I think it would depend on the context. In a hypothetical what if story, you could make Becca Frank's daughter to make it easier to explain why they end up with Jess and Frank instead of Shannon's mom, for example. Next, you'd have to establish why Shannon would have contact with Frank and Jess. A potential scenario would be Lilly and Abby go to the same class, become friends as 9 year olds, and then when they meet at home, someone drops their daughter off at the other's house and oops, we know each other.
Now about how - presumably - the characters would develop:
Abby: More confident because she was raised by her mother.
Becca: Would probably be more reserved at first, but would warm up to Jess when she sees how in harmony she is with Frank and how completely different this family is to Shannon and Trevor, who also left here. She would have no reasons for her 5 year plan here and would grow out of her crush after she learns who Frank is. Would probably become a little more like her single-again counterpart, but without the manipulative since there's no reason for it.
Lilly: Would probably be the person who would have an even harder time. She would probably be thraumatized by Shannon's death, night terrors and all, but I think Jess would help her through it. I think she would eventually get over it and be less confrontational and possibly have less stress with Frank. Who knows maybe she would be the one to accidentally develop the crush on Frank instead of Becca.
I can only assume things with Jess, but:
I think once she knew them, she wouldn't transfer her dislike of Shannon to Lilly and Becca, specifically I have a potential Frank response in mind that she would probably support Abby's friendship with Lilly and Becca because it would drive Shannon insane.
Jess was disowned by her own family because she got pregnant but didn't want to abort the child. Instead, she was taken in and accepted by Frank and his family. By doing the same for Lilly and Becca, she could return that kindness to someone who also has no place to go.
And by the same token, she would kick the ass of anyone who dared to break the heart or otherwise hurt one of her girls, whether it was her biological daughter or not.
I think it's realistic at least, after all the big theme of how Jess and Frank got together and the whole Frank, Abby, Lilly, Becca and Meiko a family thing was the following: Your family isn't necessarily the people who gave birth to you. Your family is the people you let into your life and who let you into their lives.
Now about how - presumably - the characters would develop:
Abby: More confident because she was raised by her mother.
Becca: Would probably be more reserved at first, but would warm up to Jess when she sees how in harmony she is with Frank and how completely different this family is to Shannon and Trevor, who also left here. She would have no reasons for her 5 year plan here and would grow out of her crush after she learns who Frank is. Would probably become a little more like her single-again counterpart, but without the manipulative since there's no reason for it.
Lilly: Would probably be the person who would have an even harder time. She would probably be thraumatized by Shannon's death, night terrors and all, but I think Jess would help her through it. I think she would eventually get over it and be less confrontational and possibly have less stress with Frank. Who knows maybe she would be the one to accidentally develop the crush on Frank instead of Becca.
I can only assume things with Jess, but:
I think once she knew them, she wouldn't transfer her dislike of Shannon to Lilly and Becca, specifically I have a potential Frank response in mind that she would probably support Abby's friendship with Lilly and Becca because it would drive Shannon insane.
Jess was disowned by her own family because she got pregnant but didn't want to abort the child. Instead, she was taken in and accepted by Frank and his family. By doing the same for Lilly and Becca, she could return that kindness to someone who also has no place to go.
And by the same token, she would kick the ass of anyone who dared to break the heart or otherwise hurt one of her girls, whether it was her biological daughter or not.
I think it's realistic at least, after all the big theme of how Jess and Frank got together and the whole Frank, Abby, Lilly, Becca and Meiko a family thing was the following: Your family isn't necessarily the people who gave birth to you. Your family is the people you let into your life and who let you into their lives.