“Stop it, Tyler.” Mary flipped through the mail and pulled out a letter.

“I want Josie to come.”

“I’m going with you,” Mary said. “Now stop it.”

“I want Josie!”

“Another time, Tyler,” Josie said.

“Josie,” he yelled. “Josie, Josie, Josie!”

Mary walked toward the closet, but Tyler had tangled himself in her legs, and Mary had to catch herself on the wall to keep from falling. “Fine!” she yelled. “Let Josie take you!”

“Yay!” Tyler squealed.

“Ty …” Josie started.

“No,” Mary said. She paused for only a second, but Josie could see what was coming, could see Mary’s eyes light up. “Why don’t you go? He obviously doesn’t love me anymore.” She was still standing in the hallway, her briefcase in one hand, her coat in the other. “Isn’t that true, Tyler?” Mary asked. “You don’t love me anymore?”

Josie wanted to pull Tyler to her and cover his ears, and yet directly behind came an even worse feeling. The air became denser, and Josie was abruptly outside herself, looking down on the room—Mary and her face-to-face, Tyler between. They were dolls being put roughly in place. Mary was being positioned, being made to take Tyler’s chin in her hand. “You think Josie’s your mommy?” she asked. “I’ll show you who your mommy is.” Mary’s doll arms were grabbing Tyler’s shoulders, turning him toward Josie. Then Mary dropped her briefcase, and Josie came tumbling back.

“I asked you a question, Tyler,” Mary continued.

Josie steadied herself against the wall and managed a “Don’t.”

“Don’t what? Don’t make him tell the truth?”

Tyler cowered between them.

“Should I hand over custody now?” Mary said. “You want to steal my children too?”

Josie felt the heat building in her hands, felt it seep through her body.

From the other room, Madeline began to cry. Josie had laid her down for a nap in the playpen only fifteen minutes before. Her cries built until Josie instinctively went into the family room and lifted her out. Maddy immediately quieted, but Josie felt the heat pour through her body. She had Mary’s baby in her arms, and even if Tyler ran to his mother, Josie had the baby, the child Mary loved most. Mary had started it, and now she would get what she had asked for. Now Josie would wound Mary so deeply, she would carry it in her heart forever.

She walked back to the hallway. Tyler had pressed himself against the wall, and Mary had done nothing more than drop her coat beside her briefcase.

“Give her to me,” Mary said.

“Why, so you can ignore her?” Josie turned abruptly toward the stairs. “Come on, Ty.” She took each stair forcefully, and Madeline started to whimper.

“Josie!” Mary yelled.