I to help him with his project without knowing who I was. When we met up again, we both realized what we had given up by giving up on each other. Brian was a mess. He looked as tortured as I felt. And I wasn’t much better off, spending all my days alone in my house, torturing myself by watching Brian and Baylee on TV. Brian and I were lucky enough to get one more chance to be together, and we know that it may seem wrong to others what we’re doing, but I just can’t see how wanting to be with the one person in life who makes you complete can be wrong. I love him, and I know that he feels the same about me. My life means nothing without Brian and Baylee in it, and if that means sacrificing everything I have ever known, then so be it. I’m not going to give them up again without a fight. I know what’s it’s like without them now, and I won’t let that happen again. And I won’t let Baylee go through life thinking his mother is Leighanne and that she doesn’t really love him. He’s an amazing kid and he deserves better than that… and so does your son,” I finished for Brian, not really having anything more to say.

“Mom, Dad, I know it may seem like I’ve made a mess of my life… and for awhile I did, but I am trying to make things right. Mel is the best thing to ever happen to me. She makes me feel like I can do anything. She gives me strength and a reason to smile every day. I know I’ve made some mistakes in my life, but the only things I’ve ever done right involve Mel,” Brian also added before turning silent.

I watched Jackie and Harold as they processed everything we had told them. I was nervous about their reaction, but I knew that they had a right to know. They had always been supportive of Brian and his choices before, so I just hoped they would follow that pattern today.

I heard Jackie release a sigh before finally addressing us. “I can’t say I like the situation, Brian. I don’t think I have ever been more… questioning… of your choices in my entire life. I’m not going to say that I’m okay with it, because I’m not, but you are my son, and I support you no matter what,” Jackie lectured. I could tell Brian was disappointed by her response, but I could also see a sense of determination in his eyes, telling me nothing would make him back down from his decision.

“I’m not happy with the way you handled this, Son, but I’m with your mother on this. You are my son, and I will support you no matter what,” Harold added.

“That’s all I ask. I never expected you to understand, I just wanted your support,” he replied back. And with that said, Brian and I retreated upstairs to follow in our son’s steps and take a long, well-deserved nap.