When There Is Nothing Left But Love

I quickly knelt down next to Gregory and pacified him, saying, “Silly boy, Mommy only left for a while. How could I have left you behind? Didn’t we agree that we’d stick together?”

However, Gregory could not be so easily appeased. He frowned in deep thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up. Extending his tiny pinky towards me he claimed, “We didn’t make a pinky promise last time, so it didn’t count. Now we have to!”

I put on an unsmiling face and hooked my pinky with Gregory’s. He cheered up considerably afterward.

Looking down at Gregory clad smartly in a tuxedo, I guessed that the three of them were heading out to dinner. In a friendly manner, I asked, “Are you going out to dinner tonight, Gregory?”

Before Gregory could reply, Ashton cut in with a low voice, “We’re going to meet my parents. You have to come too.”

We’re going to meet the Hall family? I thought, amused. I guess today isn’t a wasted trip after all.

I smiled cheerfully at Ashton, then replied, “Sure! Let me go back and change. Wait here for me.”

“It’s alright,” Ashton commanded, halting me in my tracks. “You can come as you are. There’s no need to be so formal.”

another word, Ashton got into the van parked just outside the

onto Gregory’s hand. At least I’ve saved

must be a callous bunch who attempted to wipe out

Gregory while Ashton sat in the front. We seemed to have come to a mutual understanding that the earlier matter with John would

on endlessly, filling me in with all the

really like to mix with the younger children at school, do

course, I won’t!” Gregory declared stoutly. “I’ll stay with my

still-babyish voice. A picture of Gregory and Audrey holding onto each other suddenly surfaced in my

then ruffled Gregory’s hair. I looked at him fondly, commending, “You’ve really grown up into a fine

I saw Ashton sneakily watching us through the rearview mirror. However, Ashton looked away from the mirror the instant our

me with another look of utter

I had told Gregory about Audrey. It felt like he had full assurance that he would be able to acquire custody of both Audrey and

I was thus occupied in thought. It seemed as

while holding