After having been out of the office for so long, Nathan had a lot of catching up to do. Thus, for the first week or so, he was seldom home. He left before dawn every day and came backte at night, which meant that Crystal seldom saw him. Unfortunately, he called her on the phone all the time.


    Sometimes Crystal thought about ignoring his calls, but she never did. She knew better than to risk upsetting him.


    Crystal spent most of her time on the first floor with Nancy and rk. She and Nancy would sit on the couch, talking and drinking tea while the boy yed with his toys on the floor.


    There were toys everywhere.


    "Mommy, look at me!" rk had a transformer in his hand, and he was flying it around the room. "Bumblebee is flying!" he shouted gleefully.


    Nancy apuded. "Sweetie, you are amazing!"


    This had all been arranged by Nathan, and Crystal knew that it was anotherponent of a trap that he was setting for her. Nancy would be grateful to anyone who was kind to her son, and he knew that Crystal cared about her friend. He was doing all of these nice things to get closer to her. He did not really care about rk or Nancy.


    Suddenly, rk grabbed Nancy''s hand and said, "Mommy, I want to go on the merry-go-round."


    "Okay, Mommy will take you!" There was a miniature merry-go-round in the center of the room. It had two seats, and they were adorned with red gems and blue crystals. One was blue, and the other was red.


    rk was dressed in a white suit, and when he was sitting on the ride, he looked like a handsome prince. He held on to the little blue horse and pointed to the little red horse, and said, "That seat is for my sister."


    "Who? Which sister do you mean? "Nancy was confused by what rk had said.


    "Uncle Davis told me that I would have a sister," rk exined.


    Nancy touched her son''s head and said, "Okay, I''ll get started on making one for you right away."


    "Thanks, Mommy." rk grinned. "I will y with my sisterter."


    "Sounds like fun." Nancy turned to Crystal. "I''m going to the hospital this afternoon to see my Dad. Can you take care of rk for me?"


    "No problem. But where is Noah going?"


    "I have no idea," Nancy admitted. "I haven''t seen him sincest night."


    "What do you think of him?" Crystal asked.


    Nancy''s brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Why do you ask?"


    "He is your husband?" Crystal replied bluntly.


    "That is true." Nancyughed. "I forgot about that. He is nice, but I don''t have feelings for him."


    Crystal frowned. "What kind of person do you have feelings for? Are you looking for another Paul? You loved him so much, but what did you get at the end other than a failed marriage?"


    "I don''t want to be with anyone," Nancy exined. "I''ve got rk, and he is my entire world."


    "You are my world too," rk interrupted.


    "Yes, rk." Nancy smiled and gave her son a kiss. "And soon, you will be an adult. Then you will be able to take care of me, so why do I have to get married?"


    "That''s a long time to wait," Crystal remarked. She picked up her cup of tea and said, "You seem to have a problem taking care of yourself. Even if you don''t have feelings for Noah, he could be useful. Do you disagree?"


    Nancy frowned. "Why would I need a man when I have you?"


    Crystal was taken aback by her friend''s words. "Did you think that I would stay with you forever?"


    Nancy burst into tears. "You... w-want to l -leave me?" she stammered.


    Crystal sighed. "I didn''t say that, but you are acting like a child!"


    Nancy turned away. "I thought you were my friend..." she cried.


    "Don''t be like that," Crystal grumbled. "I came here to give you a surprise, but all you want to do is give me the cold shoulder!"


    Nancy''s eyes lit up, and she forgot her frustration. "What''s the surprise?"


    Crystal snapped her fingers, and Serenity walked through the door.


    "Serenity!" Nancy was so excited that she jumped up and embraced her old friend.


    "I missed you so much." Serenity weed her with open arms.


    Nancy turned to her son and said, "rk, this is your Aunt Serenity."


    Serenity "Boops his nose and said, "Thest time I saw you, you were just a bump in your mother''s belly, now you''re nearly a man!"


    rk''s chest puffed out with pride, and for a moment, he looked like the man he would grow up to be.


    Once they were done catching up, Serenity handed Crystal a sealed envelope. Inside it was the DNA test that would prove if Paul and Crystal were rted one way or the other.


    Crystal was hesitant to open it. On the one hand, she did not want to be rted to Paul. If she were, though, then it would be a major step towards discovering more about her heritage.


    "Come on. Open it!" Nancy was more anxious than Crystal was.


    Finally, Crystal cracked the seal, and after reading the results, she said, "The test results are negative. We''re not rted."


    ****


    Nancy and Serenity were going to the hospital, and Crystal was staying behind with rk and Noah. On their way out the door, Serenity hugged Crystal and asked, "When are you going back to school?"


    Crystal shook her head sadly and said, "I''m not sure." Nathan had suspended her from going to school.


    Serenity nodded. She did not approve, but she understood.


    Shortly after they left, a servant picked up the phone and said, "Mrs. Davis, Mr. Davis wants to speak to you. "


    "I''m not Mrs. Davis!" Crystal snapped. That train had passed ages ago!


    "He''s still on the phone..."


    "Just say that I''m sleeping."


    ***


    By the time Nathan returned home from work, everyone was eating. He waste because he''d stopped to purchase more toys for rk, a baby cradle, and an assortment of baby clothes.


    rk was excited about the toys, and as he took them out of their bag, he showed Nancy. "Mommy!" he eximed. "Uncle Davis bought me more toys. This time he brought me a remote-control car, a small ne, and a train."


    "Did you say thank you to Uncle Davis?"


    rk''s cheeks turned red. He turned to Nathan and said, "Thank you, Uncle Davis."


    "You''re wee." Nathan chuckled. He patted the boy on the head and said, "Now why don''t you sit back at the table. You can y with your new toys once you have finished eating."


    rk nodded. "Yes, Sir."


    Nathan hung up his coat.. He joined them at the table, and as he poured his first ss of wine, it began to snow outside.