"Watch me, Corri! Are you watching?"

I nodded and smiled at Kash as he raced across the yard and dove onto the soapy, wet plastic tarp stretched over the grass. When his friend from school got dropped off a few hours ago, they convinced me to let them set up the slip 'n slide on this unseasonably warm day.

It had been a few weeks since the grand reopening at the gym. Things had been great there. The classes were filling up and we had done lots of back-to-school sports physicals in the new exam rooms. The old side of the gym had remained unaffected by the new flow of traffic and was still full of guys looking to be trained by Colt and now even Beau had stepped up to help. 

There were plenty of new and old faces and the money we had spent on renovations was worth it when we were seeing so much new revenue. Colt had been in a great mood at work whenever we would see each other. We always made time for each other during the day, whether it be stolen kisses in my office or him whisking me off for a picnic lunch across the street at the park.

Kash was practically living with us full time now, only seeing his mom occasionally. We had enrolled him in the nearby elementary school with each of us taking turns walking him to the bus stop. After school he would spend time at his new friend's house or with our neighbor, Mrs. Ryan. But today was Saturday and after a short shift at the gym, I had agreed to allow Kash's new friend, Sean to come over. 

I laughed as they stumbled around on the slick surface and tried to get their footing long enough to run back and do it all again. I checked the time and noticed it was getting late. I didn't notice any texts from Colt and I was expecting him home any minute. 

"Kash!" I called across the yard. "It's time to start cleaning up. Sean's mom will be back soon."

Kash grumbled quietly before darting back to where I sat on the patio. Since my dad had passed, Colt had spent a lot of time working on this area of the backyard. He paved a section for us to have lounge chairs and a table big enough to eat on. On days like this, we enjoyed cooking out and watching Kash climb the trees.

"Can we just play for five more minutes?" Kash panted, breathless from all the running and sliding.

I hesitated, knowing he could definitely con me into playing longer because I rarely told this boy no. His eyes danced hopefully as he waited for my response. "Please?" he added, with puppy dog eyes.

"Okay," I relented with a chuckle, earning me a big wet hug. 

Before I could properly squeeze him back, he was jetting back to his friend and calling over his shoulder, "You're the best, Corri!"

I couldn't keep the huge smile off of my cheeks as I brushed the water from the front of my shirt. I stood up and turned to walk into the house when I saw Katrina peering out over the yard with an indescribable look on her face. "Katrina," I gasped, shocked that she felt so brazen to walk into my house without knocking.

Her gaze snapped to mine and that slight smile she once wore slipped from her lips as she scowled at me. "Well isn't this cozy?"

…

My stomach turned as I heard the front door open and close. I was still in the backyard and I held my breath as Colt's footsteps got closer.

"Hey," Colt sighed, lowering himself onto the lounge chair beside me. "Where are the boys at?"

When I didn't answer him right away, Colt scooted closer to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pressing a kiss to my temple. 

"Colt...I...I'm so sorry." I finally faced him, my brow furrowed with worry when I thought about how he would handle the news. 

"Baby, you're scaring me. Is it Kash? Did something happen? Is he hurt?" Colt sputtered, his mind obviously jumping to the worst case scenario.

"He's okay," I blurted. "He's just not here."

Colt's face twisted with concern. "What? Did he...did he go to Sean's?"

I shook my head and swallowed a huge lump in my throat. "No...he didn't. Katrina was here."

"Oh!" Colt sighed. "Is that all? She wanted him to come for a visit? God, honey. I thought something was really wrong."

As much as I hated to upset him, I had to tell Colt the truth. "There is something wrong. Katrina...she was upset. She said she was taking Kash home and…" I hesitated to tell him the rest, knowing that it would crush him.

"What?" Colt demanded as his fingers tightened around my shoulder. 'What is it?"

A heaviness settled in my chest, but I couldn't put it off another second. "Katrina took Kash and she said...she wasn't bringing him back."

…

Colt was standing in the kitchen with his phone pressed to his ear when I cautiously peered around the corner. "Can you have her call me...please? It's very important that I speak to her about our son."

Colt sighed deeply before ending the call. His hair was a mess and I could tell he had been running his hands through it. He swung around and found me leaning against the counter while wringing my hands nervously. "Did you...get a hold of her?"

"No. Her aunt said she doesn't wanna talk to me right now. What in the hell happened, Corri?"

My mouth gaped open in response to his harsh question. I could see the way his expression fell and his immediate regret. He reached for me, curling his hand around the back of my neck and hauling me against his chest. I could feel the desperation in his hug before he pulled away and looked into my eyes. "I'm sorry for the way that sounded, but I don't understand what happened."

I had barely had a chance to explain that Katrina had shown up when Colt had dashed inside to try to call her with no success. "She was mad. I have no idea what about. She walked into the house and came out to the backyard. I thought she just wanted to see Kash, but she started in on how this should've been your house and she should be living here with you and Kash. And then she demanded to know why I stole her life!"

