They pulled into the driveway of her parents' house and got out of the car. The lights were on inside making her frown.

"Everyone is awake waiting for you." He says as he takes out her luggage from the trunk.

Just then the front door opens, and both her parents come out. "Mom, Dad." She cries out as they embrace her.

They all went inside, and Mila gave her grandmother a long hug as well as Selena, who was also there.

"Where's Ian?" She asks her.

"He has work in the morning, he apologizes that he couldn't be here, and he'll be at the hospital right after he gets off." She informs her.

"It's fine Sel, I've missed you." They hug again and as they all got settled Jared announces,

"I should get going." He didn't want to leave, especially now that Mila was here but he knew he had too.

Mila felt disappointed. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow or rather later on today?" She says with a hint of hope in her tone.

He smiles. "Of course, I'll see you guys at the hospital." With that he says his goodbyes and left.

Mila suddenly felt tired. "Get some sleep, we'll go see grandpa first thing in the morning." Her father tells her and both her and Selena went up to her room since she planned to stay the rest of the night. They lay down in her bed with the lights off.

"I'm glad your back Mil, it's not quite the same without you."

She smiles sleepily. "Well I haven't said anything to anyone else, except to Jared, but I'm staying fer good."

Her best friend sat up fast. "Are you serious?! Oh my god Mila that's great! You told Jared before me!" She swats at her.

Mila couldn't help but chuckle at her dramatics. She sits up as well and faces her. "We actually talked for a while the other day on the phone. I tried calling my mom, but he answered instead, and it was just like old times. We talked about everything." She tells her and feeling grateful that the time apart let the feeling of betrayal and anger reside, although she still didn't understand the feeling, but it was there, nonetheless.

"He told you about Stacy?" Selena asks bewilderedly.

Mila frowns. "Stacy? Who's Stacy?"

Selena quickly lied down. "No one, so how do you think you'll react to seeing Evan and Kristan? Oh you still haven't met Shasta! She's the cutest little girl." She changes the topic quickly.

Mila laid down next to her again. "I don't know. I just hope I'm ready for this. When I had decided to came back I knew I would have to face them eventually."

Selena nodded her head in agreement. "It's a mess, their relationship, they're not together anymore haven't been since Shasta turned a year old which was like four years ago but those two don't get along at all. Poor Shasta that she has to watch her parents be like that."

Selena rolls over to look at her. "It's so sad really, that a five year old knows her godfather's number by heart and calls him to come get her when her parents start fighting. I was with Jared one time when she did that. He was so pissed that when he got there he didn't tell them anything. He just grabbed her, and we left."

She frowns. "They live together?" She asks seeming to be a bit confused.

Selena shook her head. "No, Evan got a really good job. After college he started his own company in the realtor business. He's really good at it. Owns his own house and every ching. Who knew he would have a knack at selling houses." Selena sounded surprised.

She was surprised as well. So Evan turned out alright after all. Well good for him. "What about Kristan, what does she do?"

Mila couldn't see it, but Selena rolls her eyes. "She's not doing anything but collecting Evan's child support checks."

Figures, what else is new about her cousin.

"How is she surviving on just those?"

"Mila, Evan's rich, so they're pretty big checks."

Mila sits up at that. "What? Rich?!"

"I know why do the undeserving get the good shit in life." Selena smiles when she thought of her brother.

She wasn't going to tell Mila that he was also rich, richer than Evan. She figured she'll let her find out on her own. Mila laid back down with her mind reeling over the thought. He may be rich but was he happy? Somehow she didn't think so.

When morning came Mila and Selena got woken up by someone yelling, "Auntie Sel, auntie Sel!" and a little body jumping on Mila's bed.

She poked her head out from under the covers and saw pretty green eyes staring right at her.

Mila blinked and then smiles. "Hello" she says, her voice groggy from sleep, to the little girl who was adamantly staring at her.

Then she gives a huge smile of her own. "My name is Shasta, like the Shasta Mountain." She tells her in a cute little voice.

Mila sits up. "Why hello Shasta. I'm Mila, your momma's cousin."

The little girl titled her head to one side and did the cutest like frown that Mila had ever seen. "You don't look a buck tooth uno brow whore."

"Shasta!" Selena sat up with an appalling look.

Shasta's eyes filled with tears at the hard look she was giving her. "Don't you ever say that again! Who told you to say such a thing?!"

Mila's heart went out to the little girl, who put her head down in shame. "Momma said that, but you're not! I think you real pretty." She says looking at Mila.

Selena cursed under her breath. "Sorry honey, don't repeat that but you shouldn't say such mean things. That wasn't very nice of your momma to say."

"I'm sorry." She rubs her hand against her eyes smearing her tears on her pretty little face.

Everyone was right she did take after Evan in looks. She had blonde curly hair, green eyes and the cutest little dimples. "Aww sweetling, it's alright. But your aunt Sel is right you shouldn't repeat what you hear adults say okay."

Shasta nods her head then moves to sit right into her lap. Mila looks over at Selena, not knowing what she should do. Her friend just smiles and gets out of bed. "Come on booger lets go downstairs." She reaches out her hand towards her.

