Desperation roiled up inside Ronnie, along with regret. This was still her sister, and she still loved her. “I wanted you to come with me,” she repeated. “I begged for you to wake up. But then you didn’t, and I heard Jerrod moving around in the bedroom. I was afraid Jerrod was going to come out, and . . . I didn’t know what to do.”

“You should’ve had your own damn kids, if you wanted them so badly.” Vanessa’s eyes blazed. “But it was easier to just take mine, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, so you’d rather I left her there? Where she was unsupervised half the time? Where neither of you were sober, and you barely held down jobs—”

“That’s what it’s about.” Vanessa crossed her arms triumphantly. “Since we didn’t make the same money as you, you thought we were beneath you.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. Any job would have done.”

“You realize”—Vanessa raised a wavering finger—“that you’re nothing more than a slut, right? All you have is your tits and your ass. It’s not like you’re using your big brain. You’re sticking your cunt in men’s faces—that’s how you’re making money.”

Ronnie recoiled. She could sense that the street had quieted down, like the whole world was listening in. Then she felt the tears come. Vanessa was right. Of course she was right. Yet she wished some karmic spirit would realize that she’d only tried to do the right thing and just . . . make a ruling in her favor, maybe.

“Oh, stop crying,” Vanessa snapped. “Now, where is she?”

Ronnie looked up at her in terror. “No.”

Vanessa scoffed. “I’ve come for Taylor. I want my baby.”

Here it was. Please, Ronnie wanted to beg. Please, don’t you see? She knew it wasn’t fair to ask to keep Esme, but the idea of letting her go felt like walking off a cliff. “We could all stay here,” she tried. “We could have a good life here.”

“She’ll have a good life with her mother, too. Back east.”

“Are you going to take her back to . . . him?”

Vanessa looked away. “Jerrod doesn’t know I’m here. Not yet.”

“You mean you’re still married?” Her heart was hammering now. She couldn’t let this happen. Maybe she could grab Esme and run. Disappear again. She hated to think of leaving Lane behind, but she would do it. She would do anything.

“Taylor’s coming with me. And if you’re going to make trouble, well . . .” She puffed out her cheeks. “Don’t test me. ’Kay?”

“Please,” Ronnie whispered, suddenly feeling like she was going to start hyperventilating. There was so much rushing in her ears. “What about a mediator?”

Vanessa squinted. “Huh?”

“It’s like . . . a therapist. Someone to help us navigate this. Figure out a plan.”

“I don’t need a shrink.”