“Where is he?”

“At a friend’s house.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and check the time. Brad said he’d have Josh here by ten, and it’s ten fifteen. Please don’t let him show up while Sutton is here.

“Call him,” she demands.

The door is wide open from when Sutton pushed it, so I can see out of the corner of my eye when Lily emerges from the hallway.

This is not how I wanted my morning with Lily to end. I can feel the regret slide all the way through me. I shoot her an apologetic look, and then give my attention back to Sutton.

“What did the caseworker say?” I ask her.

Her mouth screws into a tight twist, and then she looks to her left. “They’re not even opening an investigation. If you don’t return him to me today, I’ll file charges.”

I know the steps Child Protective Services has to take during an investigation, and they haven’t even contacted Josh for an interview yet. “You’re lying. I’d like you to leave.”

“I’ll leave when I have my son.”

I exhale. “He doesn’t want to live with you right now.” Or ever, but I save that sting.

“He doesn’t want to live with me,” she repeats with a laugh. “What kid that age wants to live with their parents? And how many parents haven’t slapped a kid that age? They don’t end custody over that. Jesus Christ.” She folds her arms over her chest again. “The only reason you’re doing this is to get back at me.”

If she knew me, she would know I’m not vengeful like she is. But of course, the conclusion she comes up with is something that only fits her own personality. “Do you miss him?” I ask her, my voice calm. “Honestly. Do you miss him? Because if you’re doing this to prove something to someone, just let it go. Please.”

Brad’s car turns onto the street, and I wish there were a way I could ask him to keep driving. But he’s pulling up to the curb before I can even reach my phone. Sutton follows my line of sight and sees Josh opening the back door of Brad’s car.

She immediately walks toward the car, but Josh pauses when he sees her. More like freezes. He doesn’t know what to do.

Sutton snaps her fingers and points at her car. “Let’s go. We’re leaving.”

Josh immediately looks at me. I shake my head and motion for him to come inside. Brad can sense something is off, so he puts the car in park and opens his door.

Josh ducks his head and walks directly across the yard, past Sutton, and rushes toward me. Sutton is hot on his trail, so I try to get Josh inside quick enough to close the door on her, but she’s too fast. I’m not about to injure her with the door, so I just let her inside.

I guess we’re doing this now.

I wave to Brad to let him know he can go, and then I look at Lily, who is standing against a wall, watching everything unfold with a surprised look on her face.

I mouth, I’m sorry.

Josh tosses his backpack on the floor and sits down on the couch, firmly folding his arms. “I’m not going with you,” he says to Sutton.

“This isn’t up to you.”

Josh looks directly at me, pleading. “You said I could stay here.”

“You can.”

Sutton shoots daggers at me like I’m out of line. Maybe I am. Maybe it’s not my business to be getting in the way of a mother and her child, but she should have thought twice about that before she made me that child’s brother. I can’t turn the other way and just hope he makes it out okay.

“If you don’t come with me, I’ll have your brother arrested.”

Josh slaps his hands on the couch and pushes himself up. “Why can’t it be my choice?” he yells. “Why do I have to live with either one of you? I’ve told you both I want to live with my dad, but no one will help me find him!” Josh’s voice cracks, and then he’s marching down the hallway. The slam of his door makes me flinch… or maybe it was what he said before running to his room.

Either way, I feel punctured.

Sutton can see the sting because she’s staring at me, assessing my reaction to that.

Then she starts to laugh. “Oh, Atlas. You thought you were doing something here? Forming a bond with him?” She shakes her head and throws up her hand in defeat. “Take him to his daddy. You’ll be running back to me next week, just like you did the last time you needed my help.”

She walks to the door and leaves, and I’m too dazed by everything that just happened to walk over and lock it.

Lily does it for me.

She starts to walk toward me with a face full of sympathy, but as soon as she pulls me in for a hug, I shake my head and separate myself from her. “I need a minute.”

Chapter Thirty Lily

Atlas closes his bedroom door behind him, and I find myself alone in his living room.

I feel awful for both of them. I can’t believe that was his mother. Or maybe I can. After hearing stories of her, I imagined her to be that unhinged, but I guess I expected her to look different. Both Atlas and his brother look so much like her that it makes it difficult to see that kind of behavior come from someone Atlas is related to. They are polar opposites.

I take a seat on the edge of the couch, shocked that I just witnessed all of that. I’ve never seen Atlas that affected. I want to go hug him, but I can absolutely understand that he needs a moment alone.

Josh, too. The poor kid.

I don’t want to leave before saying goodbye to Atlas, but I also don’t want to disturb him until he’s had a moment to recover. I walk to the kitchen and open the refrigerator. I look for the ingredients to make breakfast for them.

I kept it simple because that’s all I really know how to do. I made scrambled eggs and bacon and put a pan of biscuits in the oven. When the biscuits are almost ready, I go tap on Josh’s bedroom door. I can at least offer him something to eat while I wait for Atlas to come out of his room.

Josh opens the door about two inches and looks at me.

“You want some breakfast?” I ask him.

“Is Sutton gone?”

I nod, so he opens the door and follows me down the hall. Josh gets himself something to drink while I pull the biscuits out and make us both a plate of breakfast. I sit across from him at the table, and he eyes me while he eats. I feel like I’m being sized up.

“Where’s Emerson?” he asks.

“She’s with her aunt.”

Josh nods and takes a bite of his food. Then: “How long have you and my brother been together?”

I shrug. “That depends. I’ve known him since I was fifteen, but we started dating about a month and a half ago.”

There’s a flash of surprise on Josh’s face. “Really? Were you, like, friends back then or something?”

“Or something.” I take a sip of my coffee, and then set it down carefully. “Your brother didn’t have anywhere to live when I met him, so I helped him for a while.”