Two weeks later:

Denise got off the phone with AJ and went directly to Brooke’s house. She finally had the answer as to why she hadn’t heard from Alissa in weeks now. Brooke answered the door and immediately tried to close it when she saw AJ’s mother.

“Please Brooke, don’t shut me out.” Denise pleaded.

“Why? I don’t owe you anything and your son doesn’t deserve anything.” she said bitterly.

“I didn’t come here to argue. AJ is still my son….”

“And Alissa is still my cousin!”

Denise sighed. “I know. I love AJ but want he did was wrong. I wanted to let Alissa know that I still care about her and I want her to know that I will be here if she needs anything.”

Brooke was about to close the door again when Alissa called out to her and asked her to let Denise in.  Brooke grudgingly opened the door and let Denise by. The two women went down to the kitchen and found Alissa sitting at the table.

“Can you give Denise and me a couple minutes to talk?” Alissa asked her cousin.

“Are you sure?”

“Please Brooke?”

“Fine. I’ll be in the living room.”

Once Brooke left, Denise got to take a look at Alissa. The woman in front of her bore no resemblance to the Alissa she knew. She looked tired, overwhelmed and in pain. She was starting to show and Denise regretted the fact that AJ wasn’t there.

“I’m so sorry Alissa. I had no idea what had happened until AJ and I spoke this morning. Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t want you to be in the middle. He’s your son Denise. You need to support him, not me. He’s made it very clear that he’s done and I’m too tired to fight anymore. I have nothing left and I just want to think about what’s best for my baby right now.”

“I know he’s my son but that doesn’t mean I agree with what he’s done. I don’t. I’m furious with him for doing this to you. I have no idea what he’s thinking right now.”

Alissa stood up and went to get a glass of water. “Look Denise, I appreciate you coming here and checking on me. I’m going to be ok and I’ll get through this. I want you to know that I will never keep your grandchild from you no matter how AJ feels. I just can’t do this with you now. I’m sorry.”

Alissa left Denise sitting in the kitchen and returned to her bedroom. She crawled into bed thinking about how she just lied. She wasn’t going to be ok and she had no idea how to get through this.