“The usual threats.” Rachel pours coffee with more force than necessary. “That I’m unstable. That Tommy deserves better. That he’s going to save his son from his disaster of a mother.”
“He’s bluffing.”
“Maybe. But he’s also filing paperwork with a lawyer, so it’s not entirely a bluff.” She sets the coffee pot down. “And with the viral videos and the unemployment and the general chaos of my life right now, he might actually have a case.”
“He doesn’t have a case. He has manipulation tactics.” I take a sip of coffee. “Any judge who looks at his history versus yours will see exactly what he is.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The doorbell rings.
Jake frowns. “Expecting anyone?”
“No.” Rachel’s face goes pale. “Unless—”
“I’ll get it.” Jake heads toward the front door.
Rachel and I follow. Something in her expression tells me she knows exactly who’s at the door.
Jake opens it.
Derek stands on the porch, wearing an expensive suit and the kind of smile that doesn’t reach his eyes: mid-thirties, polished, the type who looks good on paper and terrible in person.
“Jake. Good to see you.” He doesn’t wait for an invitation. Just steps inside like he owns the place. “I’m here to see my son.”
“Derek.” Rachel’s voice is flat. “What are you doing here?”
“I have a right to see Tommy. Or are you planning to violate my parental rights along with everything else?” He looks around the living room with obvious judgment. “Nice place. Very… cozy. This is where you’re raising my son? In your brother’s house?”
“What do you want?” Rachel doesn’t move from where she’s standing.
“I want to see Tommy. I want to talk to him without you hovering and poisoning him against me.” Derek’s smile widens. “I’m his father. I have rights.”
“You haven’t seen him in months.”
Derek pulls out his phone and turns it toward her. “This you?”
It’s the library evacuation video. Rachel covered in soot, Tommy in her arms, both looking terrified.
“I was getting my son out of a burning building.”
“You were at another fire.” Derek pockets his phone. “Any reasonable person would ask why. What you’re doing that keeps putting my son in danger.”
Jake steps forward. “You need to leave.”
“I need to see my son. That’s not negotiable.” Derek doesn’t even look at Jake. His focus stays locked on Rachel. “You can make this easy and bring him down here, or you can make it difficult, and we’ll let the courts decide. Your choice.”
“He’s upstairs playing. I’m not interrupting his afternoon because you decided to show up unannounced.” Rachel’s hands are shaking, but her voice stays steady. “If you want to seeTommy, you schedule it through proper channels. You don’t show up at my door making demands.”
“Your door? This isn’t your house, Rachel. This is your brother’s house where you’re living rent-free because you can’t support yourself.” Derek’s smile turns cruel. “How long before he gets tired of supporting you? How long before Tommy realizes his mother’s a failure?”
That’s when I step forward.
“You need to leave.” My voice comes out cold. “Now.”
Derek looks at me for the first time. “And you are?”
“Someone telling you to leave before this becomes a legal issue.” I don’t move closer or raise my voice. Don’t need to. “You’ve delivered your message. Now go.”
