" Why is it medicine ? Sensing the shift in mood , Ivan quietly set aside his blocks and moved to sit beside Zachary without a word . Zachary ruffled his hair . " Don't worry , Mom , it's nothing serious . But guess whose prescription is this ? " " Whose prescription ? " Karen asked , caught off guard . Brendan must have joined them at some point , because now he was sitting beside her too . " It can't be Lessie , could it ? " " Well , actually , we have Lessie to thank for this . " Zachary decided not to keep them in suspense any longer and recounted everything that had happened that afternoon . " So you're saying Lessie not only got Dr. Dawson to treat you , but also convinced him to take you on as his apprentice ? " Brendan's jaw dropped in disbelief . " Xander … Is this the same Xander your specialist mentioned when you went to the hospital before ? " " That's him . " Zachary's lips curled into a smile as he nodded , giving them a clear and simple answer . " We spent a fortune just trying to get an appointment … " " Appointment ? We couldn't even track him down , " Brendan added . " Exactly . Are you serious ? How did Lessie manage that ? Forget about being his apprentice , I'd be grateful if he'd just agree to see you at all . Truly , it's a blessing . Zachary , what did Dr. Dawson say ? Is your health okay ? " " He just said I'll need a few more follow - ups , but I'd have to go over there on weekends anyway . Plus , I get to learn from him . " " That's wonderful . This is a real opportunity , Zachary , don't waste it . Make the most of what Lessie's done for you and live up to Dr. Dawson's expectations ," Brendan said , his tone grave . " I will . " " If it gets to be too much , promise you'll tell me ," Karen said softly . " I know how much this means to you , and I'm happy you can follow your dream . But if it ever becomes too much , taking another year off is fine by me . After all we've been through , I know now - what matters most is that our family is healthy and together . 1/3 15:38 Nothing else comes close . " Zachary nodded , and though Brendan stayed silent , he reached over and gently patted Karen's back . One of the Mortons ' best qualities was that when their children had their own ideas , they didn't try to stand in the way . They offered honest advice and clear boundaries , but ultimately let their kids weigh their own choices . That's why the Morton children always acted with such thoughtfulness and independence . But now , they were starting to realize that when it came to raising Ileana , they'd gotten it wrong . Their endless indulgence and favoritism had only … " By the way , Zachary , you can't tell anyone that Lessie knows Dr. Dawson , or that you're his apprentice now . We don't want to cause Lessie any trouble , and you haven't made your name yet - talking about it would only make things harder for both you and Dr. Dawson . " " I understand . " " Ever since Lessie joined our family , not only have we failed to give her a better life , we're the ones who ended up better off because of her . I can't even explain how , but the whole mood in this house has lifted . " Karen's eyes were full of emotion as she spoke about Alessia . " We may be a family now , but we've never really taken care of Lessie - not for a single day . Zachary , you need to remember what happened today . When you've made something of yourself , don't ever forget that Lessie was the one who showed you the way . " Zachary answered each word with patience and sincerity . Meanwhile , Alessia was completely unaware of the Mortons ' conversation . She slipped through a side street , where a girl in a leather jacket sat astride a motorcycle , waving her over . Alessia noticed a few lowlifes groaning on the ground around Stella Laine and couldn't help shaking her head in exasperation . " Still as reckless as ever ? " Stella slid her sunglasses down to reveal her striking eyes , gave Alessia a teasing wink , and tossed her a helmet . Alessia just smiled , pulled the helmet on , and swung onto the bike behind her . The motorcycle's engine thundered through the alley . Neither of them even spared a 2/3 15:38 glance for the men on the ground as they sped away .