“Good afternoon, ladies.”

“Hey Nick.”

While seeing a Backstreet boy at their center had become old hat to most of the kids, some of the girls still got flirty and sing-songy in their dealings with him. He never knew his name could last a whole measure. Or how girls who had been playing four square every day for the past two years could still miss the stinkin’ ball every time he walked by.

The red head who chased after it stopped right before she plowed right into him, panting at her long, 5 foot run. “Rosalie’s lookin’ for ya’.”

“She is, huh?” He handed her ball back and winked. “Guess I’d better go see what she needs.”

He smirked as he felt four sets of eyes follow him into the building. Some days the admiration was fun. Some days it was a royal pain in the ass. Today – it was fun. Harmless ten year old girls were just plain fun.

As soon as he got inside, the fun stopped. Kids were playing at the computers. That was good. Others were doing some paper craft across the room. That was fine. Rosalie was curled up in a beanbag chair with a few other preschoolers looking through books. A-okay there. But, as his eyes skimmed the room, he saw Lani’s curvy backside, her long silky hair draping over her shoulders and just the slightest glimpse of the side of her face as it angrily dealt with none other than José – who was backed against a wall with all of the obstinance he could muster. Not so fun.

Rosalie caught Nick’s eye and tossed her book aside as her face lit the room. He motioned for her to wait there and with a few large steps, he had landed on the carpeted reading area, lifted her up and planted both of them back into the beanbag. As she snuggled into his chest, they had a private conversation.

“What’d José do this time?”

“Not sure…I think he talked mean to Mamí.”

“Ah, well, after this weekend, I bet that would make her angry, huh?”

“Makes me angry. He’s just a big bully.”

“I know someone that used to be a big bully around here – and he’d talk mean to Mamí too.”

“Who?” She sat up and ran her fingers along the neckline of his shirt as they talked. It was as if after all this time, she still couldn’t believe he was real.

“Ben.”

“Ben was never…” She stopped and obviously had a few memories come back. “Oh. Yeah. Well, he’s all better now isn’t he?”

“Yep…know who else used to talk mean to your Mom?”

“No…”

“Me.”

“Nuh-uh. You love her.”

“Well, I do now…and…” he leaned in extra close, pretending there were a million people listening even though they were in their own private world, “…I probably did then too, but I was too stupid to admit it.”

“I don’t think José loves her.”

“Uh, no. Probably not.” He picked up the book she’d been looking through, laughing at the title. “A Porcupine named Fluffy?”

“Yeah! It’s a funny one…wanna read it to me?”

She snuggled into his lap knowing full well he’d do it and opened up the first page and helping him with the first words – just in case he needed help.

When Mr. and Mrs. Porcupine had their first child, they were delighted. Now he needed a name.

The center was finally empty of kids and Lani looked like she was empty of soul. “Can you just drive us home? I’m too pooped to bother.”

“Yeah…how you gonna get in tomorrow?” Lani smiled at Nick and batted her eyes. “Ah. I’ll bring you in…does this mean a sleep over?”

He wagged his eyebrows and Rosalie cheered.

Once everyone was in the truck, Lani let out a primal scream scaring Nick and Ro half to death. “Feel better?”

“Yes, thank you. I’m so sick of ‘the system’ I could scream.”

“You just did, Mamí. Warn us next time.” Rosalie was not in the mood for another scream, so she slapped her headphones on and started bopping her head to the music in her CD player.

“Sorry.” She reached over and rested her hand on Nick’s thigh, sighing peacefully when he took her hand in his and kissed it tenderly. “José didn’t seem real grateful you saved his ass the other day, huh?”

“José’s scared, Nick. I mean, one day he’s at home with Mom and the next he’s being told he’s gotta move out and live with strangers.”

“Are things not going well at the foster home?”

“They’re okay, I guess. He wants his mama.”

“How long is she gonna be in jail?”

“Could be a few years. She’s guilty. Trafficking, possession, under the influence, neglect. She screwed up.”

“How does a mom get involved in that shit when they’re the only ones who are there for their kids?”

“Because they’re the only ones who are there for their kids.”

“You didn’t.”

“No, I didn’t. I could have.”

“You wouldn’t have tho, Lani – I mean, just because life is hard doesn’t mean you lay down and die.”

Lani nodded and leaned her head back against the seat, remembering José the day he came crashing in on their cleaning party. He was running from the state, running from the mess his mother had made of his life. Running from the possibility of living the rest of his childhood years in foster care. And, as much as Lani wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to do it, she couldn’t. She called the proper authorities and kept him that night until he could get home and properly pack. And then she had to force him to go to the foster parent’s, remind him that he wasn’t helping his mother if he was a shit while he was there, and then take his verbal abuse when he had to lash at someone and Lani was the obvious target.

There was not one good thing about the situation. Not one. The only thing she could do was make sure José didn’t lay down and die, like Nick said. That he kept fighting – even if it was with her. She wouldn’t rest if she knew that she failed him and another kid grew up to be like Neron. That was her driving force. That’s what kept her from letting him go and become yet another kid in the system. He was going to grow up to be a responsible adult if she could help it.

