Page 36 of Peer & Coco

Snuggling deep in the blankets, she exhaled heavily and closed her eyes. The silence in the house made her hyperaware of Tyr sleeping in the other room. She couldn't allow herself to sleep too soundly in case he woke up.

Startled by a knock, she raised her head and looked at the monitor. Tyr slept soundly.

She lowered her head and closed her eyes. Sometimes, Tyr would roll and hit his head against the railing on the crib.

Another knock came. She sat up, glancing at the monitor. He hadn't moved.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to go to sleep without checking on him, she trudged across the hallway and peeked in on him. He hadn't moved since she'd put him to bed. Quietly stepping up to the crib, she placed her hand on his back. The slight rise and fall as he breathed assured her he was okay.

Taking a calming breath, she straightened and watched him sleep. How parents survived when children were little without giving themselves panic attacks amazed her. There was not a moment when she didn't worry about Tyr, and she wasn't his mom.

She loved him with all her heart. And as if he was hers, she would always make sure he was okay and didn't need a thing.

A knock brought her head up. That was definitely coming from the other end of the house. She hurried to the living room and looked through the window and found Kelli standing in front of the door under the porch light.

Hurrying back into the bedroom, she grabbed her phone and called Peer as she returned to the living room. The call went to voicemail.

Not wanting to hang up without leaving a message and having him worry that something happened to Tyr, she told him Kelli was at the house and guaranteed him she would not let his ex-girlfriend in to see his son.

Kelli knocked again. Highly alert, Coco tensed. Kelli better not wake the baby.

Going to the door, she unlocked the deadbolt and only opened the door six inches. "It's the middle of the night. Peer isn't here. You need to leave."

Whatever friendliness her and Kelli had between them in the past was gone. She didn't want to get involved in their problems. As far as she was concerned, Kelli was a bitch for coming back. She should've just stayed gone if she wanted to give Tyr to Peer and not be a mother.

"I know Peer's gone." Kelli stepped forward. "I waited until he left with the others because I wanted to talk to you."

"Why me?" She caught herself talking louder and lowered her voice to continue. "We've never been what I call friends."

"You're raising my son." Kelli gazed at her. "Please. I'll only take a few minutes, and then I'll let you go to sleep."

"I'm not letting you inside the house." She stayed in the doorway. "Say what you want, and then you need to deal with Peer, not me."

Kelli worked her hands in worry or frustration or embarrassment. It was hard to tell what emotions the woman was going through because in the past, she'd bounce from one to the other in a matter of seconds.

"I know you and Peer are...together." Kelli looked away. "You're here with my son."

Running out of patience, Coco said, "What do you want Kelli?"

"I want to see my son."

Coco's spine straightened at the statement. She feared Kelli coming back into Peer's life after he confessed to wanting to run to Norway to keep Tyr away from his mother.

"That's not my decision to make," she said.

"Please, Coco. I'm his mother." Kelli pursed her mouth. "I have a right to see him."

"A right?" Coco shook her head and spread her hand out in front of her to stop Kelli from saying any more. "You abandoned Tyr after he was born. You walked away from having any right to him."

She clamped her teeth shut. How quickly she grew angry and lost her cool after promising herself not to get involved. It wasn't her job to tell Kelli anything regarding Tyr or Peer.

"I know." Tears came to Kelli's eyes. "I couldn't...I was...I'm here now, and I want to be in his life. I want to know him. I want to hold him."

"I'm not the person you should be asking." Her heart pounded. "You need to leave."

She stepped back and shut the door. Throwing the lock, she walked straight to Tyr's bedroom and checked on him. He continued to sleep, not knowing his mother fought for him moments ago.

Knowing she wouldn't sleep if Kelli wanted Tyr back, she sat down in the rocking chair and watched Peer's son. It wasn't until her pulse slowed had she realized her cheeks were soaked with tears.

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