Summary of the previous chapter: Alex finally confesses the whole story.

Bette and Tina stared at Alex in shock neither knew what to say. Remembering their own intense grief over Tinas miscarriage, they could only imagine the grief that Alex had carried in silence for so many years.

Discretely, Bette and Tina held hands as they sat on the couch. Even after all of their years, Bette had no idea of what to say to Alex. Eventually, Alex leaned her head back against the wall and slowly exhaled. She continued to talk as if there were no one there.

I told Catherine that I didnt care what we had as long as it was healthy, but that was a lie. I wanted a little girl so badly. I know that if we had a son, I would have fallen in love immediately, but my fantasies were always for a daughter. If it was a son, we were going to name him after our fathers, Patrick Karol.

Alex finally looked up and at Bette. If it was a girl, we were going to name her after you and Catherines mother. She was going to be Elizabeth Eileen. I was going to raise her to be a Betty Balls, Jr.. Alex chuckled. Not with all of your faults, though. I was going to raise her to be the Betty Balls that you show to the world: smart, confident, *****, especially confident. I wanted her to know that she could own the world just because she was herself.

Bette smiled at the though of Betty Balls, Jr. without her faults.

Alex smiled at her memory and kept talking. She was going to be beautiful. Between Catherine and Janos she was guaranteed dark hair. I hoped she would get her Mothers black Irish eyes: dark brown. The black Irish are descendents of the Spanish sailors who came ashore after the defeat of the Armada, you know. Anyway, I bet she would have been fair skinned like Catherine, probably at least as tall as Catherine. She would have been one beautiful little girl.

Yeah, she would have. Bette said softly. Betty Balls, Jr. would have been one incredible child.