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manently or part time. Up to you and Maureen and I to work it out. But I'd hate to see him bounced around between Manhattan and San Francisco.
BRENDA: Thanks for being so sensitive about this. I'm at my wit's end with Maureen. I only want what's best for all of us but my life is in Manhattan. I'd be happy to have him stay with me but if you're here, and Liam is in school and loving it, I think he should be here. One place or the other. Since you're his father, it's best he stay with you.
DRAKE: See you in thirty minutes.
I put my cell away and looked at Kate.
"Would you be okay if Liam came and stayed with us?"
Kate leaned closer to me and ran her fingers through my hair. "Drake, he's your son. Of course, he can come and stay with us. Whatever you want."
We kissed and I was so glad that I had such an understanding wife.
"I'm sorry if this means you can't go to your studio."
"No, that's no problem. This is important. I can go to my studio any day."
I kissed her. "You're so wonderful. I better get ready and leave so I can be there in time."
I kissed Sophie and Kate once more.
"Maybe Sophie will grow up with a big brother after all," she said hopefully.
"It would be great for them both but I have a feeling it's going to be a long hard battle with Maureen. She doesn't like the idea of me having anything to do with raising Liam other than parental visits now and then. But if Brenda takes Liam back to Manhattan with her, it'll be even harder for me to see him. I can afford to fly there whenever I want, but still. It's a huge inconvenience considering I'm living here now."
"I know. I'm sorry this is happening."
I kissed her and after changing into something more appropriate, I gathered my wallet and keys before leaving the house, wondering as I drove along the highway to Maureen's place farther south on the coast how things would work out.
Having Liam live with me had been something in the back of my mind since I found out he was my son.
I arrived at Maureen's place in the southern sector of San Francisco and knocked on the door once I arrived. Brenda greeted me and I entered the cool dark interior of her bungalow.
"Come in," she said and gave me a quick hug. "We have about an hour before Liam comes back from school. Can I get you a cup of coffee or a drink of something? Lemonade?"
"Lemonade sounds good. I just had coffee."
She mixed me a tall glass.
"You have to understand I'm really mad at Maureen over this," Brenda said and I could hear the emotion in her voice. "I just don't understand how she could even imagine going with Chris and leaving Liam behind. It's horrible of her."
"She must be very unhappy to consider it. I know she loves Liam."
Brenda shook her head and slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. Then, the two of us went to the deck and sat on a pair of lawn chairs under an awning. Across from us, the view of the harbor was fantastic.
"She's selfish, plain and simple. Chris is selfish if he insists on leaving. Why can't he be happy here? He must know this is forcing Maureen to choose between him and Liam."
"He's not Liam's biological father. I would think there's a sore spot in him because of that."
"He raised Liam all those years, thinking Liam was his."
I shrugged. "People are different. I never knew Liam was mine, but I'd take him tomorrow and make sure he had the very best family life I could give him."
"I know," Brenda said and reached over to take my hand and squeeze it. "I'm so glad you feel that way. I'd be willing to keep Liam here, but you are his father and he deserves to be with you. Since we're both here, we can both see him while Maureen is away. Maybe she'll come to her senses and move back, realizing that Liam is more important than Chris."
I shook my head. "I can't imagine being forced to choose between Kate and Sophie. I couldn't do it."
"I had to when Maureen's father left us. I made sure to stay in the same neighborhood so that Maureen could grow up with her friends and stay at her school. It was only when she went off to college that I finally was able to come back to California to live, at least part of the year. I feel like Maureen should be able to make the sacrifice and stay here. She could always fly to Kuala Lumpur for a week or two at a time and leave Liam with me, but she's afraid that the distance will break them up."
