“We’re pickin’ up Ethan,” Peggy declared.

“You’re not,” I declared right back, and Peggy turned her screwed-up eyes to me. “And we’re not doin’ this now. I explained to Trent that Ethan needed some space. I also explained to Trent that while Ethan was gettin’ that, we could sit down and talk about what the future might bring. But that’s not happening now. That’s happening at a time when we’ve all got our shit together and can talk about it rationally. In the meantime, Ethan’s said he doesn’t wanna spend time with you. If you wanna connect with him, talk to him on the phone.”

“Ethan doesn’t get to make those decisions,” Peggy spat. “He’s just a little boy. His father makes those decisions.”

“I’m afraid he doesn’t,” I returned.

“And I’m afraid you’re wrong,” Peggy shot back. “Trent’s his father. He’s got rights.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Merry put in sharply, and Peggy’s eyes sliced to him. “Trent Schott relinquished his rights when his girlfriend told him she was carrying his child and he cleared out after he cleaned her out. In this situation, Trent has no rights. In this situation, Ethan’s mother makes all the decisions about where her son will be and with whom. She’s made her decisions. She’s communicated them repeatedly. Now, I’ll say it again, return to your vehicle and go home.”

“You don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” Peggy snapped.

That was when Merry reached under the hem of his leather jacket and pulled something out of the back pocket of his jeans, that something being the badge he shoved into his belt at his front right hip.

“I know exactly what I’m talkin’ about,” Merry said lethally.

“You called the cops?” Trent asked, his voice high and even more whiny than Ethan’s had been minutes before.

“I didn’t call the cops,” I answered.

“Well, he’s a cop.” Trent jerked his head Merry’s way.

“I am. I’m also her boyfriend,” Merry announced.

Trent’s mouth dropped open, his eyes bugged out, and his torso automatically reared away from Merry.

Peggy’s lips parted, but her eyes squinted so tight, they looked shut.

Trent looked to me and his voice was even higher when he asked, “You’re seein’ a cop?”

“She is,” Merry answered for me. “And as her boyfriend, not a cop, I’m askin’ you one last time to return to your vehicle. You make me ask again, that request will come from a cop.”

All this went down, but it was lost on Peggy.

She was stuck back earlier in the conversation.

“Trent has rights,” she declared, looking between Merry and me.

“That’s simply not the case,” Merry replied. “Not legally. Not informally. The only rights he has are those Cher grants him. And she’s not granting him the right to see Ethan. This means you have no choice but to leave.”

“It means we got no choice but to get Trent legal rights,” she returned.

My heart clenched painfully, but Merry just shrugged.

“That’s your call. But no judge is gonna rise up in a puff of smoke to appear in Cher’s yard to grant them to you right now, so I’ll say it again, turn around and go home.”

No judge is gonna rise up in a puff of smoke…

God, I loved it when Merry was funny, especially when he was funny smack in the middle of Peggy being Peggy and Trent being his normal loser.

Peggy looked to me and threatened, “This isn’t over.”

I looked at her and retorted, “Yes it is.”

“Get ready for the battle of your life,” she warned.

“Already won that,” I fired back. Then I gave her what she needed to try to find it in her to do the right thing. “You can work with me to help you build a relationship with my son, or you can work against me. You work against me, I won’t have to do anything—Ethan will tell you, a judge, he’ll shout it at the top of his lungs that he wants nothing to do with you. And if that’s what my boy wants, that’s what I’ll get for my boy. If you care about him and want him in your life and as a part of your family, you have this window of opportunity to do that the right way. Don’t fuck it up.”

“No judge is gonna let a boy be raised by a woman who’s got no problem usin’ the f-word,” Peggy sniped.

“No judge in this whole fuckin’ country is gonna take my boy away from me,” I returned.

“You’re livin’ a fantasy,” she spat.

“I’m not the one who’s willing to commit the crime of kidnapping,” I said softly.

Her torso swung back, her eyes got wide, and even Trent was smart enough to separate himself from Peggy at this juncture, this bit of news being shared in front of a cop. He shifted away from her side.

“Yeah,” I whispered. “You threatened me. I took action. I’ll keep doin’ that since I got friends who’re good at findin’ out shit, and I’ll find out so much shit about you, about Trent, I’ll bury you. Nothing…not…one…thing is gonna be forced on my kid that he doesn’t want. I’ll go to the mat for that, Peggy. I’ll die for that. I’ll do anything for that. Mark my words, you battle me, you will not win. I’ll fight you every day of my life. I’ll spend every dime I have. And I won’t go down swingin’ because I will not ever quit fightin’.”

Only the barest hint of hesitation crossed her features before she leaned in and hissed, “He needs saved from you.”

Shit, there it was.

“That, that right there,” I returned instantly, “tells me precisely what kind of woman you are and what I gotta protect my boy from.”

That seemed to confuse her.

“We’re his salvation,” she decreed.

Oh my God.

Was she crazy?

“You bring harm to his mother in any way,” Merry entered our conversation, “he’ll think you’re sent straight from hell.”

Trent got close to his wife again, grabbing her arm.

“Peg, let’s go.”

She stared at Merry. Then she shifted her eyes and glared at me.

“Peg, babe, kids are in the car. Let’s go,” Trent urged.

“Get an attorney,” she warned me quietly.

“Whatever,” I replied.

She kept glaring.

Trent tugged cautiously on her arm.

She turned her glare to him, tore her arm from his hold, and stomped her ass to their minivan.

Trent gave me an unhappy look. He gave one to Merry. After that, he followed her.

We stood where we were as they got in, but we didn’t stand the way we were standing when they were with us.

Merry threw his arms around my shoulders.

That felt great.

I slid my hand around his waist.

He tucked me tight into his side.

I fit myself tighter.

And that felt even better.

We watched Trent fire up their minivan and we kept watching as they pulled away, our heads turning to keep them in sight as they drove down the street.

“Bad news, brown eyes. That church lady is fuckin’ crazy,” Merry muttered when the brake lights on the minivan lit at the stop sign at the end of the street.

“The Lord giveth great dinners with handsome cops, followed by fabulous orgasms and a mom gettin’ to tell her boy he gets to eat pizza with a good man he looks up to,” I replied, and as I did, Merry looked down at me and I looked up at him. “Then the Lord taketh away by sending a batshit-crazy church lady to stand in my yard, throw down with me, and, while she’s doin’ it, say words like ‘salvation.’”

Merry started smiling.

“Not sure the Lord gave you those orgasms, sweetheart,” he returned. “And He sure didn’t pay for dinner.”

“I hear you,” I agreed. “That doesn’t mean He wasn’t shining His light on me the last twenty-four hours, save, of course, the last ten minutes.”

Merry didn’t quit smiling, it was just that his smile turned cocky.

“Guys!” Ethan shouted from the house, and we both looked over our shoulders to see him in the storm door. “What’s goin’ on? Why’re standin’ out there, starin’ at each other, and not comin’ in to tell me why Dad and Peggy are actin’ all crazy?”