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We’d get a lawyer. We’d fight this. No matter how long it took. I knew that with complete certainty.

“You have to take him?”

“For now. Until the hearing at least.” She sounded sorry about that. Fat lot of good it did Shiloh.

“Have you told him?”

“Not yet.”

I blew out a breath.

“Let me talk to him,” I said, and there was a hint of pleading in my voice. Weaver opened her mouth but I held up a hand. “I’m not saying alone. You can be right there. I’m not asking for anything more than to be the one to explain it.”

She studied me for a moment then nodded. “I will interrupt or cut off the conversation if I hear anything I don’t like.”

I didn’t bother to respond to that. I just headed back over to where my mom and Shiloh were now sitting on the chairs. I took the free one on the other side of Shiloh and he immediately leaned into me.

“You okay?” I asked, because that was the most important thing. Shiloh nodded, but his eyes were as wide as saucers. I’d take him at his word for now. “This is Ms. Weaver. She says you have to go with her for a few days until we talk to a judge.”

“Bodhi,” Shiloh managed, his voice trembling. I hated how scared he was. I wrapped an arm around him.

“I know. It sucks super bad. But she seems nice. And I want you to listen to me now. Are you listening?” I wait for his nod before continuing. “It sucks and you’re going to have to be brave. And when you’re scared, I want you to remember that Mimi, Papa, and I are doing everything we can to fix this.”

“Promise?” he whispered.

“I promise. I don’t know what yet or how long it’s going to take. But I promise we’re working on it. You know that the only thing we want is for you to be safe and happy.”

“I am at the ranch,” he said, and I had to give it to the kid, the look he shot at the social worker was pretty impressive. She was unfazed, and she just smiled.

“I know it’s scary, Shiloh,” Weaver said. “But we’ll take care of you. Will you sit right here while I talk to Mrs. Harrington?”

He nodded without looking at her, then turned his face into my side. We sat there while Mom and Weaver talked for a good fifteen minutes. I kept an eye on them out of my periphery. Weaver was jotting notes, and some of the tenseness left her shoulders. I hoped that was good. I knew her job had to be hard, considering what she had to do, but Mom was an angel here on earth and no one could take care of Shiloh better than her and dad.

They eventually wrapped up and came back over to us. Mom gave Shiloh another hug and then held him by the shoulders, not letting the tears that had gathered in her eyes spill over.

“I’m going to pack a bag for you and Ms. Weaver is going to come pick it up after she gets you settled. Do you want anything special in it?”

“Just clothes, I guess,” Shiloh said after a minute’s contemplation. “But not Jules. He needs to be there when I get back.”

Mom’s smile was shaky. “Okay. Ms. Weaver, can we walk you out?”

I could tell she was going to say no, but after a second, she gave a reluctant nod. We walked out of the school a morose group, and then Shiloh gave us both another hug before walking to Weaver’s car. His shoulders were hunched, and I had the insane urge to run over there and kidnap him. Mom must have known it, because she put a hand on my arm.

Only when they pulled away, did I turn to Mom. Her face was once again determined. I held out my hand for the keys, which she relinquished. “I’ll call the lawyer on the way back. We’re getting that child in our home permanently. I don’t care what we have to do.”

“I know.”

Once we were back in the car, I started it, then turned to her. “Jules?”

Mom smiled. “His elephant. He picked it out when we went clothes shopping the first day we had him. He trusts us, Bodhi. He knows we’re going to get him back.”

Chapter 22

Wren

I’d just gotten off a call with Marielle when my phone rang again. I startled and almost dropped it, but thought she’d forgotten something.

Then I saw it was Mike.