Stay(27)

Moooooooooooom!!!!!

That makes me laugh, even though my eyes are watering. Nothing will ever stop me from worrying about him. I quickly tap back. I think you just need a good night’s sleep.

His dad probably had him running his ass off all weekend. Jerk.

Before I go sicko mode.

What does that mean?

Just tired. Love you.

Love you more.

My heart is racing. My stomach is in knots. From screwing Stephen, to the immediate realization I totally screwed my resolve to keep him in the Not-Friends Zone, to my worries over Eli, I’m never going to sleep tonight.

Stephen Hastings. What is his deal anyway? I picture his face, those blue eyes, that square jaw… Is he bored or trying to make a point?

He needs to get lost. He needs to get out of my life and leave us alone. Arrogant asshole with his sexy, arrogant mouth and that sexy arrogant tongue… that made me come really, really hard. Shit.

Next time I see him, I’m telling him just that.

To get lost, I mean.

My teeth grind, and I punch my pillow a few times before dropping my head in it again. I scoop up the remote, scanning through Netflix, looking for something to binge.

A few clicks and I’ve found The Blue Planet. Sir David Attenborough’s soothing voice drifts through my bedroom, telling me calmly about the hideous creatures that live at the very bottom of the sea…



* * *



Loud knocking jerks me awake. I sit up, and it’s bright outside. The screensaver is on the flatscreen. More knocking, and I scoot out of bed. It’s morning. I’m still wearing my black knit dress, and I didn’t wash my face last night. Great.

“Some makeup artist I am,” I grumble, reaching for a silk kimono draped on a chair.

“Mom!” Eli’s voice comes through the door.

“Coming!” I dash over and open it and almost fall backwards when my son grabs me around the waist in a hug.

Just as fast he releases me, running to my room and hopping on my bed to watch television.

“Still in bed?” Burt’s arms are crossed and his legs spread like he’s ready for battle. “It’s after ten.”

“It’s Sunday.” God, what a dick. Still, I force an upbeat tone in my voice. “How’d it go?”

“We always have a good time together.” His arms drop and he walks into my apartment uninvited.

“You don’t have to be defensive.” I pivot, holding the door open. “Eli said you went to the park? That’s fun.”

“God, this place is a dump.” He turns around, inspecting my tiny apartment. “How can you live like this?”

“My apartment is not a dump.” Now I’m defensive. “It’s very clean.”

Eli’s in the bedroom watching Netflix, and I carefully walk over and close the double doors. If Burt’s going to start, I don’t want him to hear us. Stephen’s words are heavy on my mind, and the last thing I want is my little boy stressed out about his fighting parents. He’s got enough to think about.

“I don’t like Eli living here. You know it was only a block over where that building blew up?”

If I hear that one more time… “That explosion was caused by an illegal gas tap.”

“Still, I don’t want my son growing up like this. I’ve decided to talk to my lawyer about changing our arrangement. I want Eli full-time.”

My stomach plunges. “What? You have no grounds for that!”

“I have plenty of grounds.” His eyes flash. “You took him out of Pike Academy without my permission. You’re home schooling him, and you’re not even a qualified teacher. You have him living like a street urchin in this dump. You’re a good mom, but my son deserves better than this.”

“He does not live like a street urchin! And he’s doing really well in school. He’s already at the sixth grade level in science.”

“He doesn’t even have his own bedroom. A boy needs his own bedroom.”

Stepping forward, I lower my voice. “Then maybe you should chip in a little more every month.”

Burt’s eyes flash. “Don’t start with that. You’re the one who walked out.”

“Because you were sleeping with another woman!” My whisper goes high.

“I’ll pay for anything my son needs. But I am not paying for your harebrained schemes and experimental treatments.”

“How dare you…” I’m fighting to keep my voice low. “Everything I do for Eli is well-researched and documented.”

“I want him back in Pike, back with his friends—”

“He had a seizure and wet his pants. His so-called friends made fun of him.” My stomach cramps at the memory.

“Boys get teased in school. You overreacted, as usual.”

“He would come home every day crying.”

“He’d have learned how to take up for himself eventually.”

My fists are clenched, and I’ve never wanted to hit a man so much in my life.

“I’ve been doing my own research.” Burt goes to the door, putting his hand on his hip. “You know who else had epilepsy? Julius Caesar. Back then they had no medication, no surgeries, and he conquered the world.”

“You’re comparing me to Julius Caesar? Thanks, Dad!”