He stopped lounging and leaned toward me. “No,” he repeated emphatically. “Just don’t let this guy be a dick to you.”

I stared at my boy and tried to read anything I could that he wasn’t giving to me verbally.

When I couldn’t find it, even though I sensed it was there, I started, “What happened between me and your father—”

Auden interrupted me, “I had no control over that. But I will over this. If I see this guy being a dick to you, then I’m doing something about it.”

“Auden,” I began cautiously, “is there something you aren’t telling me?”

That was when he broke my gaze, still looking toward me but now doing it beyond me. “Just that I’m not letting anyone be a dick to my mom.”

That felt nice. Incredibly nice.

I still sensed that wasn’t it.

“If you have something you need to talk about, I hope you know you can talk to me,” I told him earnestly but solemnly, hoping he didn’t also read my anxiety.

Auden didn’t say anything.

“Mickey’s a really good man, honey,” I shared. “He’s got two kids of his own and he’s a great dad.” I leaned his way and dropped my voice. “He makes me laugh and he takes care of me and he makes me happy. And I hope you know I wouldn’t put you through introducing you to somebody who I didn’t think would be around for a good long while.”

Auden again looked right at me. “I’m glad he makes you laugh and you’re happy. But if he’s a dick to you, Mom, he’s gone.”

I again tried to read my son.

I again sensed something there that I couldn’t read.

And he obviously didn’t want to share it.

So I said, “I think that’s a fair deal.”

Auden nodded and looked back at the TV.

I decided to end it there, got up and went around the back of the couch. When I was in position, I leaned deep and kissed the top of his head.

“Love you, my baby boy, forever and ever,” I whispered.

“Love you too, Mom,” he mumbled in return.

I closed my eyes, throat getting clogged, swallowed to clear it and straightened away.

“Sleep tight,” I said as I moved toward my room, snagging my phone off the kitchen counter on the way there.

“Yeah. You too,” Auden called back.

I got behind closed door and instantly called Mickey.

Within a couple of rings, just like Mickey, he picked up.

I told him the good news, that Auden and Olympia were open to meet him.