Chapter 51
“Maybe you should come over, too, and we can all hopefully discuss this like rational human beings.”
“What did she tell you? Did she happen to mention that Morgan wasn’t the one who started it? Or that he was defending Sam from a kid that was bigger than the two of them combined?”
“No, she didn’t really give me the details. She told me Morgan was pretty upset, so I told her to come over so we could both talk to him. Now…what ridiculous thing did you call her on?”
“She expected Morgan to come crying to her rather than stand up to that bully. Does she even know her own kid? Morgan’s way too independent. Not to mention how protective he gets about the people he cares about. He does it with you, he does it with Sam, I’m sure he does it with other people, too. And to top it off, she wanted him to apologizefor defending himself and Sam. Like he was to blame for the fight in the first place.”
Given how angry Aaron still sounded, and knowing how bullheaded Christina was, I had the feeling they hadn’t simply exchanged opinions on how to best handle the situation and then agree to disagree. I more or less agreed with Aaron, but I couldn’t undermine Christina’s authority, and if she thought Morgan’s actions required an apology, I couldn’t very well insist they didn’t. Of the two of them, I’d rather make Aaron happy. But Aaron…well, Aaron wasn’t going to be raising a child with me for the next ten years.
“She doesn’t think violence is ever justified. And you know, she couldn’t very well tell Morgan he did the right thing. But…wait. Why did you ask if she mentioned Sam? Did she say Morgan couldn’t see him again?”
“She told Morgan he wouldn’t be playing with Sam until he apologized. And that she’d tell you he was on restriction. And then she literally dragged him from the park.”
“Oh Christ…okay, she’s going to be here in a couple of seconds. Come over and we’ll get everything straightened.” Christina and Aaron could not be at odds with each other. It was bad enough there was tension between me and Aaron, and me and Christina. There needed to be some combination of adults that didn’t stress the boys out.
“All right, I’m just around the corner. She better not have a problem with Sam and Morgan playing in Morgan’s room, because they do not need to hear this.” His heavy sigh filled the line. “I wish it’d been you there tonight. I wouldn’t have been in such an awful mood to start with, then. Oh, there’s a good parking space. I better grab it. See you in a few.” The line went dead.
I didn’t have a chance to really think about Aaron’s words before Morgan used his key to open the door. His eyes were dry now, but he’d obviously been crying. He marched over to me, looking up with trepidation and defiance, like he expected me to lecture him. I crouched down to eye level and pulled him into a short hug before pushing him toward the bathroom. “Go wash your hands and face. Sam will be over soon. You can play in your room.”
“Sam’s coming over here?” Christina demanded. “Why?”
“Because Aaron called and he wanted to talk—”
“Who cares? Since when does some stranger get input on how we raise our child?”
“He’s not a stranger, and this involves Sam, too.”
“I told Morgan he was on restriction.”
“Well, I told him he couldn’t have a DS, so I guess we’re even.”
“That’s real mature, Peter.”
I took a deep breath. “Look, we agreed that we both had say over bigger issues like this. I agree with you. I think Morgan should have avoided getting into a fight, and he should have apologized for breaking the rules at least. But—”
“How do you know exactly what happened? Did Aaron call you?”
“Yes, he was concerned. And he was just parking so he should be here soon.”
“What’s going on with him, Peter?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I don’t, I swear.”
The knock at the door shut Christina up—thank God, even though I knew it was only temporary—and I went to answer it. Aaron and Sam stood there, the younger Hardison looking thoroughly miserable, the older hard and furious. Some of that hardness softened when our eyes met, and a quirk of his lips might have been the start of a smile, but then his gaze slid past me to see Christina waiting inside.
Aaron squeezed Sam’s shoulder. “Morgan’s probably in his room already. Why don’t you go in there and talk about what happened, while his parents and I have our talk out here?”
A mute Sam nodded. He edged around me, watching Christina the entire way, before making a dash for Morgan’s room.