When I heard Chloe and Jonny’s conversation I knew Kiran was still at the pool house.

“Fuck. Meeow, she’s a handful. All the way here she kept pushing the flight attendant for information about you and Gibson.”

My ears pricked up because there had obviously been some kind of a fracas once Kiran was out of my sight. I didn’t think for one minute that it would have been Chloe who instigated it but I wasn’t sure how she’d have responded. Feelings were tentative at best with this delicate situation.

“You saw her at the gig, right? How did she behave then?” Chloe asked.

“Good as gold. Nothing like I’ve seen today. Sweet, humble, didn’t want anything from anyone and seemed as if she just wanted Melody to know her father. Completely different to just now she barely hid her bitch side there and she’s only just arrived. I’d question Melody was Gibson’s if the poor kid didn’t look so fucking eerily alike his mom from that picture.”

My blood immediately warmed from Jonny’s response. Maybe she underestimated me. Just because I was civil and accommodating didn’t mean I was going to let her fuck with the life I have with Chloe.

“Wish I felt strong enough for this,” Chloe mumbled and my heart squeezed tight because I’d hurt her.

“What the fuck, girl. Remember how far you’ve come you can be a real badass when your turf is threatened. Don’t let her push you into a corner,” Jonny responded. I could have kissed him for his honesty. It was exactly what Chloe needed to hear.

“I won’t. I just don’t want her holding Melody over Gibson’s head if she doesn’t get her way.” My nostrils flared as my temper was rose further. No matter who Kiran was to my daughter I would never allow her to be anything but cordial toward my wife. I’d go to court for my rights to see Melody if necessary.

“You forget who my boss is. That Dude has the ability to make her go away should that be necessary.”

Chloe’s voice came back sharply, “No. Don’t even joke about that. I’d never take a child away from its mother no matter how much it helped our situation or how much I wanted a kid of my own. I’ll deal with her don’t you worry I just don’t have the stomach to do anything that would affect Gibson and his relationship with her while it’s still at a fledgling stage.”

My chest swelled with frustration and love in equal measure that Chloe had to be impacted so much and I wondered if I’d done the right thing bringing Melody to our home so soon. Jonny was patting her back as they came into view, he spoke softer but I still heard what he said.

“Remember I got you, so does Gibson. You need to get the fuck away from her just scratch your nose. I’ll give you an out.” Chloe chucked at his cloak and dagger signal code and glanced up to look for me. Her breath caught in her throat and I realized she saw Melody sitting on my knee. Tears welled in her eyes and I fought past the lump that grew rapidly in my throat when I saw how affected she was.

“Hey, and here’s my other pretty girl. Did you find everything you needed?” I asked, reaching out for her. Lifting Melody from my knee I sat her in the seat next to me. As always whenever I saw Chloe it was never enough. I had to touch her. Taking my hand she stepped forward. I opened my legs and she walked into them. Swiftly I gripped her hip, pulled her down onto my lap, and hugged her tightly.

“Daddy sat me on his knee too,” Melody said with a beaming smile. Chloe leaned back to look at her and smiled.

“Really? Then… wow you’re extra special because he only usually wants me to sit here,” she replied with an upward inflection in her voice like she was surprised.

Melody looked pleased with Chloe’s response. “I didn’t know I was going to get a daddy and another mommy when I went to the concert. What do I call you, Mommy or Chloe?”

My first reaction was to tell her to call her what felt the most normal to her but then I considered Kiran’s feelings and said we should ask her mom about that. Personally, I wanted her to call Chloe her mom.

“But if you belong to me and not her shouldn’t I get to say so?” She had a point and I loved how she had said in such a natural way that Chloe belonged to her. Difficult decisions always had the simplest solutions to kids.

“What are we talking about?” Kiran’s voice sounded light and out of keeping with Chloe and Jonny’s conversation about her. It put me on my guard.

“I don’t know what I’m to call Chloe. If she’s my other mom then do I call h—” Kiran shut her down.

“That’s what you call her. Chloe. She’s not your mom, I am. I don’t want you to get confused about who has responsibility for you,” she snapped.

“But she’s my … what did you call people attached to others?” I frowned for a minute and looked at Kiran wondering what Melody was talking about.

“Relatives, but she’s not—” Kiran looked at me as if she forgot herself for a moment and I was given an insight to her real feelings about Chloe.

“I mean, Chloe is married to your dad, but you’re little so I don’t think we should be confusing you further by asking you to call both of us Mommy.”

“I’m not confused. You’re my Tummy Mummy. I know that.”

I couldn’t hold back the expression I wore. Melody wasn’t exactly a rocker’s name but damn she was every bit as badass as a rock star’s daughter should be.

“Whatever you want to call me is cool by me, but maybe we should start by you calling me Chloe for now. I mean Mom has such a special status. I think it’s a name reserved for the person who’s been there for you since you were little, Chloe is okay with me.”

I glanced at my wife who was the voice of reason and who had given Kiran her place with her child. It reminded me once again of how much I loved her and why.

With the name issue resolved Chloe gestured at the pitcher of Lemonade. “Would you like a cold drink, lunch will be ready in,” she checked her wristwatch, “fifteen minutes.” Kiran sat on the other side of me while my arm tightened around Chloe’s waist.

Piper came out of the screen door and picked up the pitcher before Chloe could reach for it. It was as if she were standing on the other side of the door while the name conversation had taken place. She poured Kiran a glass of Lemonade and then one for herself, and sat down on the other side of Melody. I glanced at her and realized I hadn’t introduced anyone.

“Oh, sorry, this is Piper—”

“His other daughter,” she said without making eye contact with anyone. Leaning forward she picked some fruit from the bowl on the table and placed it on a small plate.

