She's my...

Liz gasps. "You're taking my job! Oh, the horrors!" Then she blinks. "Oh, wait. Yes! Aha!" She grins evilly at Axel. "Take that, you lawyer, you. Now who's gonna make the big bucks, eh?"

The microwave beeps, making Liz jump. "Ooh, the popcorn is done. Who wants some?"

"Me!" Nick raises his hand. As soon as Liz is up and has her back turned, he reaches across the board, stealing his sister's money to hide under the board, just to be ornery.

Axel keeps a straight face, knowing better than to blow Nick's joke.


Carson’s eyes stay glued to the table, not even looking up as Misty joins him. He leans into her a little bit as she puts an arm around him, but doesn't shift his weight.

"I suppose you know about my brother. Or half brother. Or whatever." He gives a little sigh. "Guess maybe that whole thing bothers me more than I thought."

But that wasn't the only thing. There was something much greater. He could rationalize his way through the issue of Alec. But this... no... he just couldn't seem to. Fidgeting with the bottle in his hand, he stares at it. The battle hadn't gotten much easier as he'd waited for Misty to arrive. It had only worsened.

“A woman paid me a visit today. She, um… she’s from Arizona. She… works with social services.”

Swallowing hard, Carson gestures for Misty to get up, and slides from the booth as well. Taking the bottle, he slowly wanders to the kitchen, knowing Misty will follow. Flipping on the light, he goes to the sink, staring at it for several moments, unwilling to look up at Misty.

“She showed me a picture of… of a little girl who is… around ten years old, and…”

He stops, tipping the bottle up and letting the whiskey pour out into the sink and down the drain. Watching it circle around and down, he lets it go, knowing good and well that if Misty had not come, he would eventually have given in.

Once the alcohol is gone, he finally looks up, the emotions running wildly through his eyes. “The little girl... she’s my daughter.”