e screen before Allison

e you both staying here now, or is this just a pit stop? Where are you, by the way? I'll swing by after work a

"Plans changed. I had to come home early. Could you help me put my a

s the city. If anyone could move

suming Allison was read

cia asking questions she wasn't ready to answer. "Luc's down with a fever. Tha

s he alright? Maybe I shou

the doctor, so you don't have to worry. I just n

nsisted, "Alright, but take care of yourself

r and wrapped his arms around her neck. She knelt, hugging him close and

as asked, his voice trembl

r a while," Allison answered, b

ou take me there when I feel better

kept his distance, lettin

wonderful, isn't it? The rooms are huge, there are more toys than you can count, and t

e small but unwavering. "I just want to be wherever you

h his hands in his pockets. "When

eak the news, to be the o

he's still under the weather.

u considered what I suggested earlier? S

im started at preschool. New routines, new friends-that should help h

rt, find work, and finish the sale of her apartmen

ffer I made still stands. Two million, i

. "I never raised Lucas for a payday, and

owed a little, se

t him to repay me in the future, and I'm not going to turn up here, asking for

elaxed, satisfied

d. "Once he's feeling better, I'll head back to Blir

this with a nod

o move her, and he had assumed she was being difficu

ere still flushed from the fever, and Allison had no heart

se quiet, they whispered in the

they'd had to themselves

to her shoulder. "Mom, is

before having this talk, but since

ather," she replie

dark. "Then why aren't you two together?

er. "Do you remember the little white k

ut he nodded. "The one w

k care of her for nearly a week, and then the ne

s her cat, and it had wandered to

little bed for her with your old T-shirts, and you

mind, and his chest tightened. "She h

For days, that old woman searched every corner,

, she waited until

I was the one who found you. I raised you with all my heart. Now that he's come

ion flickering across his face. Her gentle tone

them back. "Mom, I still don't

ld's heart, no matter how young or ol

is years, this time he wasn't going to get the

I found you. Because I couldn't have a baby, I kept you for myself and pretended I could be your mother. Your real dad

posed, she managed to say,

desperate to keep her v

t's not true! You're my mom, you have to be!

veryone would hate, "I spent four years raising you, spent nearly every penny. But now, I can't

fling himself into her arms, but she kept him at

s stiff, hiding ever

would talk behind our backs? Always saying that I was the divorced

till young and pretty. If you weren't around, she'd have remarried. Even Fred Hardy like

pitting in disgust, thinking how messy and gruff F

ness vanishing. "I have to work from

harder, believing she was

unded the blanket with both fists. "I hate th

to the room, wearing pajamas and