“I love you, Lani.”

It was so soft, she barely heard him, but she rolled her head on the seat and caught him turning his focus back to the road and his words became clear. “I love you…”

When they got home, Rosalie smacked Nick’s backside as she ran up to the porch and Lani went to the curb to get the mail. She was casually sifting through the bills and junk when she stopped cold.

“Hurry up, Mamí. I gotta pee!”

She didn’t move from her spot, but frantically opened one of the envelopes while Nick flipped through is keys to find the one to their home.

“WAIT! Oh my god, Nick! Oh my god!!!” Now Lani moved and moved fast, running up her yard and skipping steps onto the porch. “Look! Oh my god! He did it! He did it!”

“Did what?”

“I gotta peeeeee! I’m serious!” Rosalie started dancing and Nick took two extra seconds to turn the key in the door and push it open.

“Go. Damn.” He grabbed the paper from Lani’s hands and looked in her eyes first – joy, shock – and then he pulled his curious eyes from her back to the form in his hands. “Answer to Petition…” His eyes skimmed down and realization hit. “He consented? He’s agreed to everything?”

“Yes! Yes!! The visitation, the name…look…” She flipped through the few short pages and pointed to all of the previously contested items. “He took my second offer of child support, he quit bitching about supervised visitation…it’s over, Nick. It’s over.”

“Once a judge agrees.”

She hit him in the arm and pushed him inside. “Don’t steal my sunshine, creep. As far as I’m concerned it’s over. No judge would argue any of this.” Lani saw the caution in Nick’s eyes and she wasn’t going to have it. “Please, Nick…this is good. This is very good. I got control back – I got us back.”

He took the papers from her again and leaned against the overstuffed chair to look at them more closely. Why would he threaten Nick one day and less than a week later, he’d consent to everything? It made no sense. “The name change…did he agree to that too?”

“Should have – lemme see…” She peeked over his arm and found it the same time he did. “Yep. He signed the line “I agree”, so the name thing dropped. She stays a Romero.”

Nick remembered the book he’d read to Rosalie about a silly porcupine whose name was Fluffy. Fluffy wasn’t fluffy. The truth of the matter was, Rosalie wasn’t Romero either. Not totally. She was Gomez Romero. But yet – inside she was Romero – just like Fluffy. And that’s all that mattered…

…and now Nick understood why she was fighting so hard for this. For José and kids like him. For a name for her daughter. She needed to wash Neron and anything like him out of their life.

And it looked like Neron had just opened the drain to make it all happen. Whether that made sense at all or not.

Rosalie had been in bed for a few hours and Nick and Lani spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch, surfing through 10 million channels finding 10 million hours of absolutely nothing on TV. “This is stupid, Nick. Let’s just go to bed.”

Nick clicked the tube off and grabbed their glasses as Lani locked up. They’d done this together so many time, that it had become a comfortable routine. Unfortunately, the silence between them was anything but comfortable.

Lani beat Nick to the bedroom and had already taken off her top and bra, now digging underneath her pillows for her sleep shirt. He came in and watched as her cinnamon skin disappeared beneath one of his old t-shirts and her hair fell from its ponytail into a full mane around her shoulders. She was the most beautiful creature on the planet.

She felt his eyes on her and she gave him a coy sideways glance as she pulled the decorative pillows from the bed. “¿Dónde está, querido?”

His shirt flew across the room and landed in a pile on her rocking chair. “Where am I? I’m right here, baby.” He flicked the radio on and helped her pull the bed back never making eye contact.

“Bullshit.”

“Bullshit, what?” He finally looked up and ignored the softness in her eyes, taking offense instead. “What do you want from me?”

A pillow flew across the bed and hit Nick in the face. “Don’t get shitty with me! You seem distant – I’m asking because I care about you, not because I want something!” Nick growled and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door, smacking the fan on, shutting her out. “Well, that went well, Lani, don’t you think?” She slid into bed and turned her back to the bathroom door, hoping sleep would come quickly.

She was kidding herself.

Finally Nick unearthed himself from his sulk in the john and quietly came back into the room, kissing her cheek softly and whispering an apology, figuring she was already asleep. She was still mad, and decided to play possum and let him sit with his guilt a little longer. Only he didn’t sit. He walked out of the bedroom.

Lani rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling, trying to hear his footsteps, wishing he’d just come back in so they could start the last 10 minutes over again, wanting the simple pleasure of feeling his cold nipple ring against her back as she slipped into sleep. Instead, she listened to herself breathing, listened to the radio play the same stupid songs they play every night at this time, listened to the air conditioner kick on and off again. Listened to her anger turn to worry as he didn’t come back and she really wanted to get to sleep.