“I didn’t know you already had a kid,” Kiran blurted in a voice filled with alarm. Immediately I saw her ego deflate, as if her status, had been diluted by what Piper had disclosed.

“Well you know now,” Piper said flatly and turned to Melody. So I guess that makes us half-sisters.” Watching Piper I saw a side of her I hadn’t seen before. She was a strong young woman and she was being a fierce ally to Chloe.

“So who is your mom?”

Piper glanced at me then to Chloe. “Chloe. She’s my mom.”

“So you call her Mom?”

“No, I call her Chloe and I call my dad, Gibson. Chloe isn’t my tummy mom either. My Mom has gone to Heaven so Chloe and Gibson take care of me now.”

“Did they pick you like that man in the movie, ‘Annie’?”

“No.” Piper chuckled. “My Tummy Mom was already living here with me. After she had to go to be an angel in Heaven Gibson and Chloe became my parents.”

“Wow you were lucky you didn’t have to go to an Ostrich.”

I burst out laughing and Piper giggled at Melody’s mistake.

“I was extremely lucky. You’re lucky too, Melody. My mom and dad are fabulous people.”

Kiran wriggled uncomfortably in her chair clearly put out by Piper’s presence. I could see she figured it made her my relationship with Melody less of a big deal because Chloe and I had another young person to occupy our time. Of course, that wasn’t the case, and it wasn’t the time for games. Melody was my flesh and blood and I was damned if I would allow her security to become a pissing contest.

Chloe pushed off me to stand and my hand slid free of her. “I’m going to check on lunch, Piper can you come and help please?” Jonny had already gone off to find Emma no doubt filling her in on the deal with Kiran and ensuring she had Chloe’s back.

“Can I come as well? Mom can I go with them?” Kiran looked first to Melody then to me. I saw the instant Kiran knew she had an opportunity to have me on my own.

“Sure. Stay back from the kitchen stove remember,” she told her as we watched her hurry inside after the others.

Seconds after she was out of sight she turned and stared at me. “I never thought I’d be sitting on Gibson Barclay’s porch drinking Lemonade,” she said putting her glass to her mouth and taking a long draw of it. “Very refreshing,” she added before placing her lipstick stained glass on the patio table.

“I want joint custody. Not sure how to make it work but that’s what I want.” There was no point in anything but talking straight.

“Her life is with me in Chicago, Gibson. She wanted to meet you, unless you move to Chicago that’s impossible. Her schooling and life are there.”

“She can be home schooled and have social clubs in both places. Her tutors can tell us what she needs to do ahead of time and we’ll ensure she never feels misplaced. She’ll have two lots of friends and twice the activities but just on the same days as she would at home. That way her routines will feel regulated. She’s young, she’ll adapt.”

Kiran’s face paled and she sat staring open mouthed.

“The alternative is you move here…to Colorado,” I stated.

“And what? Live in your pool house? I’m sure Chloe would adore having the threat of me around.”

“You’re no threat to my wife—let’s be straight about that from the get-go.”

“No? You’re naïve if you believe that. We have a child together, Gibson. She can’t compete with that. We’re connected for the rest of our lives. Joined together by our beautiful daughter.”

“True, we have a daughter together, but my relationship is with her. Not with you. I’m willing to fund an appropriate place for you all to live. A place where she has a secure yard to bring friends, a nice home with her own bedroom and I’ll give her everything she needs, Kiran. I’d be doing it to support her, not you. If it brings your standard of living up then that’s a bonus, but my motivation is Melody. You are the mother of my child and I respect that part of the relationship, but I won’t let you fuck with my life or my wife, you got me?”

Kiran looked to her nails then back to my face. “Does Chloe know how we met?”

“No. We’ve never discussed it. Why would I? I don’t want to hurt you but I was smashed-off-my- face drunk the night we made Melody. It’s a wonder I could even get it up, let alone fuck someone. The condom must have split because I wasn’t taking enough care. If I’m honest in my mind most of the night is blank.” Standing up I maneuvred around the table.

“Lunch will be about done, think about what I said, one way or another I’m taking an equal role in her upbringing. As soon as you knew she was mine you should have told me. I’ve missed six and a half years of her life and now that you’ve told her about me, the last thing I’m gonna let happen is for her to think I only want her on special occasions.”

“It’s my decision where and how I bring her up, Gibson. All I wanted was for you to know she was out there and provide us with a little support.”

“And you think coming to my home and insulting my wife is the best way to achieve that? I see how you’re dressed and frankly, you’re still trying to be the same tease you were back in that nightclub. I don’t know what you thought was going to happen when you brought me into the frame at this late stage but I guess you’ve realized I’m not a guy who excuses his actions. I’ve never made excuses for the decisions I’ve made but I always accept responsibility for them.”

Leaving her, I stood next to the table, pulled open the screen door, and never looked back. Stepping over the threshold I saw Chloe standing on the opposite side of the room. Her eyes were trained on me and I knew instantly she’d heard most of the conversation I’d had. I hadn’t exactly been quiet when I had put my points across.

Taking a deep breath to calm my jets I strode over and pulled her in for a hug. Immediately, Melody ran over and hugged my leg as well. I was surprised at how quickly she became attached to me. “What’s that fabulous smell?” I asked by way of a diversion.

“Macaroni cheese. My favorite.” I already knew that because I’d asked Kiran that on the phone. It pleased me to know this because it was also one of mine.

“Yum, let’s wash our hands and grab a chair before it’s all gone,” I teased walking toward the bathroom. Even though she’d never been in my home before Melody followed like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her confidence and open mind captured my heart and I marvelled at how easily she adapted to her new situation.

Although it was early days I felt in my bones the risk of sharing custody was worth it. Life with her mom would be half a life and I had a right to make sure I didn’t allow her to settle for that.