Alex went very quiet as he gave a blank stare at Abby as he tried to process the information. His dance teacher was actually his mother and that meant that his last name was actually Miller, also meaning that his name wasn't Alexander "Alex" Andrews, it was Alexander "Alex" Miller and that also means that Maryen is his grandmother. He couldn't even speak as the 10 year old felt the dam break as tears fell from his eyes like raindrops.
"Alex, i--"
Before Abby could finish, Alex then ran into the bathroom and closed it as Abby had a sad expression, she knew he was trying to process the secret she had told him.
In the bathroom, Alex fell to the ground next to the bathtub and sat on it with his face buried in his knees, crying his eyes out from hearing the revelation that his dance teacher was his real mother.
A knock was heard.
"Alex." Abby called, but Alex kept crying as the dance teacher opened the door. "Alex, we have to talk."
The 10 year old boy looked at his mother with tears all over his face. "You're my mom and all this time, i didn't know?"
"Alex..." Abby sighed, trying to explain. "When i found out i was pregnant with you, i felt like the stars had aligned for me and i was excited to be a mother, but at the same time, i thought that i would not be able to juggle dance studio life and motherhood, so my mother, who is your grandmother and i asked Kayla to care for you and so she did when you were born. It was hard for me to give you up, but it was for your well being. 2 years after your birth, Kayla brought you to my studio and for some reason, you and myself grew closer as you grew as i taught you how to dance and on that day when Kayla brought you to the studio, i could tell that there was something familiar and we had a connection that grew stronger and stronger, but i couldn't wrap my head around it and a few years ago, she gave me that photo and told me to give you the photo when the time was right and i kept it hidden until now."
"But the thing that bothers me is that why would you give me up? Was it something i did to you?" Alex asked through his sobbing.
"No, it was nothing you did as i truly never wanted to give you up, but i was worried over not being able to juggle life as a dance teacher and a mother, but i truly want to make amends for that." Abby offered as tears of her own started falling. "Even though i did that, i never stopped thinking about you and never stopped loving you and whenever Kayla wasn't there for you, i was there for you. But i understand if you don't want--"
"I know it was hard for you to do that, but could never ever hate you for giving me up at birth because you did it for my well being, I love you, mom." Alex told Abby, understanding that she was right and even though she gave him up at birth, she did it for his well being before he threw his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder and started crying again as Abby started crying as well.
"I love you too, son..." Abby sobbed as she hugged her son and the two cried together, to them and when things calmed down, they headed to the living room and sat on the couch. "We have a lot of catching up to do as mother and son even though i've known you since giving birth to you even though i gave you up to Kayla."
"Yeah." Alex stated.
"Do you remember i told you i live on View Road?" Abby reminded.
"Yes."
"My bedroom is the Master Bedroom with a balcony and there's another bedroom with a balcony that you stayed in whenever you stayed the night with me, would you like to have that as your bedroom?"
"I sure would."
"Great to know and Kayla will bring your things to my house when we get back."
"Mom?" Alex said to Abby.
"Yes, sweetheart?" Abby responded to the boy that is her son, she was feeling warmth in her heart when Alex called her mom, it would never ever get old.
"I have a question that's been in my head for a few minutes since you told me you're my actual mother, how are we gonna tell the moms and girls and in addition, does Gianna know?" Alex pondered.
"We'll tell them before pyramid on the 1st day of rehearsals and yes, Gianna knows as well as she was there when you were born, she knew that something was familiar about you and she couldn't wrap her head around it and even your grandmother knows."
"Oh, ok. I just hope the moms and girls don't become upset or jealous when they find out i'm your son." Alex said.
"I know the girls and some of the moms be surprised at first, but they'll still love you like i do." Abby assured.
"But i bet some of the other moms, Christi and Kelly will have jealousy inside and raise a stink about it knowing them." Alex predicted.
"Wouldn't put it past them. Alex, maybe you should sit this competition out as i have a feeling once this secret is revealed, Christi and Kelly will more than likely raise a stink, what do you think?" Abby suggested.
