Out of the Blue

Chapter 2

Russell paced in front of his eight- in front of eight of his children. He was in Italy, where the majority of them lived. They were currently at the estate of Marcy and Mal in her office. Marcus, Michael, Judy, Rose and Jeanette sat behind him, already knowing what he was going to spill.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Quinn wondered why he was acting this way.

He gulped and looked at his green eyed baby. He was about to wreck her world. Again. "I did a bad thing."

"Oh La!" Marcy's head fell back and she rolled her own pine eyes. "Didja cheat again?"

Russell huffed. Why did she know everything?! "No!"

"Then it can't be that bad. Unburden your soul."

Maddie giggled.

Russell knew Marcy was telling him to spit it out. "I cheated on your mother more than once."

"What?!" Laura, Mercedes, Quinn and Maddie were deeply shocked.

Marc, Mike and Mal winced.

"So?" Marcy scratched her eye scar.

Russell brightened and inched her way. "It was thrice."

"What?!" The other girls weren't handling it well.

"The first time was with a woman named Dana."

Marcy's eyes widened. "Are you serious?!"

"Do you know her?" Russell was confused.

"You got her pregnant!"

He gasped.

Laura, Marc, Mike, Mercedes, Quinn, Mal and Maddie gasped.

"How do you know that?!"

Marcy's brain worked at hyper-speed. "You want us to meet this kid!"

"Stop that!"

Quinn felt like swooning. "No!"

"Lucy!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Lucy." Mercedes took her hand.

Quinn laid all over her wife. "No."

Mike rubbed her back. "You just found out, didn't you?"

Russell forgot his children were too smart. He rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Yes."

"Is it a boy?" Mal asked hopefully.

Russell's lips almost betrayed him. "No."

Mal threw himself back.

"Sorry, Jr. You're still the youngest boy."

Mal scowled.

Marcy rubbed his back with a heavy eye-roll. "Why'd her mom call you up out the blue?"

"She's been fighting a disease for many years now and can't control her. Lisa has been getting into fights at school, shoplifting and hanging round the wrong crowd. She's headed down a dark path." Russell explained.

"Her name's Lisa?" Mercedes cut through the quiet.

Russell turned to her. "Yes."

"What do you want from us?" Maddie refused to give it either way.

Russell saw it in her cedar eyes, too. "I would like for you to welcome her to the family."

Maddie scoffed as she sat back and crossed her arms.

Quinn wholeheartedly agreed. "No way."

"Girls!" He snapped.

Laura swallowed thickly. "We will do as you require."