Mad About You

accused me of stealing your locket."
    She bit her lip to stem her welling tears. He was building quite a convincing case against her mothering skills. Despite her intuition about the locket, he was right, she had no proof. "I apologize, Chad," she said in a low voice. "It must have fallen off while I was wearing it and I didn't notice."
    "And now you're using me to get back at Bailey."
    Virginia's speed fell off and the car behind her blared its horn. "What did you say?"
    "You're using me—"
    "You're way out of line, young man."
    "It's true," he yelled. "You didn't mind him coming over to see me as long as he kissed you all the time! Now you're mad because he wants it to be just the two of us, so you're not going to let him see me at all!"
    His words reverberated in her head, triggering a low hum of panic. Chad was treading closer to the truth than she cared to admit. She had begun to anticipate Bailey's visits nearly as much as Chad did. Now, after discovering he was only trying to get next to Chad, she had retaliated by taking Chad away. In one week she'd already made the mistake she'd seen coworkers and acquaintances make, the one thing she'd promised herself she'd never do... use her child to get back at the other parent.
    Tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
    He frowned, exasperated. "You don't have to cry." He shifted in his seat to look out the window.
    But the dawning truth laid her heart wide open, and she couldn't stop the steady stream of tears.

Chapter Fourteen

    "YOU LOOK A LITTLE PEAKED, DEAR," Peg said, touching Virginia's arm.
    "I'm fine, Mom, just tired, that's all." She sipped her coffee, trying to avoid her mother's probing gaze until Chad and her father returned from loading his things into the RV.
    "Ginny, being a mother is difficult," she said. "And you've had it much harder than most. Don't be too rough on yourself—he's a good boy."
    Virginia nodded, smiling faintly.
    "Is Bailey helping?"
    Another nod. "He's great with Chad, and Chad adores him."
    Peg laughed softly. "You know, I kind of wondered if you and Bailey might get back together."
    Her heart squeezed. "No chance of that."
    "Oh? He seems to have grown up a lot since you were married."
    "He has," she admitted. "He's building a house, he's cut back on drinking, and he has a new job." She tilted her head and bit her bottom lip. "Mom, I know this is hypothetical, but if you and Dad had divorced, who would I have lived with?"
    Her mother's eyebrows inched upward as she considered the question. "Probably me, if only because of logistics."
    "What if I'd wanted to live with Dad?" Virginia pressed, hoping for some kernel of wisdom.
    Peg sighed. Her mother could see where her questions were leading. "And your dad wanted it too?"
    "Yes," Virginia said softly. "Very much."
    "You're asking if I would break my own heart to save my child's?"
    "Yes, I suppose that's what I'm asking."
    After a long sip of coffee, Peg raised her gaze to her daughter's. "If I truly believed you would have been at least as healthy and more happy with your father, then I would have let you go. Especially," she added, "if you had been a boy." She smiled sadly. "Like I said, being a mother is difficult."
    "How do I know if I'm making the right choice?"
    Peg squeezed Virginia's hand. "You don't."
    The front door creaked open, then two pairs of heavy footsteps came toward them.
    "Peg?" her father called good-naturedly as he entered the kitchen. "If you're finished yakking, we men have got everything loaded up and ready to go." He winked at Virginia, and she stood to give him a hug and a kiss.
    "Bye, Pop," she said, then turned to her mother and gave her an extra-hard squeeze. "Thanks," she whispered.
    They filed to the door, Virginia trailing. "Chad," she said.
    He'd been strangely quiet and cautious around her since her tearful trip home the day before. "Yeah?" he said, his voice sounding normal for a change.
    She reached over to brush back his bangs, love washing over her at this tentative contact. He hadn't often allowed her to touch him. "Here's some spending money." She pressed a twenty-dollar bill into his hand. "Have fun." She smiled, then leaned down and kissed his forehead. He blinked in surprise, but didn't jerk away.
    Virginia stood on the stoop and watched as they drove away, waving at Chad as he stared at her through the back window. At the last second he raised his hand in a small wave, then he was gone.
    Ignoring the