"Good idea. Anything i can do to help?" Alex wondered.
"Sure, you can help me and Gianna with the choreography." Abby told him.
"All righty."
Later on, Gianna, the moms and girls arrived as Abby and Alex kept the secret on the low and two days later, which was the first day of rehearsals, Alex was looking out the windows looking at Times Square as he was wearing a tracksuit and his hair was in ponytail, then he felt some arms around him and it was Abby, who was wearing her usual black ALDC t-shirt, trackpants and sneakers.
"Hey, sweetheart." Abby told her son.
"Hello, mom." Alex replied as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Looking at Times Square before we head out?"
"Yes and something is puzzling me, Melissa said Mackenzie hurt her foot, Mackenzie's crying and in pain, they went to a doctor and all that, but now we're here in New York City preparing for The View and Melissa is suddenly saying Mackenzie's foot is good. Something doesn't seem right. I think Melissa's having paranoia as she thinks Asia is replacing Mackenzie as she's been backpedaling, i think Melissa doesn't want Mackenzie to face Asia." Alex told Abby. "Somebody's got to hold Melissa accountable for her words."
"You're right and that person's gonna be me and maybe you." Abby added as a knock was heard as she headed to the door to see who it was and as it turned out, it was Gianna. "Hey, Gianna."
"Hey, Abby. Hey, Alex" Gianna responded.
"Hey, Gia." Alex stated. "How's it going?"
"It's going good, how about you two? Finally told Alex the secret, Abby?"
"Yes i did."
"Alex, what was your reaction hearing that your dance teacher is your mother?" Gianna asked.
"At first, i couldn't believe it, it took a lot to process and i actually burst into tears and mom explained everything and i knew she did what she did for my well being, but since she had been there for me the most, i accepted it and it's like i entered a new world." Alex answered.
"He did." Abby stated.
"I know it was a lot to process, huh?" Gianna told Alex.
"Yeah." Alex admitted. "But i'm happy to be back with my true mom, but i'll never forget Kayla even though she wasn't my real mom."
"I'm so happy to hear that." Abby stated. "Ready to head to the studio?"
"Yes, but first, i got to get my jacket." Alex said before heading to the closet and got his jacket, camera and phone. "Now i'm ready to roll."
"All right and we'll take the Subway." Abby informed.
Abby, Alex and Gianna exited the hotel room and walked down the hallway and got to the Elevator that took them down to the lobby before exiting and went to the 49th street subway station and caught a Broadway Express train and as they were on the train, Alex sent Kayla a thank you text and in response, she said 'you're so welcome and i'll never forget you'.
11 minutes later, the three were seen coming up the stairs from the 28th Street Subway Station before making a right and walked down Broadway Avenue and right turned on 26th street before arriving at Stepping Out Studios, a dance studio where they would be rehearsing for The View and the competition with Studio A being used for The View rehearsals and Studio B for competition rehearsals.
"This is a pretty nice place." Alex commented.
"I agree." Abby agreed.
"Glad we caught the train as we got here in 11 minutes." Gianna added.
"Girls, moms, here we are in the Big Apple, New York City." Abby told the girls and moms, who clapped. "If you can make it here in New York City, you can make it anywhere. This weekend, we'll be attending Masters of Dance competition and it will be tough as it'll be our very first time competing there, which means we'll be the underdog. And we thought that Cathy would be in Ohio, but she's here in New York City. Last time she won against us, it was bad and she did it with a perfect score and you know perfect scores don't happen too often, but Alex thankfully brought home a perfect score with his solo at that competition. Now, before we begin with pyramid, i have a secret to reveal to you all that i already told Alex and also Gianna knows it, but it was kept on the low."
The moms and the girls looked at the dance teacher, wondering what her secret was as they were intrigued about it.
"11 years ago, i was in a relationship with this wonderful guy that i had known since i was a teenager and one day, we celebrated one of my dancers getting a movie role and we had a couple of drinks and you know the rest..."
