I snapped the phone shut, handed it to Laura and said to Officer Petri. “I’d like to make a complaint.”

“Dig it,” Laura muttered happily under her breath.

“It okay I talk to some of your customers?” Officer Petri asked and it wasn’t, I didn’t like that at all but they’d witnessed Olivia being Olivia, they showed they didn’t mind speaking up and their statements might help Brock get his sons with him and safe from anymore of these nightmares.

Therefore I said, “Yes.”

He nodded then told me, “I’ll come to you last, gotta get to ‘em before I lose ‘em.”

I nodded.

He moved.

I looked to Laura.

“Happy days,” she whispered gleefully. “That bitch is finally gonna get what’s coming to her.”

Indeed.

“I need to go see Joey and Rex,” I told her and her eyes slid to the swinging doors and they weren’t dancing anymore when they slid back to me.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Send Kalie or Kellie out to look after the girls and I’ll help.”

I nodded, whispered, “Thanks,” then moved.


I hit the back room and found with the boys that there were no tears but there was fear.

Luckily, we were in a bakery and surrounded by baked goods.

And baked goods soothed a lot of ragged emotions.

It was a Band-Aid.

But it worked in a pinch.

* * * * *

The cops were gone, Laura and the girls were gone and the boys were back to KP duties, albeit doing it with far less enthusiasm and this was because their minds were filled with their mother’s antics but also because wiping down tables and cleaning dishes had lost its luster (as it had a tendency to do, no matter what age you were) and I was in the back, icing sugar cookies when my phone on the stainless steel table rang.

The display said “Slim Calling”.

I pulled in breath, my eyes moving to the swinging doors to see if I could spot Joel or Rex and do a visual check on their state of mind as I reached for the phone. I took the call and didn’t see either before I put it to my ear.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Boys okay?” he asked as greeting.

“The bloom has gone off the rose of KP duty.”

“Right,” he muttered and I knew he got what I was saying. Then he told me, “Levi was at the gym when I called earlier. I finally got him and he and Lenore are gonna be around in the next half an hour. They’re gonna take them to a movie and then to get somethin’ to eat. I should be done by then so I can get ‘em and then they’ll be good.”

There it was. Lenore again. Hmm.

“Lenore?” I asked curiously.

“Babe,” Brock answered, not going to go there.

“All right,” I murmured, giving up.

“Laura called me and filled me in,” he informed me, I held my breath and he went on. “I called my lawyer at home and filled him in. She put her hand on Joel. He’s gonna go with that and see if he can find a judge who’ll hurry this shit along. She fucked up today. She fucked up two weeks ago when she cried wolf about intruders and the cops got involved. This is not the behavior of a stable woman who can look out for two boys.”

After today’s scene, I was thinking the same thing. Today’s behavior was beyond just being bitchy and manipulative; it was way out of line to the point of being scary.

I didn’t share this.

Instead, quietly, I told him, “Baby, you should have seen Joey. He stood up for me, for himself and he took care of his brother. It took a lot of courage but you would have been proud.”

There was a moment of silence then, “Yeah, Laura told me.”

“He was great.”

“I’m glad he was great, darlin’, just wish he wasn’t in the position to have to be great.”

This was, unfortunately, true.

“That sucks but silver lining, Brock, he was in that position and he was great. He didn’t back down and he looked after his brother. You should hold onto that because that means, like his Dad and his Dad’s family, you’ve got a strong, smart, loyal son.”

This was met with another moment of silence.

Then a soft, “Yeah.”

Then I assured him, “She put her hand on him, baby, and it wasn’t nice but she didn’t hurt him.”

“Your mother ever put her hand on you when she’s pissed or throwin’ a tantrum?” he asked.


“No,” I whispered.

“Mine either so I don’t know but I ‘spect that doesn’t feel too good.”

This was also unfortunately true.

“Right.” I was still whispering.

“Right.” Now Brock was whispering.

We both held those unhappy thoughts for awhile then Brock broke into them.

“No matter how drunk you get or how late you call, I want you in my bed tonight.”