Giving up on the wait, she flipped back the covers and tip toed out into the hall. No lights were on in the living room, the kitchen – anywhere. She noticed the door to Rosalie’s room was ajar and peeked in, her worry and anger giving way to calm and peace. Nick was knelt at Ro’s bedside, brushing her hair back as she slept, whispering words that Lani didn’t even want to hear. Words that were meant only for Ro’s sleeping ears, words that Lani assumed were expressions of whatever had been on his mind all evening.

As she felt a tear slide down her cheek, she left them alone, going into the kitchen to find something…to drink, to numb, to kill time, to distract. She only found a bottled water to soothe, but it’d do for now. Hiking herself up on the counter, she sat in the dark room and waited.

“Lani? Baby? Where are you?”

“In the kitchen…”

Nick’s form appeared in the moonlit room only seconds before she felt his hands on her thighs. “I’m sorry, baby…” His head rested on her shoulder, and her hand slid its way up into his hair.

“What’s eating at you? I thought tonight would be a happy night.”

“It’s supposed to have been, huh?” He shook his head and stood full, stepping back to lean against the other counter, kissing her before they totally parted. “I’m not totally sure what’s eating at me…”

“That can be part of the problem.”

“Yeah, I guess so…I’m supposed to be happy about this consent thing…”

“You’re supposed to feel however you feel Nick. I just don’t know why you’re not is all.”

She saw his silhouette nod and run its hand through the silken hair on his head that her own fingers were itching to touch again. He came to her and offered his hand. “Let’s go back to bed…”

She hopped down but stopped before they walked on. “You putting me off?”

“No. I just want you in my arms.”

Leaning into him, they stumbled and kissed down the hall, trying not to giggle too loudly when they passed Rosalie’s room. “She okay?”

He smiled, knowing he’d been caught, climbing into bed and holding the sheets open for her. “Yeah, she’s fine. Toasty and warm – sound asleep.”

As she settled, her hand brushed his cheek and her eyes centered in his. “What’s up, baby?”

“I saw Neron a few days ago – the day before Ben took off.”

“Where?”

“Gas station. I dunno if it was chance or if he was lookin’ for me. He definitely had a message though.”

“Which was…”

“Call off the girlfriend.” Nick waited a beat for her to register and continued. “Why would he do that one day and the next day sign papers consenting to everything?” Two more beats as he watched her breathing increase. “I don’t trust him, Lani…”

“No…but I trust his attorney.”

“You know him?”

“Her. Yeah. Hell, I helped him find her – she’s one of the best family attorneys we use at the center. Mine’s the best of course, but she’s a close second.”

“Doesn’t it just seem weird to you?”

“Yeah…but nothing he does surprises me. He knew that there would be further legal action if he didn’t sign this…and he doesn’t need any more legal battles.”

“He said that…he’s had trouble before, I take it?”

“Oh yeah – drugs, petty theft from construction sites he’s worked on, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not beat a girlfriend or two.” Before Nick could sputter out his question, she stopped him. “He never laid a hand on me. He knew I’d hit back.”

“Fucking coward. That’s all he is.”

“Yep. So, why are you so afraid of him?”

Nick sighed and fell onto his back, covering his eyes with his arm. “That’s why I went in to see Rosalie…I feel like…like he can take her from me any time. Take you from me…”

“He has no authority to do that, Nick.”

“But these papers say he’s the dad now. Legally. Can’t he just do some fancy legal shit and snatch her away?”

“No. First…” Lani sat up and turned to face him, comforting him with her touch as best as she could. “…he’s not smart enough.”

“His attorney might be.”

“She knows me, and knows that I bring her about 70% of her business. It’d be suicide.”

“Okay, so he gets rid of her – finds some sleaze bag.”

“Nick, honey…it’s not going to happen. We now have the courts on our side. It is official court documentation that he walked out on us when I was pregnant, that he’s fought fair and reasonable child support, that he’s neglected his daughter for the first four years of her life and that he is not to be trusted alone with her or alone with me. No court in the world would give him any legal stronghold over Rosalie or over me.”

Nick nodded and reached up to brush her hair off her shoulder. “I don’t want to lose us – especially to him.”

“Don’t make this a competition for the girl, Nick. Don’t.”

“I’m not…”

“You are.”

“Am not.”

“Nickolas Gene Carter – you are acting like a baby.” She giggled and rolled on top of him kissing his neck up to his cheek, finally eliciting a small smile from his stubborn demeanor. “Thing is, Nick – there is no competition. You won. You got the girl. Both of us.”

The conversation ended as he leaned up and captured her lips in his, rolling her underneath him, never taking a breath as his lips traveled down her neck and he nosed underneath the t-shirt to find as much bare skin as he could without stripping her down. “I got you?”

“You got me…his game is over.”

As Nick’s hand slid up the t-shirt and his hand rested on the fullness of her breast, he looked into her eyes and smiled, truly smiled for the first time that evening. “Can our games begin?”

“I thought you’d never…”

His cell phone interrupted her answer, ringing their new favorite cleaning song.

“Ignore it.”

Nick got up and found his shorts, then his phone. “I can’t – Jesus…” He looked to make sure and sighed before answering. “It’s Ben.”