"Abby, nobody wants to hear that last part." Holly gagged as Abby just glared at her.
"Sadly, he lost his life in a car crash and it devastated me and my mother, and a few months had passed and then from out of nowhere, i started to fell ill, so i went to a doctor and as it turned out, i was 3 months pregnant with a baby boy and i was excited to be a mother, but i was worried that i wouldn't be able to juggle dance studio life and motherhood and my mother could tell, so she told me about a former dancer that was struggling to have a kid and we talked about it and said that when the baby was born, i would let her adopt him as her own child and on September 21, 2002, which was my 36th birthday, i gave birth to the boy and after i held him and the boy's last name was Miller before it got switched to Andrews and i held him as the picture was taken. I remember thinking how handsome he was and i wanted to keep him, but with dance studio life, i was still worried that it would be tough to care for him with the studio, so i had no choice but to give him up for his well being."
The girls and moms all had tears coming down their faces, even Asia and Kristie. But some of them realized that was Alex's birthday as well as Abby's birthday as something wasn't adding up.
"You had a kid and none of us knew?!" Holly wondered.
"Yes." Abby said.
"Did you ever think of him?" Melissa inquired.
"I did and i prayed that i would find him one day and 2 years later, one of my former dancers brought a boy named Alex to my studio so he could learn to dance and for some reason ever since then, he and i had a connection and he worked hard to be a top dancer for my studio through the years, there was also strangely something familiar about him, but i couldn't figure it out as we had been getting closer and closer and also, i had been there for him the most as his mother was unable to come to competitions due to her job and one day a few weeks ago, the woman called me and told me that she wasn't Alex's actual mother."
"If she wasn't his actual mother, then who is his actual mother?" Jill asked as she, the other moms and their daughters listened to the story, but none of then could be prepared for what Abby was about to reveal.
Abby gave a heavy sigh. "Girls, moms, get ready for this because when Alex was born, i held him and that means that the person that's Alex's real mother.......it's me."
As soon as Abby said that, the girls and moms' jaws all hit the ground from what Abby had just revealed as they started talking flabbergastedly, they could not believe that Alex was her son and none of them knew it. The girls had looks of surprise as some of the moms had jealousy through them as they thought that Abby had known the whole time.
"This is so weird, it's like something out of a TV show or movie." Kendall stated.
"Wait a minute, let us see if we can get this through our heads, Miss Abby. Alex is your son?" Chloe inquired as she was surprised.
"That's right, Chloe." Abby responded.
"Wow." Brooke and Paige said simultaneously and to nobody's surprise, Christi flipped out and so did Kelly.
"You knew he was your son this whole time?!" Christi bellowed.
"No wonder why he's won so much and why he's so close to you, he gets special treatment like Maddie!" Kelly whined as Alex just crossed his arms in annoyance, he expected that to happen. "It's bad enough Maddie's getting your attention, but with Alex as your son, the deck is stacked even more!"
"Kelly, i don't know what you've been drinking, but the reason why he's won so many times is because of his talent, dedication, determination and hard work and so has Maddie, that's why they're like two peas in a pod!" Abby retorted.
"Yeah, so how about you two shut the trap." Alex suggested.
"Even though you're Miss Abby's son, we still love you the same." Maddie assured.
"We sure do." The girls said unison.
"Some of us kind of had a feeling as we saw that you looked a lot like Abby." Melissa added.
"Yeah." Jill and Holly added.
"That was quite a story." Asia remarked.
"It was." Kristie said. "Alex, you've entered a new world now that you're Miss Abby's son."
"I have." Alex admitted, before looking at Abby. "And i'm proud to have you as my mom and i love you."
"I love you, too, Alex." Abby responded, giving him a one arm hug as everybody awwed, even Christi and Kelly.
"Now that's all out of the way, let's get back to business as we have to prepare for The View and the competition." Alex stated.