“Brock, I –”

He cut me off. “I want you in my bed because I want you in my bed but I also want you in my kitchen makin’ my boys breakfast tomorrow. They need a good breakfast and they need to be around a woman who makes ‘em laugh and feel safe. Tomorrow is their last day with me, it’s a short one and then they gotta go back to her. I wanna make it as good as it can get.

Can you help me do that?”

“Yes,” I answered instantly.

Another moment of silence then, “Yeah, I know you can,” he replied quietly then I heard him sigh and say, “I gotta go.”

“Okay, I’ll tell the boys that Levi and Lenore are going to be here soon.”

“Great, babe. See you later.”

“Later, honey.”

Then I had dead air.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes later, Joel pushed the swinging doors open, held them open, caught my eyes and announced, “Uncle Levi’s here.”

“Right, honey, be right out,” I said, he disappeared and I stopped piping mountainous swirls of frosting on cupcakes, wiped my hands on a damp towel and headed out.

And sure enough, standing in front of my display case looking like beautiful, glamorous movie stars was my man’s gorgeous brother and his equally gorgeous girlfriend (or, I hoped she was his girlfriend).

“Hey guys,” I called.

“Wow, Tess, I’ve never been in here,” Lenore stated, smiling at me. “Everything looks awesome and I love the hibiscus and hummingbirds. They’re so pretty. ”

I totally knew I liked her.

“Thanks, babe,” I replied, giving her a quick hug and touch of the cheek then I did the same with an amused-looking Levi. I stepped back and turned to the hovering Rex and Joel,

“Guys, go get your coats, time for a movie and dinner,” and they dashed off, clearly very, very done with KP duty.

After the boys took off, Levi’s smile faded and his eyes got serious.

“Scale of one to ten, how bad was it with the bitch this time?” he asked in a low voice and I knew he’d been briefed by Laura, Brock, both or perhaps the entirety of the Lucas family considering time enough had gone by for news to spread.

“Um… I’ve only been around her once before and that was unpleasant but considering what I heard about her I’m guessing that was around a five so this was a fifteen.”

His mouth got tight.

Seeing that, to get his mind off it, I said quickly, “They’re looking forward to spending time with you and, um… of course, their Aunt Lenore.”

Lenore’s lips tipped up in surprised happiness at receiving the Aunt title and I saw this happen before she tilted her head demurely to the side and therefore she missed Levi giving me a look and shaking his head.

“They love their Aunt Lenore,” I added and Levi’s eyes moved to the ceiling. “Like, loads, ” I continued, Lenore’s gaze came to me and Levi’s eyes tipped back. I looked to Lenore and informed her, “I’m only ahead of you because I own a bakery. But I think I lost ground today because they’ve been clearing tables and doing dishes for four hours. You like football and your little brother plays for Notre Dame. After today, you might have taken the lead.”

She grinned but stated, “Not sure I can ever compete with your cupcakes and what I’ve heard are your totally awesome breakfasts.”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “They like their football and they’re their father’s sons so I haven’t hidden the catatonia I lapse into when I’m forced to watch it.”

Her grin got bigger and I looked to Levi.

“Sooooo,” I drew it out, “off to the movies and dinner with your girl and your nephews.

How domestic.”

He shook his head again but his eyes crinkled and his arm slid around Lenore’s waist at about the same time the boys raced back.

Then he confirmed, “Yeah,” as Lenore melted into his side and her grin became dreamy.

And when she melted into his side, Levi not only took her weight but also his arm got visibly tighter.

Yes. Oh yes.

I knew where this was going. Someone had finally woken up and focused on the sweet, beautiful, stylish young woman who was in his life who also adored him and had his back.

“Yeah,” I whispered, smiling at him because I was happy for him (and Lenore) then I released him from his brief (but deserved) torture and bent to Brock’s sons, kissing the tops of their heads in turn which they endured with shuffling feet and I ordered, “Have fun.”

“Right Tess,” Rex said.

“We will,” Joel said.

“Good,” I whispered then I couldn’t stop it but also didn’t try, I lifted my hand and cupped Joel’s cheek lightly and repeated a whispered, “Good.”

I watched a shadow pass through his eyes that broke my heart before warmth that was close to the kind that I often saw in his father’s suffused them and my heart instantly mended.

Then I let him go, turned back to Levi and Lenore and announced, “Okay, I’m officially releasing them from duty.”