"Hey Diane, do you have a minute?" Will asked her from the doorway of her office.

"Sure, come in."

"So I know we voted to give Carey the junior associates position, but I have a favor to ask of you."

"Am I going to like the favor?"

"I don't think so, but I'm going to ask anyway. I have a friend who hasn't practiced law for a while, but is down on her luck and needs a job to help her get back on her feet."

Diane stared at Will for a moment, "Alicia asked you for a job didn't she?"

"Yeah," Will said feeling guilty.

"Run it by the partners and I'll go with whatever they say. We can't afford to keep both, so at some point, we will have to decide which one to keep Carey or Alicia."

"Thank you, and when the time comes to make that decision, I can deliver it if you would like."

"Thank you, I just might take you up on that." Will started to walk out of the office, "Will," Diane called and he turned around, "thank you for helping my daughter. You're a better mother than me." Diane smiled and went back to work. Will left for his office but wasn't smiling. He had seen Diane as a mother and grandmother, and he knew how amazing she was. Three of her children went to law school because she inspired them to.

Diane wasn't sure about Alicia joining the firm, but the partners agreed to it. Diane had gone home the night of the vote. She didn't want to influence it in any way. Will texted her, later on, to tell her that the partners voted to hire Alicia. The next few weeks Diane spent worrying about seeing Alicia again. She knew her daughter needed the job. Diane had hoped that once they had their first encounter that everything would be easier.

"Dad, I just keep thinking I may have made a mistake," Alicia told her father.

"I think this will be good for you and your mother."

"Really? Why?"

"Alicia, you have the wrong impression of your mother. I don't know when, but you have forgotten every wonderful thing your mother did for you before that fight."

"It was too painful to remember those things when I was angry."

"Your mother found it too painful to remember you."

"So she decided to forget about me?"

"Your mom could never forget about you. She tried and even took your pictures down. Every time she looked at them she would cry. She has never gotten over losing you. Your mom is just as scared as you are about this."

"Really?"

"The day of your wedding, do you know what she did?" Alicia shook her head. "She watched every home movie of you. When we got home she was asleep on the couch with your baby blanket, and paused on the screen was your college graduation. We could all tell she had been crying."

Alicia felt tears welling in her eyes, "I was so stupid. I cut my mother out all because she was trying to look out for me. I broke her heart for a man who ended up breaking mine."

"Your mom keeps asking me how you're doing. She doesn't want to upset you more right now, but I wanted you to know."

"Do you think this is a good idea?"

"The best"

If Alicia hadn't married Peter, she would not have her children. She had more wonderful years with Peter than horrible ones, but he made up for that in one year. Alicia didn't realize it at the time, but her husband cheating on her would end up being the best thing to ever happen to her. It would help her find strength and independence she never knew she had. She would find her way back to her mother, and even back to the true love of her life.