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Blake glanced the clock on the wall, “Quarter past nine. Is this a joke?”

“Is what a joke Blake?” Holly appeared from the hallway, “What is the matter with you?”

“The florist was supposed to bring samples be at nine o’clock and clearly she’s not here. You know I am beginning to think this wedding is doomed!”

Holly takes the opportunity to calm Blake’s nerves with a cup of coffee and small talk at the dining room table. At 9:30, the florist arrives and shows the samples to them both.

“Okay, well Blake certainly appreciates all of your help,” Holly showed her out the door as Blake finished a telephone call in the kitchen. “Who was that?”

“The head mistress at the boy’s school in New Haven.”

“Oh,” Holly questioned. “Is everything all right?”

Blake shook her head, “Ross called yesterday to arrange for them to come home for the wedding and apparently that won’t be possible.”

“What? Why?”

“She feels that pulling the twins out of class so early in the semester could hinder their development…or some mumbo-jumbo…” Blake sighed, “I stopped listening to the old bat after she said no.”

“I’m sorry, I know that you wanted the boys here but you know the head mistress is probably right.”



“I know,” Blake sat down at the kitchen table. “I envisioned this picture perfect wedding with roses and my children, Ross looking dashingly handsome in his tuxedo and you setting there with a smile on your face and Ed walking me down the isle…and slowly but surely those dreams are fading away.”

“Stop it!” Holly demanded, “You make it sound like you’re getting married in the back room of a bar with no one there to witness the event.” They laughed. “You and Ross are going to have the biggest, most lavishly beautiful wedding this town has ever seen, even if you’re boys aren’t there.”

“I’m just so paranoid about everything,” Blake revealed. “I love Ross so much and we have to get it right this time, I just wish I didn’t have the wedding and the Spaulding…” she sighed, “I wish some times Daddy had never left me those damn shares.”



“Well, he did and that’s something that you’re going to have to deal with. Something that you and Ross will have to deal with,” Holly said reaching for her purse. “Come on we have your final gown fitting and I won’t let you be late for that.”

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The heat beat down on Marina, Shayne and Lizzie as they made their way across the Springfield University campus. They had just spent the last two and half hours finalizing their fall schedules and talking with their advisors.



“Marina I wish you would reconsider about living on campus,” Lizzie fanned herself with her hand. “We could live together in the suite above Shayne’s, walk to class together and have late night talks just like we did this summer.”

“Even if I wanted to live on campus you already have your roommate assignments…”

“I’m a Spaulding! Granddad would have to make like one phone call and we would be suite mates.”



“Lizzie you know that I would love to live on campus and share a suite with you, but…well my parents just doesn’t have the money for that. Plus, the fact that I live less than ten minutes from campus doesn’t help so it’s just out of the question.” Marina explained as she glanced to Shayne and rolled her eyes.

Shayne wrapped his arm around Lizzie, “Don’t worry Liz the three of us are going to be having late night cram sessions and weekend sleepovers, nothing is going to change.”

“This is the first day of the rest our lives…is that what you’re about to say Shayne?” Marina laughed, “I’ll assume that it was…I have to go meet Kristen Jones at the bookstore, we have Biology together…”



Shayne watched as Marina headed off in one direction and then Lizzie in the opposite direction. Shayne took out his cell phone and dialed Derek’s number with no answer. He leaves a message and then turns to head to the bookstore to find Marina.

“Oh sorry!” Shayne apologized as he collided with someone. “Austin,” he said in an uncomfortable tone. “I didn’t see you there. This heat must have fried my brain.”



“Apparently,” Austin replied. “How was your summer?” He questioned as he looked around the campus in an attempt to escape the awkward situation.

“It’s was okay,” Shayne replied, “Did you have a good summer?”

“Yeah,” Austin said. “Well anyway…I better get going.”

“Oh yeah, sure,” Shayne replied as his mind flashed back to the after graduation party at the lighthouse. “I’ll see you around campus.”

He watched him leave and then Lizzie quickly returned. Lizzie asked what Austin Hollingsworth had to say and Shayne report not much. The two of them head towards the bookstore to find Marina and check out Shayne’s suite.

Hoping to avoid her lackluster prom date, Lizzie hangs back until Austin has left, once he has she approaches Shayne and questions what that was about. Shayne tells her he really doesn’t know, he thought that he and Austin were okay friends but ever since graduation things have been a different…Lizzie says that her dorm was closed and she’s hungry…she suggests a quick bite of food with Marina and then check out Shayne’s dorm!

