“Not as lovely as Mommy looks,” I returned, smirking.

I was still staring at her when Ella appeared in the room.

“Ready for bath time, Arlo?” she asked and he nodded.

“I want lots of bubbles.”

“Lots of bubbles coming your way.”

My heart was racing as he gripped hold of my legs, looking up at me to say goodbye. I hated leaving the little champ, and more than that I hated missing out on tucking him in bed.

“Bye bye, buster,” I said, dropping to my knees to give him a hug. Even now, kneeling for anyone felt alien. It was a privilege given only to him and my wife.

“Bye, Daddy.”

Elaine knelt down to join me, giving him a kiss. I could tell she was as nervous as I was. This was the first time we’d both be leaving him overnight, even though we’d had plenty of opportunities we’d turned down. That’s what happens I guess when you’ve been raised with the world wanting to take you down. My son would be stepping into that, even though he didn’t know it yet.

If I had it my way, he’d never find out at all.

“Bye bye, baby boy,” Elaine said, though he wasn’t such a baby boy anymore. He was firm on his feet and speaking loud and clear, even though he was still a toddler.

Ella took his hand and led him off to his bath time. I wrapped my arm around Elaine’s waist as she sucked in a breath.

“I know it’s hard,” I told her.

“It’s just weird. Leaving him. Both of us.”

“I know,” I said.

“I’ve told Ella she can call us. I’m going to keep one eye on my cell.”

“Me too.”

She sighed, then turned to me, straightening my bow tie, even though it was already straight. “Can’t wait to get Daddy home and out of this beauty.” She smiled. “You’re going to be out of it as soon as we’ve finished up.”

“Same for you,” I laughed. “Don’t think I don’t know you chose this outfit on purpose.”

“Thought you’d recognize it.”

“You thought right.” I took her hand as we walked through the manor to the front doors, all set for the chauffeur to drive us across Bishop’s Landing to the Morelli estate. He opened the rear doors for us, and I was still smiling as I slipped in next to Elaine.

“Who’s going to be there?” she asked, even though we’d been over it before.

It helped her to hear me describe it, calm and confident. “All the regulars. Mom, Dad. Leo is bringing Haley. Wesley Ryan just confirmed at the last minute, he’s flying over from Scotland.”