Gray’s mother covered her mouth with a slender hand, her eyes softening at the child. Meredith pulled Oscar into a hug and kissed his cheek. “You are so sweet, my baby.”
“He certainly is,” Dahlia said. “Want some breakfast, Oscar? I’ve got your booster seat right here.”
While Meredith strapped him into his chair, Gray’s mother set down his plate, refilled her coffee, and sat across from him, smiling.
“Oscar, do you like jelly or syrup on your biscuits?” she asked, holding up both.
His eyes got wide. “Syruf!”
Dahlia tittered. “Can I pour it for you?”
He nodded, grinning.
Gray took the opportunity to grab Meredith by the hand and pull her to the living room.
“Are you okay?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
“Are you?”
Gray shook his head. “I asked you first.”
She took a deep breath and let it go. “I’m okay,” she said, shrugging. “I’m a little worried about Oscar… I slept like crap… I have an anatomy test tomorrow… But I’m here with you and Oscar, so that makes this a pretty great morning.”
She squeezed his hand back. “Now you.”
“Okay… um… I also slept like crap… I’m still ready to commit murder… I have a brain tumor… but I can see a little better today, and you and Oscar are here in my home, so I’m not complaining.”
Her face turned hopeful. “You can see better?”
Of course, she’d fixate on that rather than his desire to kill Jamie. “Yeah, it’s a little better.” The sparkly strip over his sight was now just a shimmering smudge off to the right. It was no less annoying, but the rest of his vision made more sense to him. He hadn’t told her the improvement was probably due to a course of steroids Dr. Cates had put him on, but she didn’t need to worry about that now.
“That’s a relief,” she said, nodding.
“Yeah…” If she were less worried about him, maybe she’d take his advice on what to do next. “Have you given any more thought to pressing charges? I know that—”
She raised her free hand to stop him. “I’ve decided I’m not going to.”
Gray resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Meredith, why not?”
“Gray…” She gripped his hand and tugged him down so they were eye to eye. “…he’s Oscar’s father. I don’t want Oscar to grow up with a dad who’s a registered sex offender.”
His eyes went wide. “But heisa sex offender.”
“Please. I thought about this half the night,” she said, her eyes imploring him. “We’re getting a restraining order and letting your attorney document everything. That’s going to scare the shit out of Leona—”
“Leona’s not the one I’m worried about.”
“Me either. I’m worried about Oscar.”
He was up against her signature stubbornness, and Gray knew that if it involved Oscar, he stood no chance of winning. Better to live to fight another day.
“We’ll see what André says.”
She opened her mouth to argue. “Gray—”
“Mama!” Oscar yelled from the kitchen. “Come sit!”
Gray cracked a smile.Saved.“I believe you’re wanted in the kitchen.”