The little girl gets up and runs to clutch Selena's hand, then looks back at Mila "Aren't you coming too Millie?"

Selena laughs. "Looks like you got a new nickname."

Mila got out of bed, a warmth filling her chest at hearing the little girl giving her a new name. "Of course I'm coming."

They all went downstairs and into the kitchen. Mila came up short when she heard Kristan's voice. "How long is she staying?"

She heard her aunt, Kristan's mom, sigh. "I'm not sure, why do you care? It's her home and truthfully I hope she stays for good. It will be good for grandpa."

Kristan snorts at that. "Grandpa has Shasta to be his favorite now. I don't see how she's going to make things better."

"Good morning." Mila says as she walks in.

Kristan turns at the sound of her voice. "Mila, it's nice to see you grace you presence after six years." She taunts sarcastically.

Kristan was a beauty alright, but her personality didn't change much and judging by her expensive attire, her hair highlighted and permed, nails manicured. She could see where all Evan's checks were going.

"It's nice to see you too Kris." She knew her tone said otherwise, but she wasn't going to allow her to make her feel bad for running away all those years ago.

"Shasta get over here now!" she sternly says to her daughter, who was holding Selena's hand.

"But I want to stay with auntie Sel." She takes hold of Selena's hand with both of hers and hides behind it.

"I said now! And I've told you a thousand times not to call her that, she isn't your aunt!" Kristan was getting angry causing Mila to scowl at her.

"But daddy said I could." This time the girl hid behind Selena's leg, looking at her mom with frightened eyes.

"Kris stop yelling at her like that she didn't do anything wrong." Kristan's mother snaps with a hard look at her daughter.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to talk to that damn father of yours again."

"Watch your language around her!" Her mother yells, her face going red from her growing anger.

Mila has never seen her aunt take a stand against Kristan like that before and she had to admit she enjoyed it.

"Hello!" They all turn in the direction of the voice.

Mila watch as Shasta's face beam and jets out of the kitchen yelling, "Uncle Jared!"

They all hear him laugh and say, "Hey there's my baby girl!" They hear the little girl giggle and in the next moment Jared turns into the kitchen presenting himself, holding her.

"Good morning Jared." Mila's aunt states with relief on her face.

She wondered at it, but then it became clear when Kristan straightened up and walks over to him. "Yes good morning Jared." She says sweetly her demeanor completely changing a one eighty in a heartbeat.

Wow guess things haven't changed much, she thought to herself watching them.

"Morning ladies." He says then looks over at Shasta when she starts tapping him on the shoulder.

In a loud juicy whisper she tells him, "I met momma's cousin, she said she was ugly, but I don't think she's ugly. I think she's really pretty."

Kristan's face turns a bright red as Selena and Mila cover their smiles. Jared looks at Kristan with a frown. "Is that so?" he asks looking back at his god daughter. Shasta nods her head vigorously.

"Well I would have to disagree with you booger butt, I don't think she's pretty either." He says to her and Shasta's little face frowns.

Mila's eyes widen at that.

"You don't?" she asks with disbelief.

He shakes his head. "No I don't, I think she's absolutely beautiful, just like I think you're beautiful."

Shasta giggles with joy and Mila couldn't keep the flaming blush from coming at that statement, but she was pleased even though Jared was saying it to the five year old and just agreeing with her, most likely out of spite for Kristan.

Who now had a scowl on her face.

"Anyways, do we still have plans to take Shasta to the zoo later?"

Everyone looked at Kristan and Mila frowns at her question. Since when did Jared start accompany Kristan on outings like they were a family?

"Kris I don't think we should today, with Cale in the hospital, I think its best that we do it some other time." He tells her.

Then he says, "Have you contacted Evan? I'm surprised he isn't here yet."

Mila stiffened at the mention of Evan being here. Was she ready to see him? How will she react when she does?

"Now why do I care if he is here or not?" Kristan scoffs as she crosses her arms.

Jared sighs and looks back at Shasta. "Come on booger butt, let's go see great grandpa."

Mila watches the little girl wrap her arms around his neck and lay her head down on his shoulder. She couldn't help thinking that one day Jared was going to be a great father to his own children.

He looks over to her and asks, "Do you have a ride?"

She shakes her head. "No, I didn't have enough time to rent a car and my own is back in Arizona."

"You can ride along with me then." He quickly inputs before anybody could offer to take her with them.

"I'll go with you guys too. I don't like driving by myself besides, I want to spend as much time as I can with my best friend." Selena also states quickly, holding onto Mila's arm.

"What about me?" Kristan starts to get angry.

She was planning on going with Jare., She loved it when she could pretend they were a real family, that Jared was her husband and Shasta was their daughter and not Evan's. But now all his attention was going back to that damn cousin of hers. What was it with him and Evan pinning after her? When she got into it with Evan, he always through it in her face about how she destroyed everything, that she made him lose the love of his life, which was Mila. Kristan would get so mad she would start destroying his personal things and say mean things about his so called lost love.

"You can go with me my dear." Her mother answers and Kristan rolls her eyes with a heated look upon her face.