But.

“I didn’t give up my house and my life in another city to move here and help with Chris, to be undermined at every step. We made a plan. The counselor seems to think it’s a good plan. He’s responding really well to our united front. And to the stability. He’s going to school and turning his work in. Now he has to clear out the backlog. As for these friends of his, you and I both know none of them are good for him. We agreed to hold him accountable. Period. He needs stability. We need to stay strong. This is for him and his benefit.”

Pamela sighed, but Lily could see her spine hunch a little as she let it go.

Lily stood. “I’ll handle Chris myself.” She’d been the one to deal with the homework anyway.

He had the good sense to show fear in his eyes when she came into his room. “Expecting to see Mom instead?” She tossed the paper to him. “Took the liberty of helping you recognize your potential. That’s sloppy work and you’re capable of more.”

“I’ll do it better next time.”

“Oh I’m sure you will. And you’ll do better this time too. Right now. You have time since you won’t be going anywhere. Don’t go around me to her again.”

He stuck his chin out, defiant. “She’s my mother.”

“She’s mine too. And we both know she’s having a rough time of it right now. So I’m in charge. It’s not ideal, but it’s what you’ve got. Get your act together and stop being a brat. Everyone’s too tired for it.” She waved over her shoulder as she left the room. “Bring me the revisions. I’m going up to my room now.”

Chapter Three

Lily wasn’t sure why she was nervous. After all, she’d known Beth Murphy most of her life and through her, Beth’s sisters. She knew Maggie Chase and probably every woman on the other side of the door.

She knocked before she could change her mind only to have the door yanked open by a grinning Beth Murphy. “Sugar, you’re here!”

She hugged her friend and was yanked inside.

Maggie Chase approached, grinning. “It’s been way too long since I’ve seen you last. Come on in.”

Lily put her bag on the little bench at the entry and kicked off her shoes, following Maggie and Beth into the wide and full living room.

“We’ve got sour apple and lemon drops made so far. Want one?” Beth indicated the counter lined with pretty martini glasses and two pitchers.

A lemon drop in her left hand, she managed to nod a lot at the stuff people said as she made her way to the couch to sit.

“You know everyone, right?” Beth asked.

“Let’s see.” She looked around. “Yep. I met Cassie a few days ago at the bookstore. I know everyone else from school or town.”

Beth hugged her side. “I’ve missed you so much. I’ve hated living in two different places. And when you come back to visit, it’s…”

“Awkward. It’s all right. It put you in an odd spot and I didn’t want to make things worse after we broke things off. But I’ve missed you too.”

“You’re back for good, right?” Maggie passed over a tray of something yummy looking so Lily took two. Just to be neighborly and all.

“I had thought it would be temporary, but Chris is going to need me. He’s too much for my mom and he’s nervous enough about people leaving him. I made a promise that I’d be here for him and I will.”

Tate smiled, nodding. “Nathan says he’s seeing a big difference since you’ve been back. It’s good you can do it. I know he’ll appreciate it in the end.”

“Not so much when I take his car away and he starts with how I’m not his mother.” She laughed and raised her glass.

Tate laughed. “Chris will take a while. But I think your being here for him is exactly what he needs.”

“What’s your job situation?” Beth snuck one more of the little meatball things off the tray and winked at Lily.

“I can do my job remotely. For a while anyway. Eventually they’re going to want someone based in Macon, and I get that. Once upon a time I made an okay living with my freelance work. I don’t know if that’s the case anymore. But I have some other ideas as to how I can pay the rent.”

“You’re living with your mom?”

“Above the garage, which is the same really. But it’s close enough, and I can be around to make sure Chris gets to school and that he’s not sneaking around and cutting class. My mom is… Well I’m glad I’m nearby.”

“I was sorry to hear about what your dad did. How is she recovering from that? How are you?” Beth’s voice was low enough that it wasn’t a loud public statement. Conversation picked up all around them and Lily let herself relax.

“He didn’t cheat on me and drop our marriage and child for some twenty-year-old. What I have to deal with is nothing compared to that. At the same time, this isn’t his first trip to another woman’s bed. I know it makes me uncharitable, but he’s always been the center of the universe and everyone was supposed to be a satellite around him. My mother made that choice to live that way. I didn’t. So she’s a wreck. I hope she snaps out of it and can be a better and more present mother for Chris, but I don’t know if it’ll happen. I sure know Chris doesn’t have the time to wait around for it or for our father to get his head out of his rear and remember he’s got other things in addition to his too-young girlfriend to support.”