"I couldn't have said that any better." Abby remarked before starting with Pyramid with Mackenzie, Asia, Nia and Brooke on the lower level, Paige, Kendall and Maddie in the middle and Chloe on top. "Everybody's gonna be in the group dance and Asia, you're certainly better on the stage by yourself as you'll be doing a solo, the other solo'll go to Chloe, Maddie will do a solo too and the last solo will be going to Kendall. Jill, you can run to Henri Bendal and buy me a gift."
"All right." Jill replied.
"We'll be best friends regardless who Miss Abby picks for The Last Text, Kenzie." Asia assured Mackenzie.
"Thanks, Asia." Mackenzie responded.
"No problem."
"We've got a ton of choreograph to get through and the first thing we'll do is work on The Last Text for The View and after some thinking, we've decided that Asia will do The Last Text." Abby informed as Asia had a smile on her face and Mackenzie looked crestfallen as Asia hugged her and Melissa was not happy over Abby picking Asia over Mackenzie as to Melissa, Mackenzie was a part of the group dance that won back to back National Titles.
"Kenzie, it'll be ok." Asia assured.
"Kenz has been in the dance, her foot is healed. She hasn't been dancing and i'd like for her to be in the dance." Melissa insisted.
"That's just it, she has not been dancing." Abby told her.
"I get it, but i'd like her to be in the dance." Melissa continued to persist as Abby looked over at Alex. "She is part of this team as she's been here since she was 3 and Asia's been her for just a few weeks and i'd like for Kenz to be in it."
"Melissa, i know you mean well and all, but just let my mom work." Alex told Melissa, who sighed. "All righty?"
Rehearsals began later as Alex pointed out flaws alongside Abby and he was even taking notes as the moms were talking about the revelation that Alex is Abby's son and also were debating on who should really be in the dance.
"Can you believe Alex has been Abby's son all this time?" Kelly asked the moms.
"That's a new one to me." Kristie remarked.
"To be honest, i kind of figured that as he looked like a spitting image of her. I could tell he looked like her, but i put in the back of my brain" Melissa admitted.
"I did too." Holly added.
"Maybe, just maybe with Alex as Abby's son, he can calm her down and take stress off of her by helping with the choreography." Christi said.
"Hopefully, that's the case." Jill added. "But what a story that Abby told on why none of us knew."
"Yeah, but Gianna knew as she was there." Kelly said.
"Melissa, what do you think is going to go on with The Last Text?" Christi asked Melissa. "Do you think Asia's gonna do it or do you think Kenz will be in it?"
"I'd assume Asia in the dance." Melissa answered. "I don't have a clue, but i'll speak to Abby about it I am not gonna let my daughter just be here and not do anything."
"It isn't right, she's been dragged around for the previous 3 weeks and she's ready to dance and she's on the sideline." Jill pointed out.
"But Asia's practicing really hard--" Kristie stated.
"Why can't Asia and Mackenzie both be in the group?" Melissa wondered.
"It's Abby's call, so you have to ask her."
"Kristie, this was our national winning dance." Jill informed. "Why Mackenzie should be in the dance and not Asia? Mackenzie put her time in."
"Maybe have Abby add Kenzie to the group." Kristie suggested. "But i'm not gonna sit there and tell Asia to let Abby know that Mackenzie should be in the dance."
Back in Studio A, Abby and Alex looked over at Mackenzie.
"Kenz, can you come here please?" Alex asked the younger Ziegler, who approached The Millers.
"We don't understand why your mother's letting Asia walk in and take over." Abby told Mackenzie. "She has had this and all that and everybody's loving her and your mom's just sitting out there and letting her mother come from California and take over everything. So try to be overstretching your splits, that's better than nothing."
Mackenzie nodded before heading over and overstretched her splits.
"Listen, girls, this is a really important opportunity for your dance teacher." Abby told the girls, pointing at herself. "This is National TV, this is The View and i'm co-hosting it for the whole hour and i'm nervous, i admit, i'm counting on you being respectful, well-behaved, perfect young ladies acting like you're professional trained dancers. Got it?"
