Dear R.

My daughter claims she is in love with someone who I believe is a bad influence on her. She is skipping school and missing curfew. When she is home, we constantly fight and it usually ends with her storming out off the house. I've tried everything and I need a strangers out look on the situation please.

Desperate Mother.

I frowned as I typed up what I could. To say I was distracted was an understatement. I was on a natural high and when 12pm struck, I was gone. I haven't seen Luke in a few days, even though he wanted a dinner this week and Jan agreed for me to leave early.

I had planned on going home and wanting a nap, do my studies after dinner tonight, but as soon as I stepped in my door, my mobile rang.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Rhea." Came the voice.

"Luke. How are you?"

"Good. Listen, I know I said dinner this week, but my schedule has been so busy. Can we do it tonight?"

I grimaced. "Actually, I have plans tonight."

"That's okay. Saturday?"

I grimaced again. "I really can't. I have my sons birthday."

"That's fine. I'm flying to Bali on Sunday, I won't be back till Thursday. Is Thursday night fine?"

I smiled. "Great." I answered. "Thursday night."

"I'll let you know more when I do."

I hung up and locked my front door, heading to my bed. If I can squeeze in a nap, I'll be fine.

I got as far as taking my shoes off and laid on the bed, cuddling my pillow, when my phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Rhea." Came Ryder's voice. What now? "Mum wants to know is Rowan allergic to anything?"

"What? Uh, no. Not that I know of."

"Not that you know of? You're his mother." Came his accusing tone.

"Well, when we come across something that he is allergic to, you'll be the first to know." I snapped before hanging up. I shimmied up the bed more and closed my eyes but then my phone rang again.

"Come on, people!" I growled out. I knew it wasn't Gabriel, she should be on a plane hopefully in the air.

"Hello?" I muttered.

"Rhea. Sorry to interrupt you." Jan started talking. "Did you send through your latest letter? I can't find it."

"Uh, I did, but I'll resend it."

"Great, thanks."

Okay, I'll try one more time for a nap, but luck wasn't with me today as my phone went off again. "Come on! Who did I piss off for this karma?"

I answered my phone, getting up off the bed. "Yes?" I snapped out.

"There is no need for snapping." Ryder's voice came through. "I'm only ringing on behalf of my mother. Unless you want her to ring you?"

"Oh gosh no!" I sighed out. I've spoken to Ryder's mother, Michelle, longer on phone calls than ever in person. I put the phone on speaker as I unzipped my skirt and started undoing the buttons off my blouse. "What's up?"

"She only wants to know if Rowan will eat what we are eating."

"Huh? Yeah." I muttered as I placed on a singlet. "Is that what the message was?"

"I'm just the messenger. Don't get snippy. I've already told her that it was fine but she wouldn't accept that."

I rolled my eyes as I pulled up my cotton shorts.

"And don't roll your eyes." His voice came out.

I went to argue with him, instead I muttered out. "Whatever."

"Great. See you in a couple hours."

The phone went dead. A couple hours? I gave up on the nap and went to the laptop, resending my email to Jan. I could continue with work, or I could study. I have a couple hours spare and I can't procrastinate.

****

I stepped out off the car before Ryder could rush to my side to open the door.

"What if your mother starts probing me with questions?" I asked nervously as I let Rowan out.

"She won't. I told her not to." Ryder informed me as he locked the car. I took Rowan's hand and followed my ex up to the front door.

"Momma, look. A big house!" Rowan pointed. I saw the house, it's huge and intimidating.

"I know." I smiled at him. "We are meeting..." I frowned as I looked up at Ryder. "What do your parents want to be called?"

"Uh, Nan and Pop?" He shrugged as he opened the front door. "Mum?"

"Arnie, they are here!" I heard Michelle as she came in to view. I felt Rowan hide in my dress behind my legs. At least he has somewhere to hide. "Rhea!" She smiled as she pulled me in to a hug. "I've missed you. How are you?" She asked as she pulled away.

"I'm good, thank you." I smiled at her. I could almost trip over backwards with where Rowan was behind me and I nearly did if I didn't react in time, talking hold of Ryder's arm.

He quickly turned and held me and I froze for a split second. I felt content. Pure bliss and I knew for sure that it wasn't my feelings.

"Rowan!" Ryder called. "You nearly made your Momma fall." I saw Michelle's eyes light up as she tried to see the boy.

I turned and picked him, placing the kid on my hip as I turned back to Michelle.

"So this is the handsome Rowan?" She cooed at him. Rowan hid his cheek into my shoulder. "Hello Rowan."

"Rowan, say hi to your Nan." Ryder egged on. But that made Rowan even more shy. "It's okay, mum, he was like that to me too."

Michelle smiled as she invited us inside more. "Come, this way. Arnie!"

We walked in to the sitting room where I saw Arnold Anderson slowly limping towards us. He had a cane to help him. I quickly went over to him. "What happened?" I asked in concern.

"Hello darling." He smiled at me, his eyes creasing even more as he hugged me. "What this thing? I had a knee operation a couple months ago." Arnie's eyes moved to the raven head boy on me. "Who is this young man?"

I bumped Rowan, trying to get him to look up, but he didn't. "This is Rowan. He has gone shy."

"Rowan?"

"Yes. Another R." I heard Michelle.

"Let's see if we can get rid off this shyness." Arnie smiled as he sat down. I put Rowan down, but he went straight back to in my dress. I smiled apologetically at him.

Flashback

"Ryder, honey. We are having a huge family dinner and I need you and Rhea to be there." Michelle told her son as she sipped her tea. "Maybe it might lift your spirits."

