“What? Willow went to see him?” His face paled, jaw dropped. “Is she okay?”

“You didn’t know about that? Didn’t you listen to any of my voicemails I left you or check your texts?”

“No, I forgot my phone today. It was at home. What happened?”

I didn’t want to get into it. But Ryan wouldn’t quit until he had answers. Just like his sister.

“Willow must have overheard us talking about Geoffrey Faust and decided to look him up.” I paused and added leadingly: “Or else you told her about him.”

Ryan smiled wanly. “Guilty as charged. You know how close we are.”

It was my turn to smile. “Not important right now. Anyway, the rascal hired an Uber and showed up at his apartment. Wanted to see what he was like.”

“Kid’s got more nerve than we give her credit for,” Ryan said admiringly.

“You’re right about that. But the man swore he’s not the same Geoffrey Faust I knew.” I shrugged. “And it was so long ago, maybe it’s not him. Anyway, she’s afraid he’s going to take you away from us, so she went there to beg him to stay away in case you went looking for him.”

“Oh, Mom, I’m so sorry. I had no idea she would do that. Is she okay?”

“Yeah, I think so. She’s still wrapping her head around everything, but then we all are. How about you? That news was pretty big. You doing okay with it?”

“Honestly, it doesn’t change anything for me. I’m Dad’s and your son; I don’t know Geoffrey, and I can’t say that I’ll ever want to know him. He walked out on us. Why should I give him a second thought?”

I hugged him like I’d never get to hug him again. When I released him, I held his face in my hands, the first face on this earth that I truly loved with a sacrificial love that only a mother knows, the first face that gave me purpose in life. He had taken the worst of myself, chiseled away the misery, and unearthed a pure love I didn’t know existed. A love that saturated me. The moment I met my baby, I knew all the heartache wasn’t in vain, because he made my heart whole. Something beautiful had come from something so ugly.

“I’m proud of you, Ry. But I’m not buying the whole baseball accident thing. What really happened?”

“Promise you won’t tell Dad? And that you won’t overreact?”

“I can’t promise that, Ry. I’m your mother. I’ll do what needs to be done to protect you. Always.”

“Mom, just swear you won’t do anything without talking to me first. Please.”