The girls nodded before Brooke raised her hand.
"Miss Abby, not to get in your personal affairs or anything, but are you gonna reveal on the show that Alex is your son?" Brooke asked.
"Yes, i am." Abby responded as Alex was helping Gianna with something and the moms talked about The View.
"We do have a great dance, it's a really competitive week." Holly said. "Those boys from Cathy's scored a perfect score last time we faced them, but Alex got a perfect score for us though."
"What if Cathy's a co-host with Abby?" Jill asked.
"Abby would freak out, but then again, i'd love it if Cathy was a co-host on The View with Abby." Christi remarked as the moms laughed and later in the evening, Melissa went into Studio A to talk to Abby as Alex sat next to Gianna.
"Looks like Melissa's gonna complain to mom about something." Alex whispered to Gianna.
"Yeah." Gianna stated.
"Ab, what do i have to do to get Kenz to dance again?" Melissa asked. "I mean, i think that she needs to go on The View. I feel like you're replacing Kenzie and you don't want her in the group anymore and she really, really wants to dance so badly as i've been dedicated to you and would do anything you asked me to do."
"This isn't about you." Abby responded. "She just dances like a little kid and the last time i gave her an older routine and she forgot and stood on stage. I think she draws eyes and no disrespect, i tihnk she's too short."
"Asia is just as small." Melissa pointed out.
"I get that, but she wants it and her mother does as well." Abby told her.
""Mackenzie wants it as well and i want her to dance and she wants to dance, Ab." Melissa said as Abby went to the door and called Asia to come in, much to Melissa's frustration.
"Mel, you never know, mom might change her mind." Alex stated.
"I hope so." Melissa muttered and an hour later, Asia came in with a card for Abby and one for Alex.
"These are thank you cards for letting me be on the team." Asia told them.
"Aw, thanks." Abby said as she and her son hugged Asia as the moms looked on and Asia's rehearsal began.
Later that evening as rehearsals ended, Abby decided to take Alex to the Stardust Diner, a multi-level diner that is 50's themed that has memorabilia and singing servers and after entering, they were walked to a table and when one of the servers came to their table, Abby ordered the mamma mia meatloaf and Alex got a hamburger and fries.
"Can i ask you something, Alex?" Abby stated as they ate.
"Ask away, Mom." Alex told his mother.
Out of all the girls, why do you think you and Maddie are close as you two are duet partners when it comes to a duet?" Abby wondered.
"I think from the very minute we met when we were really little, we just kind of clicked and i think she's cute." Alex responded.
"Looks like you got a crush on Maddie!" Abby teased as her son's face turned red.
"Mom..."
"It's ok to have a crush on somebody." Abby assured.
"I had a feeling Christi and Kelly would gripe when you told everybody the secret."
"Yeah."
"Do you know who would have a field day if she found out? Dare i say it, Cathy." Alex remarked.
"She'll find out eventually." Abby stated. "What are your thoughts on Asia replacing Mackenzie for The Last Text even though it isn't set in stone yet?"
"Well, i think it's a change, but it's understandable why Mackenzie isn't the dance because of her apparent foot injury, before we got here to New York, her foot was hurting, but when you got the call for The View, her foot was good and that was mysterious." Alex explained.
"You got a good point."
Abby and her son finished their meal before exiting and headed back to the hotel to call it a night.
The 20th arrived and that was the day of Abby co-hosting the view and also during the show, Abby revealed her secret that Alex is her son and it caused surprised murmurs, but when Abby told her story, everybody was understanding and the hosts asked if Alex could come out and he did with Abby's consent and the audience loved him much to Abby's delight and backstage, Abby decided that Mackenzie would be in the dance much to Melissa's delight as Asia would come out with Abby and Alex. The girls did The Last Text and at the end, Abby, Alex and Asia came out and stood with the girls.