Or are you?

Mackenzie's eyes were full of silent hope as Misty talks about having her come visit. She'd been told "no" so many times for grown-up reasons she didn't understand, that hope had been waning lately. But already the wheels in her young mind were turning about how she could convince her parents to let her come. 

As Misty says she's going to be a big sister, Mackenzie's eyes widen. A sister? But... what... how...? Then she realizes just what Misty meant, and a smile spreads on her face. She didn't quite understand, since Carson wasn't here anymore, but somehow it must have still worked. "Wow... really?" She glances to Misty's tummy then back up again. "I... I think I'd like to be a big sister." 

Standing off to the side, a soft smile comes to Justin's face. He hadn't known Misty was pregnant, and he could sense that this scene was both sad and happy. He assumed the baby was Carson's - otherwise he didn't think Misty would have said it the way she did, and she didn't seem the type of woman to have had a relationship with anybody else. How heart-wrenching it must be for her though, to have had her husband walk out at a time like this. 

Mackenzie nods a little, still in wonderment. "I think it would be fun." 

Though not wanting to break up the family time, Justin knew he'd already pressed his luck with Ken. "Mackenzie," he interrupts gently. "I'm gonna call your dad now, okay?" 

Mackenzie sighs but nods. "Okay. Just... tell him not to yell at me?" 

Justin shakes his head. "I don't think he will. But we talked about why he'd be upset, right?" 

"Yeah." Seeing Justin retreat to make call, Mackenzie moves around to slide down on the couch between Alec and Misty. "I like it here," she states flatly. There was something in the atmosphere she liked here. Even though things with Carson had messed it all up, this felt like... home. She knew she was loved by Ken and Jeanette and she loved her adopted sister too. Maybe she really wouldn't want to trade it all, but she did wish she could at least visit here more often.

"I like it here too," Alec admits. 

Turning her head, Mackenzie furrows her brow. "So you never told me why you live here now. Is it 'cause my dad left?" 

"Ah..." Alec scrunches his nose. "No... not exactly." 

"Were you here before or after he left?" 

"After." 

Mackenzie squints at him, her mind wandering back to being a big sister. "Is my dad the daddy or are you?" 

Alec's eyes widen and he can't bring himself to even look at Misty. "Well your dad, of course!" 

"Oh." She shrugs. "I was just checking 'cause he's been gone and I know how things work." 

Alec now tries not to laugh, and instead, thumps her on the back of her head. "Sounds to me like you know too much about the birds and the bees for a kid your age." 

Mackenzie giggles and gives his knee a shove. "It has nothing to do with birds or bees." She smirks. "It has to do with-"

"Okay, time to go." Alec stands up and stretches. "I gotta get my shoes back on so I can get back outside to work after you leave." 

Eying her uncle as he aims for the back door where he'd left his shoes, Mackenzie just didn't understand why her dad hadn't wanted her to be around him. He was funny and nice and she instinctively knew that he'd never hurt her. Sighing, she leans her head over to rest on Misty, completely worn out from the day. Keeping her eyes open was not easy at this point. "I'm not really yours," she mentions sleepily. "But... but can you be one of my moms too?" 

Sighing, Rosalyn looks down at her and Chad's interlocked hands before glancing up at his face. She smiles and shakes her head. "Lets walk a little further and then you can let me go, okay?" 

Even when they'd come into the ranch yard, it was hard for her to let go of his hand. But she knew she should. "I have to go do some laundry then help get supper started..." Looking up at him, she bites her lip. "I don't know if I'll get see you later or not..."