Yes, my son was a good kid.

And perhaps I had an explanation of why his patience was shorter with his sister lately.

Further, it appeared a small town didn’t extend to the bubble of the high school world.

“Okay, Auden,” I said when he stopped talking.

“That’s why I wanted to talk alone,” he continued. “I figured, you and me both having a go at her about Polly, she might actually listen. It sucks she had to go through that today, but you were right not to back down. If she’s in on it, that’s not cool. But it’s still a good thing it happened because she needs to be far away from Polly when the real mean girls make their move to show that girl her place.”

I forgot how many political minefields there were in high school.

This was a good reminder. I had two kids in it and three and a half years left of guiding them through it.

I felt badly for Polly, and her mom, who I liked, who would be next in line to deal. But Polly needed to learn a lesson too.

I just hoped the timing was right that my baby girl didn’t get caught in the crossfire.

Then again, if her past association drew her in, I had a feeling her brother would be at her back.

“You make me proud,” I told him. “You being you but also you looking out for your sister.”

“She isn’t a bully,” Auden told me, his voice softer, telling me my compliment meant something to him. “Pip and me talked after you went to bed and she told me Ash didn’t know Pip was your daughter because her name is Moss, not Hathaway. And she didn’t know Ash was Mickey’s, because, well, no one knows who kids’ parents are until they meet them or see them with them.”

“I should have probably shared more information with you before the meeting,” I admitted. “I was just nervous. I’ve never done this before. It didn’t even occur to me they were in the same grade and might know each other. My main focus was it all working out, you all getting along, making it safe for you, all of you, my two and Mickey’s two, when we tried blending. It’s a big thing, honey,” I said softly. “It means a lot to me, to Mickey, to all of us. So I guess I didn’t think beyond that.”

“It isn’t your fault, Mom,” he assured me. “We get that. This isn’t about you messing up. What I’m trying to say is Pippa was tight with her friends back home in California. She missed them. Dudes they adjust. New guy, they take him in. She’s a girl and it’s hard to find your way into a posse and they got so many games going on, it’s harder to know which is the right one. She messed up. Now she knows that and she’ll get it together.”

“I know she will,” I replied.