Michelle had come over to personally invite her son and daughter in law.

"Rhea won't be going." Ryder said flatly. Michelle lifted her eye brows as she looked over her own husband.

"Why is that?" Arnie asked.

"Rhea left." Ryder answered, his gaze out the window.

"When will she be back?" Michelle asked with caution.

"She won't be." Ryder's teeth gritted together. "We are getting divorced."

Michelle coughed up her tea as Arnold went red. "What?"

"We are getting divorced." Came his automatic reply.

"Why?" Michelle asked in concern. "You both love each other."

Ryder turned to his mother. "Not enough. She had an affair and got caught."

Michelle frowned as Arnold shook his head. "I think there is more in this."

"More? Such as what?" Ryder snapped. "She got caught sleeping with someone and tried to deny it."

"Or maybe she was telling you the truth, son." Michelle tried.

Ryder shook his head.

"Well, I refuse to believe this." Arnold stated as he stood up. "Come on Michelle, let our son stay in his grief. I'll find the truth, even if he doesn't want to."

"Dad, leave it."

"What proof have you got?" Michelle asked him.

Ryder stood up and moved to his desk in the office, returning with the photos, giving them to his parents.

Michelle and Arnold looked at them. "Who is the man?"

"I don't know." Ryder answered, going back to his seat.

"This isn't her." Arnold told him.

"Bullshit, Dad. It's a spitting image of her."

"Yes, I see that, but I still believe it isn't her."

Michelle went to her bag and pulled out her glasses, putting them on her eyes. She took a photo and looked intensely at it.

"It even has her tattoo." Michelle mumbled.

"The small one on her right wrist? I noticed that." Arnie said to his wife.

"I thought Rhea was a scorpio?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Ryder snapped. Michelle got up and got a pen and paper.

"This is the scorpio sign. This tattoo is slightly different. It's a virgo sign."

Ryder's head snapped up as he went to his mother. He looked at the signs she drew and looked at the photo. It wasn't the best quality, but his mother was right. The tattoos are different.

"So what are you going to do?" Michelle asked him.

Arnold scoffed. "The first thing he is going to do is find her and apologise and hope like hell she will take him back."

Michelle and Arnold stood up. "We will leave you to think about this." She told him. "Don't let her go, Ryder. She means too much to you, so she means that to us too."

Now

"Don't be shy, Rowan." I whispered to him. Rowan buried his head deeper into my dress. He sat and ate his dinner as long as he was with me and now we were trying to get him back out from my dress in the sitting room.

"Would you like some ice cream?" Michelle asked him, kneeling down to his level.

Rowan looked at her and smiled, nodding his head. I gave him a little shove.

"Off you go. You'll be fine." I assured him.

Rowan looked at Michelle again and took her waiting hand.

Ryder told me they wouldn't be asking questions about our split, my personal life and our divorce. I don't even know if they know we aren't divorced.

Michelle returned with a bowl of ice-cream in one hand and holding Rowan's hand in her other one as she set him up at the coffee table.

"So, Rhea, what do you do these days?" Michelle asked me.

"Mum." I heard Ryder warn.

"It's fine." I told him as I sipped my coffee. "I work at a magazine company."

"Oh! Don't you have a degree in psychology?"

I nodded. "I'm actually studying for my masters. It's part of my job promotion."

"You got promoted?" Ryder frowned at me. Didn't I tell him this the other day? "Yes. I was at a work mixer, meeting my new colleagues last week." I said, maybe a bit too harshly.

"So what does this job entail?" Ryder asked me, suddenly interested.

I wanted to groan and scream at him, but I kept myself calm as I watched Rowan. "Once I get my masters, I'll be working at the biggest newspaper company in the state twice a week, and at the magazine three times a week."

"And your boss doesn't mind?" Arnold asked.

"Why should he? He was the one that promoted me. He owns both." I finished my coffee as Rowan went to Michelle.

"All gone." He said sweetly, looking at her. I couldn't help but smile.

"I think he wants more, but I'm going to have to decline. I need him in bed soon." I told her.

"That's fine." Michelle smiled as she took the bowl.

"Well then, I better take these two home, get Rowan to bed." Ryder stood and picked up Rowan. "Say bye to nan and pop." Ryder told him.

Rowan gave them a small wave and tried jumping out off Ryder's arms when he was closer enough to me.

I took Rowan and placed him on my hip. "Thank you for dinner. It was wonderful."

We said our farewells and headed back to my place for me and Rowan to go home. As we pulled up, I thanked Ryder for the lift.

"Thanks. I better put him to bed. I need to study and sleep." I tried excusing myself.

"Actually, I was wondering if we can talk." Ryder declared, getting out off the car.

"I don't have time to talk." I said as I lifted a tired and half asleep Rowan. "I need an extra strong coffee and toothpicks to keep my eyes open."

"You just said you needed sleep." Ryder said confused.

I opened the front door to my house and went straight to Rowan's room, putting him to bed and taking his shoes off. I gave him a kiss goodnight and went back to Ryder.

"I do need sleep. But I need to study. I also need to be awake when a friend gets here." I told him as I did a quick tidy.

"A friend? That man from last week?" I could hear him growl.

"No. Gabriel is coming."

Ryder tilted his head back and closed his eyes. "Oh no."

"Oh yes. Now, please, leave. I'm already behind."

"Fine. But how am I suppose to win you back with her around you?" Ryder snapped as he went to the front door.

Here he goes again. I sighed as I leaned against the door, looking straight into his eyes. "Maybe you're not suppose to."