exchanged contact information for their attorneys. Tess was right about the smell of Wren’s head.
When their discussion ended, Diane and Jeff began carrying Wren’s things out to their Lexus. Jeff returned from his last trip to the car and gazed at the baby. “There’s mischief in those eyes.”
Ian knew Wren well enough to suspect it was more likely gas.
The time had come. Ian carried Wren out to the car. Under the palm of his hand, he felt her release a long, satisfied fart. He’d been right about the gas.
The idiot baby chose that moment to lock eyes with him, and he could swear she had a satisfied look on her face. He couldn’t believe he’d ever thought she looked like a squirrel.
“You have my number,” he said. “Call if you have questions. Anything at all. Night or day.”
“We will.”
Jeff opened the back door of their sedan. Ian leaned down to put Wren in the car seat. A flash of red out of the corner of his eyes distracted him.
Tess erupted from the woods.
Her face was flushed, but she didn’t look wild-eyed or crazed, the way she had in the fire tower. She looked sane and very determined.
“Hold up!” She marched forward, hair streaming in dark, curly swirls, nose red, eyes flint-hard. “We need to talk.”
“Tess?” Diane turned. Her forehead knit with concern. “Oh, dear, I know this is hard for you.”
“You have no idea.” Tess stopped in front of them, slightly out of breath but with her jaw set. “Here’s the deal. Wren is mine. Your son was only a sperm donor. I’ve taken care of her from the day she was born, and I want her.”
It was as if she’d leveled them with a stun gun. Nobody moved. She rushed on. “Look at her. She’s thriving. Can’t you see? I know her in a way nobody else does. I know what her cries mean—whether she’s hungry, or sleepy, or mad at the world. I know how she likes to be held and—”
“Tess,” Ian cut in. “This isn’t fair to Diane and Jeff.”
“I don’t care about Diane and Jeff!”
Jeff’s head came up, and Diane looked wounded.
Tess softened. “I don’t mean that. It’s obvious you’re good people, and Wren couldn’t have better grandparents. But you’re grandparents!” The words poured out, a rush of need, love, and desperation. “She’s mine! You can see her anytime you want, but she’s mine. You can be the grandparents you’ve always wanted to be. I’ll send her to you for holidays. For summer vacations. I’ll sign anything you want to protect your rights. But she belongs with me.”
“Oh, Tess.” Tess’s outburst had brought out Diane’s maternal concern. “We can see how hard this is for you. But Wren is ours.”
Tess’s lips thinned into a snarl. “Why? Because your son knocked up her mother?”
“Tess . . .” Ian said softly. “That’s enough.”
Jeff wasn’t as compassionate as his wife, and his jaw tensed. “She’s our flesh and blood.”
“But I’m the only mother she knows!” Tess cried. “I’m a good person! A good citizen. I’m strong and healthy. I’m sane. Most of the time, anyway. I’m ethical, and— Ian, tell them. Tell them I’m a good, competent person.”
“You’re a great person, Tess, but—”
“You’re only making this harder on yourself,” Diane said.
“She needs a real mother!” Tess exclaimed. “Someone young. Someone who loves her unconditionally. Not that you don’t, but—” Some of the steam went out of her. “She needs me.”
“We can see how much she means to you,” Jeff said, more calmly. “But being raised by a single mother isn’t what we want for Wren. She deserves a family.”
Diane reached out to touch Tess’s arm, then seemed to think better of it. “Women raise children on their own all the time, and they seem to turn out fine, but that’s not what we want for our granddaughter. We may only be grandparents, but there are two of us. Girls need a father. Or in this case, a grandfather, to tell them they’re beautiful and they’re loved. To show them how good men treat women.” She twisted her hands. “Tess, I didn’t have that. I was raised by a mother who was so tired and frazzled that she never had time for me. And there were boyfriends.” Diane’s grip on her hands tightened, and her face seemed to collapse. “I— I can’t bear for Wren to go through what I did with them.”
Jeff slipped his arm around his wife’s shoulders.
Diane had been molested. This was the crux of it. Ian