Page 44 of Love By The Falls

“You can’t stop me from speaking to my son,” he says, and the words freeze every muscle in my body.Charlie is turning in his seat, but I block his view of Jason when I stand in front of the rear window.

“He’s not your son. You gave up your rights and now need my permission to speak with him, which I do not grant you.”

“Why are you acting like this? It’s not like I would ever hurt you or Charlie.”

I laugh to stop myself from wrapping my fingers along his Adam’s apple and squeezing until he turns purple. “You really believe that you never hurt us? Do you, Jason?”

“Yes. I’ve stayed away and haven’t interfered.”

“Then, why now?”

He looks over my shoulder. From the corner of my eye, I notice a crowd has gathered around us. “Can we talk about this back at your place?”

“No.”

“Charlotte, come on. Let’s be adults here.”

“I am. I’m protecting my son, even from his own sperm donor.”

“What the fuck, Char?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I just want to talk to you. I’ll keep coming back until you listen.”

“Try it, Jason, and I’ll have a restraining order placed on you the very next day.”

“Is James still the sheriff in this town?”

“He sure is.”

He sighs and crosses his arms. “Fine. I won’t approach Charlie, but at least sit down and talk with me.”

“What for?”

“We spent six years together, Char—Charlotte. Can’t you give me five minutes?”

I shake my head. “That’s the problem, Jason. You think I owe you something when you’ve given me nothing? Stay away from me and stay away from Charlie, or you’ll find yourself in a lot of trouble. You got that?”

He glares at me, and I glare back. My chest burns from the inferno roaring inside of me. Jason is nearly six inches taller than me, but I would bet on me knocking him down if he tried to get close to Charlie.

Without another word, I spin on my heel and open the car door. My finger trembles as I press the ignition button and the engine roars to life. It overpowers the shouting in my head.

“Who is that, Mom?” asks Charlie.

My knee bounces as I peel out onto the street.

“Mom?”

I can’t lie to my son, and I can’t form the words to tell him that the man standing five feet away is his father. Not when he’s been miles away his whole life, despitehaving come back to town before. I don’t know what he wants, but I won’t stand by and let him take it.

“Mom?”

“How about we get some McDonald’s for dinner? What do you say?”

“McDonald’s? Really? Even after ice cream?”

“Yeah.”

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