Ten minutes

Emotions fill Bret's eyes as he's reassured by Charlotte that he is good enough and that she will not leave. After Maria, his greatest fear was going through that heartache all over again, so just having Charlotte assure him now was more than he could ask for.

As his thoughts are brought to their unborn child, he looks down at his hand as he can just barely feel movement. His eyes come back up to his wife's and they glisten in the dim light. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the stress, or maybe it was relief. Regardless, only she would see the tear in his eye before he leans in to press his lips to hers.

He was sorry their day had turned out so poorly and that they had fought. But as confident as she was about staying with him, so too was he confident that he could never let her go. Taking her into an embrace as the kiss lingers, all he cares about now is how much he loved her.


Eli looks up at Ryan and grins. "Alright... I'll give it a shot. Anything I got left back in Florida, I can have my buddy send to me. If I can actually find a job around here, most of my paycheck will be going towards my debt. But if you can stand me being here for a while... I'll be able to make it up to you eventually. Unless you can help me find a cheap place so I won't have to take up your spare room any longer."

Taking another sip of beer, he grimaces. "This doesn't even taste good tonight." Setting it down, he sighs and glances to Ryan again. "You're the best sister any guy could ever ask for, and don't you forget it. Pops would be so proud of you."


Sparky grins as he and Faith walk back towards the dining hall. It felt natural for them to link arms. He couldn't explain it, but over the course of just a few hours, he felt like old friends. He didn't know if she did or not, but he at least felt as though this afternoon had been a lifetime.

Arriving inside, many of the others have already gathered. Sparky points towards a middle table. "Looks like Annie saved you a spot." He lets her arm slide from his. "I'll see you later."

In the kitchen, the phone rings and Becky sets down a basket of rolls to answer it. Hearing who it was, she quickly sets down the receiver and goes to find Rosetta and BJ, who were joining in tonight.

Leaning down so only Rosetta could hear, Becky keeps her voice low. "Brenda gave Mick ten minutes on the phone - he's waiting for you."

...Mick bites his lip as he leans on the kitchen counter, alone in the room. He was doing well enough that Adam and Brenda agreed he could have minimal contact with his family now. A ten minute phone call was an eternity compared to the silence over the last week and a half. He only hoped Rosetta would actually want to talk to him.