I knew I was rambling, barely able to make any sense of what happened when I didn't truly understand it myself. I could see the questions turning over in his head as he stared at me. "And you didn't say anything to piss her off?"

"No!" I gasped. "She barely gave me a chance to say a word. I tried to get her to calm down. I invited her inside and said we should sit down and talk this out, but there was no reasoning with her."

Colt backed away from and began shoving his hands through his hair again. I could feel the fear coming off of him in waves. He was distraught and that alone made me so nervous to tell him the rest. "She was mad. I have no idea why. Like she was already about to explode before she even laid eyes on me."

"Drunk? Or...was she on drugs?"

"Not that I could tell. But Colt...she said Kash wouldn't be back. Even when I told her how much he loved his new room, his school, his new friends...she just didn't care. It was like our happiness here with him was pissing her off. There was no calming her down either."

"What else?" His jaw was clenched, a muscle ticked there and I felt how close he was to losing it. He could tell I was holding back.

With a deep sigh, I blurted, "She said Kash isn't yours and she wouldn't let him stay with us another minute and be a pretend family with people he wasn't related to."

I could see a flash of distress in Colt's green eyes. I knew he had worried for years that Katrina may revoke his parental rights. He didn't have a leg to stand on because he really wasn't his father, but after six years of loving him like his own, Colt was the closest thing Kash had to a real dad.

"I gotta go," he grunted through his clenched teeth. "I have to find Katrina and talk some sense into her."

Colt brushed past me in his haste to get out the front door. I let my head hang for a moment, feeling the immediate twist of regret in my gut. I knew I didn't do anything to set Katrina off, but I wasn't sure if Colt agreed. 

"Call me," I shouted as he reached the door and paused. 

Colt raced back to me and grabbed me up in a tight embrace that gave me the tiniest sliver of hope. "It's gonna be okay," he promised me as he pulled back and cupped my cheeks in both of his hands. "I'm getting my boy back, I swear."

I wasn't sure if Colt was saying that for my benefit or his own, but as I watched him reverse out of the driveway, I hoped he was right. Somehow he had to fix this because it felt like if he didn't, things would never be right between him and I again.

…

When my cell phone rang four days later, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I hadn't heard a word from Colt since he ran out to find Katrina. All my texts had gone unanswered and my phone calls were all declined. He hadn't shown up for his training sessions at the gym, but had called Big Mike to let him know he wouldn't be in. So he was alive, just not speaking to me.

"Hello?" I didn't recognize the number but I prayed this was Colt.

"Corri?"

I tried to place the voice, but couldn't. "Yes. Who is this?"

"It's Jason. I...I wanted to call and let you know that Colt's okay."

Confusion swirled in my brain. "Oh. Well may I ask how you know how Colt is? I mean, no offense but you two barely speak."

"He's been staying here...at my place."

My heart sank, knowing Colt would rather hang with his ex-best friend than me. "He's okay though?"

Jason scoffed lightly. "I mean if you call getting falling down drunk every night okay, then yeah, I guess he is."

A lump formed in my throat when I thought about how badly Colt was hurting. "So has he talked to Katrina?"

Jason sighed deeply before responding. "I'm not really sure what's been said between them. I do know he's gone over there but he's still drinking every night and more upset than I've ever seen him. I just don't know what else to do for him."

"I don't understand how he ended up with you. I mean, you two have barely been on speaking terms, right?"

"I was at Shenanigan's when he got plastered that first night. I didn't want him driving like that, so I said I'd bring him home. He refused. He asked if he could stay with me and he's been coming back every night since."

None of this was making any sense. I was more confused than ever. When I didn't respond, Jason added, "I know you, Corri. I knew how worried you must be and I have no idea why he won't talk to you about this. I just thought you had a right to know that he's safe...I'm looking out for him."

I nodded even though Jason couldn't see me. "Thank you for that. You're a good friend." 

Jason chuckled sadly. "I think Colt would disagree with that. I made some mistakes in the past...lines were crossed regarding you and he's not really gotten over that. But I'm hoping I can still get through to him and be the friend he needs."

I bit down on my lower lip, afraid to ask, but I needed to know. "Does he need me? I mean, should I come over? Try to talk to him…"

"He isn't here," Jason replied gently. "I've encouraged him to go home or call you. And he's refused. But the first time he asks for you or if he gets much worse, you'll be the first call I make."

I was still feeling hopeless as I drove home that evening, not at all anxious to return to a lonely, empty house. I hadn't realized how much joy was packed into that house when Colt and Kash were there. Now it was only me and I hated the quiet. I began to wrack my brain for a solution and as I neared my neighborhood, so I took a detour that landed me on Katrina's doorstep. 

The door was open when I arrived, the house teeming with people carrying red cups and music blaring. I slipped inside and found the woman I was looking for.

"What are you doing here?" Katrina demanded with a sneer, charging at me and dragging me back out the front door.

