Mad About You

close at her heels.
    At the doorway of the living room she came up short, and Bailey jostled her from behind.
    "What—" Bailey's sentence ended when he saw the scene of the movie Chad was watching. A half-clothed man and woman were making love against a wall, their moans reverberating from the stereo speakers. Bailey strode over and snatched the channel changer, finding a nature documentary in two clicks.
    "Hey!" Chad yelled. "I was watching that!"
    "Well, you're not watching it anymore," Bailey said firmly, his eyebrows drawn together.
    "I know what sex is," Chad grumbled from his prone position on the rug.
    "Knowing is good, seeing and doing is not good." Bailey ran a hand through his hair. "We'll talk about this later."
    She watched Bailey once again handle the situation like a pro while she felt like a helpless bystander. A revelation washed over her: She was utterly ill equipped to raise this child. Her eight-year-old son knew about sex—or said he did—what else had he been exposed to? And what things had he missed?
    It was becoming abundantly clear just what she had missed.
    She set down the tray with unsteady hands, then fled to the guest bath across the hall in search of aspirin. After a full minute of shuffling bottles and jars, she found the painkiller and swallowed two with a paper cup of water. When she closed the medicine cabinet, she jumped. Bailey stood behind her, staring at her in the mirror. He stepped closer in the small room, triggering a shiver that raised the hair on her arms.
    "Headache?" he asked with a small smile.
    "Yeah, imagine that," she replied without turning around.
    "This whole situation feels pretty strange, doesn't it?"
    "You always had a gift for understatement, Bailey."
    "I know he's a handful," he offered. "I'd be glad to stay tonight."
    Desire curled low in her stomach. She searched his eyes for ulterior motives, but his dark irises revealed nothing. So soon after last night, she didn't trust him or herself with that kind of proximity.
    He read her mind. "I'll take the couch." Still no hint of teasing.
    The thought suddenly occurred to her that Bailey wasn't as interested in getting next to her as much as he was concerned about her handling Chad by herself. Remembered words echoed in her head. My God, Virginia, what were you thinking? Even I know not to let a baby out of my sight....
    "We'll be fine by ourselves," she said firmly. "After all, you won't always be around to pick up the pieces." She held his gaze level in the mirror.
    He inched closer, placing his hands on either side of the sink, penning her in from behind without touching her. His angry eyes bore into hers. "If you won't give me a chance to prove I've changed," he said, his voice low, his words deliberate, "I may have to resort to drastic measures."
    Her mind spun. What did he mean? Acquire sole custody of Chad?
    "Whoa," came Chad's voice from behind. "Why watch it on TV when I can just watch you two?"
    They both whirled around at the same time to face their son. Embarrassment flooded Virginia as Chad stared at them with knowing eyes.
    "I thought you wanted to watch TV," Bailey said, frustration plain in his voice.
    "If you're only going to let me watch whales and stuff, what's the point? Where's my room?"
    "I'll show you." Virginia brushed past Bailey with as much dignity as she could muster. "Keep in mind," she said to Chad as they climbed the stairs, "up to now it's been only a guest room—we can change it any way you like."
    Her heart pounded, anticipating the likely explosion when Chad saw the frilly room. She pushed the door open and switched on the light.
    "No way!" he shouted without even stepping inside.
    "It'll do for now," Bailey said.
    "It's a girl's room!"
    Virginia hated herself for scrambling to make amends. "I didn't have time to take down the curtains. And we'll buy new linens tomorrow."
    "I'm sleeping on the couch," Chad declared.
    "Fine," Virginia said quickly. "We'll have your room fixed up in no time. We'll make a shopping list for tomorrow. Then, when your stuff gets here, it'll seem more like home."
    Immediately, she wished she could take back the last word. It hung in the air between them, and she waited for Chad to lash out.
    He stared at her, blinking furiously to rid himself of the tears she saw forming. "Wrong again," he said in a dull voice, then spun and pounded down the stairs. She started to follow him, but Bailey put out his arm.
    "Let him be," he said. "Almost anything we