Page 9 of Meet Me In The Dark
She runs a hand down her face, and I know that look. That’s a mom on the edge look.
Pulling back the blanket, I pat the space next to me on the couch. “Come here, kiddo.”
Levi wiggles out of her arms and toddles over, climbing under my blanket like he’s done a million times before.
Emmy reaches into her bag for his tablet and a pair of kid-sized headphones. “Here, honey. Watch something, okay?” She places the headphones over his ears and smiles. “Put these on so you don’t hear all the bad words Aunt Madison’s about to say.” Turning back, Emmy waves a finger between us. “And before you say anything, don’t judge me. I know I was all talk when Sasha was born about no screens and ‘we’re only doing Montessori wooden toys,’ but you have a second kid, then come back to me.”
Madison and I hold up our hands in surrender.
“No judgment,” I say.
“None,” Madison agrees.
“Is he watching something?” Emmy asks as she slumps onto a stool.
I glance down at him. “Yep. Can’t hear a thing.”
“Good.” She exhales. “He’s being bullied.”
Madison and I immediately snap to attention.
“Again?” I frown. “By who?”
“Same little punk in his class. I’ve been to the school twice, and nothing’s changing.”
“Have you talked to his parents?”
She gives a deadpan stare. “The parents are bigger shits than the kid.”
I tighten my grip around the little guy. “Give me a name. I’ll kick the mom’s ass—” I glance down at my stomach. “—once my stitches are out.”
Madison takes a long sip of her margarita, then sets it down with a thunk. “Alright. Enough of this.” She grabs a pancake from the plate, shoves it into her mouth, and marches over to the couch.
I eye her warily. “What are you doing?”
She ignores me and gently tugs the headphones off Levi’s head.
He blinks up at her. “Aunt Madison?”
She lifts him onto the couch until he’s standing. “Okay, kiddo. Listen up. Is someone at school bothering you?”
Levi’s eyes dart to his mom before he nods.
Madison cracks her knuckles. “You’re going to learn how to fight.”
Emmy throws up a hand. “Absolutely not.”
“I’m not suggesting you start the fight, but you finish it. You need to show them you’re not a target.” Madison pulls him off the sofa and then drops into a crouch until she’s eye-level with him. “Okay, lesson one: The Art of Intimidation. You’re small, but that’s fine. Size doesn’t matter when you have confidence.”
He watches as Madison straightens her back like a drill sergeant.
“You want to stand up straight. Like this. You need to own the space.”
He mimics her and squares his tiny shoulders.
“Good.” Madison grins. “Now, when they try to mess with you, you hit them with a stare-down.”
She demonstrates by locking eyes with me.