She had pushed me all the way out to the driveway before I spun around and pushed her back. "What the hell are you doing?" I sighed when she faced me. "You haven't gotten Kash to school at all this week and now you're disturbing him with a party? What is wrong with you?"

Katrina clenched her jaw and then let her gaze drift back to her aunt's house and the steady flow of people in and out. "You're not welcome here," she grumbled, turning her back to me.

"Maybe not," I scoffed, grabbing her arm and spinning her back to face me. "But you're killing Colt. Is that what you wanted?"

I watched Katrina steel her expression and cross her arms over her chest. "Maybe that's just an added bonus for me."

"Really? To the man you think I stole from you? To the man you say you wanted a family with? You're okay knowing he's falling apart without his boy? It doesn't sound like you care about him at all."

Katrina blinked quickly and I thought I saw a flash of guilt. "Well you can go back and tell him it didn't work. I'm not changing my mind and he won't be seeing Kash again."

"He left me," I blurted as she started to stomp back up to the house. "He won't come home and...as far as I know, I'm not sure he's ever coming back."

"Interesting," she hummed.

I walked around until I could look into her eyes. "So if you wanted us to be hurt, we're hurting. But don't do this to Kash. He loves Colt and he's made friends at his new school. Just let him come home." 

"With you? No way in hell. He isn't yours."

I opened my mouth to reply, frustrated with the way this conversation was going. Katrina was back on the porch when I hollered, "I'll break up with Colt. I'll never see him again, if that's what you want. And...I'll stay away from Kash." My voice was breaking now as I tried to hide my pain. 

Katrina paused with her hand on the doorknob. "I'll do anything," I added.. "Just...don't do this to Colt."

I held my breath as she stalked back to where I stood. "Why? Why would you give him up like that?"

I took a deep breath and sighed, "Because I love Colt that much. I want him to be happy and Kash makes him happy. Please...just consider it."

…

I drove home from Katrina's in a daze. She hadn't given me an answer, so all I could hope was that I had gotten through to her. I was too emotionally spent to do anything but flop onto the couch and think about what my life would be like if I never saw Colt or Kash again. And then the tears came. Big, fat ugly sobs wracked my entire body until I succumbed to much needed sleep.

"Corri…"

Barely able to open my eyes, I felt hands shaking me. "I'm home," a small voice whispered.

I blinked and tried to make my eyes focus. Kash was standing over me, brushing the hair from my face. He was smiling and I knew this had to be a dream. I sat up quickly, startled to see Katrina on the other side of the coffee table. My eyes darted between them until Kash fell into my arms. "I missed you," he mumbled into my neck.

I laughed, my body instantly relaxed as his little arms tightened around my neck. I glanced up at Katrina and noticed the odd peaceful look on her face. I sent Kash off to unpack his bag and get ready for bed while Katrina sauntered over to the front door.

"You know Colt's not here, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah I figured from what you said earlier."

"So why…"

"This is where Kash wanted to be," she interrupted. "I said he could see his dad but he asked me to bring him here, to his room…" she paused and steadied her voice. "He wanted you. He missed you. So here he is."

Her voice was cold and lacking emotion, but I had to know. "What I offered earlier… to stay away from Colt and Kash...you don't want that?"

Katrina finally faced me before glancing around the room. "All I ever wanted is what you have with them. Don't give that away. Don't give up on what's yours. I get it now. I didn't before. All I knew was Colt always wanted you and I prayed he'd see me...but he never did. So just take care of my boy. If something happens to me…" Her voice trailed off and she cleared away the emotion clogging her throat. I wanted to ask what she meant by that, but Kash reappeared and after they exchanged a tight hug, she was gone.

"Will you read me a story?" Kash asked quietly as I closed the front door.

I took his hand in mine and beamed down at him. "I would love that." 

Long after I had read Kash not one, but three stories, I found myself still sitting in his bed with my fingers sifting through his soft blonde hair. "Your dad is gonna be so happy to see you," I whispered into the darkness.

As I climbed out of his bed and into my own, I thought about Colt and how happy he would be to find out that his son was home. I had left messages with Jason since Colt's phone was still going straight to voice-mail when I called. I hoped Colt would be okay once he knew his son was safe. But I had no idea where we stood. Would our relationship be forever ruined by this? Was there any way I could make him understand that this wasn't my fault?

Hours later, I jolted awake when I heard a crash of thunder outside my window. I blinked quickly when a quick flash of lightning illuminated my room and I could have sworn I saw someone standing there. I sat up and snapped the bedside lamp on and forced my eyes to focus on the doorway. I gasped when I saw Colt standing there, clothes drenched and his eyes red. "Colt," I sighed deeply, relieved to find him home. But then dread swirled deep in my belly when I realized he wasn't here for me, he was here for Kash.

He approached me slowly, using both hands to push the water from his eyes. "Corri, I…" he began, his voice thick with emotion. "I really fucked up."

That sense of dread I felt was now like a two ton weight in my gut. What had he done?

.....