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Hope watches from the Bauer kitchen as Derek takes the phone call on the patio. When Ed arrives they both note how he grew up far to fast, Ed says it seems like yesterday that Mike was bragging to him about another grandson. Hope says they do grow up far to quickly, she notes that it’s been years since Alan-Michael has seen Derek and that she can only hope that things go smoothly.

“What does Derek’s father think of the two of you making Springfield home now?” Ed asked as Derek started playing catch with Robbie outside.

“Trevor doesn’t have a say in my life any longer,” Hope answered. “And as for our son, Derek won’t let him have a say.”

“I can’t imagine that makes for a positive relationship.”

Hope shook her head, “No it doesn’t. But, Derek’s not to blame for that, Trevor is.” She turned her head and sighed heavily, “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have said anything. You have enough on your mind with Rick, the baby and Holly…I’m gonna…”

Ed’s hand touched her arm, “You’re family and I made a promise to my brother that I would look after you when he left. Hope, if something is bothering you please tell me what it is.”

“There’s a reason why Derek and his father have issues,” Hope began.

“Of course,” Ed replied. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Uncle Ed,” Hope spoke softly, “you promise not to say anything, especially to Alan-Michael or Daddy?”



“I do. What’s wrong Hope?”

She shook her head, “Nothing’s wrong…well not for me anyway. Two years ago, Derek was living with Trevor, right after Daddy had his heart attack.”

“I remember.”

“Well, Derek came out to his father shortly before his senior year of high school.” Hope paused, “Derek’s gay Uncle Ed and I have no problem with that, none what-so-ever. He’s my son and I love him no matter what.”

“But I assume Trevor had a problem with it?”



Hope shook her head yes. “Derek didn’t want to create any additional stress for me so he convinced Trevor to let him study abroad. He was worried I would rejection him just like his father did. When I found out he was in Springfield, I couldn’t not come. “

“I…I don’t know what to say Hope,” Ed admitted.

“Say you’ll keep this to yourself, please. Just knowing that you know…that someone else knows is a relief.” Ed shook his head. “I have a daunting task ahead of me,” Hope realized. “I have to integrate my sons into one another’s lives and work to repair Derek’s relationship with his father.”

“You have my full support, so does Derek. The both of you are family and nothing will ever change that,” Ed assured her. “But, I don’t want you to feel like it’s your job or duty to repair Trevor’s relationship with his son. He caused the trouble, let him fix it Hope.”

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Ben sat uncomfortably in a gray cloth chair gazing out a window at the Chicago skyline. He had been sitting in the same chair, in the same office for what seemed like hours when in reality it had only been 30 minutes.

Ben heard the door open behind him and he said nothing as a man dressed in suit and tie took a seat behind the desk, blocking the skyline view. “I apologize for your wait,” he said.

“It’s fine,” Ben answered solemnly. “Is that them.” He pointed at a file on the desk.

“Is there anyone waiting for you in the waiting room? Would you like for them to come join us?”

Ben shook his head, “No. I came alone.”

“I see,” he opened the folder. “Ben, you should really tell someone what’s going on.”

“I will, just as soon as I figure out what is going on.”

The doctor adjusted his reading glasses, “Okay, upfront I will say your parents need to be told as soon as possible. We’re going to need a complete medical history…” the doctor, noticed a look on Ben’s face. “Will that be a problem Mr. Reade?”

“It’s complicated. My mother died several years ago and I don’t have contact with my biological father. Another man adopted men when I was young,” Ben explained.

“It’s time that you find out a lot more about him, Ben. And I wish that you hadn’t waited two and half months to come see me,” he laid his glasses on the desk. “Ben the lump you found is cancerous,” the doctor revealed. “You have stage one testicular cancer.”



Ben sat in shock, he didn’t move and listened for a few moments as the doctor explained that this was a cancer in men between 15-40 and luckily for him was one of the most curable cancers. He concluded with advice to call both his biological and adoptive father to inform them as to what was going on.

Outside the doctor’s office Ben shoved his hands into his pockets and fought back tears of fear! “Get a hold of yourself…” he told himself as he scrolled in his cell phone for a number.

In Springfield, Holly and Blake where finishing up at the boutique, “Just a second,” she whispered to Blake, “Hello.”
“Holly?” He questioned. “It’s Ben can we have dinner tomorrow night?”

“Well sure,” Holly answered. “Ben is something the matter?”

“No, there’s just something I need talk to you about,” he told her.



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Next on "The Guiding Light"

- Marah confronts Danny!
- Cassie and Tammy prepare for the future!
- Coming Soon: "IN the LIGHT: Ben's Story"

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