After using my face wash as shampoo and my shampoo as face wash, I gave up on my shower while giving silent praise to Billy for providing Jackson and me with as much privacy as he did. I pushed open the door to the bedroom and peeked out to see Billy slumped on the corner of the bed, focused on putting on his watch.

"So, how did things go with Jackson?" I tentatively asked.

"Fine, why? How did things go with you and Jackson?" He absently retorted without lifting his gaze to me.

"Fine. Any big plans this morning?" I prodded further.

Billy only shrugged in response and still didn't lift his gaze.

"Okay." I broke as I paced quickly across the room and caught his chin with one of my fingers. The minute our eyes met, he broke as well.

"We're recording... Jackson and me. We're going to record a song..." he babbled like a child going to Disney World.

"He thought you'd be upset," I giggled.

"Why in the hell would I be upset? This is the greatest day of my life! I can't think of anything better... nothing... this is it... I can die a happy man. I got my girl in my bed, my son in the studio, and Viv has yet to be arrested." His hand reached for my hips as he buried his face in my torso. "I'm trying to play it cool, man, but I'm shaking."

A giggle escaped my lips as I wrapped my arms around his head.

"Oh, and I blew up your spot a bit. I forgot to act surprised when he told me he's been teaching himself guitar."

"Billy! Now he's never going to tell me anything!"

"He went to you first. Series of events, you first learned he was playing guitar..."

"By accident," I interrupted.

"Still, you knew first. Then he comes up with this genius idea of a present for his mom that she will love..."

"Didn't you play a Beatles song for your mom when you first learned to play?"

"Great minds," Billy confirmed.

"Wow, way to call yourself a genius by association..."

"Hey, if the brain fits," Billy offered with feigned humility. "Anyway, he wants my help, but he runs it by you first..." He cocked his head in an accusatory manner.

"Don't get mad at me... I'm very approachable."

"Lily." His voice came low and earnest. "I want to ensure we're on the same page right now."

"Billy, it's no big..."

Billy stopped my stammer as he stood, keeping me close. "Lily, my excitement at working with Jackson on music is only a slim winner over him coming to you for advice." His face dropped to make sure we locked our eyes on each other. "I love you, and I love that Jackson has another person he feels he can talk to about things."

"Really?" I squeaked, trying to stifle a sob.

"Yes, Lil, your relationship with Jackson is just as rewarding as ours. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have come to me if you hadn't shown up a couple of weeks ago. You're amazing, and I love everything you bring into my life."

He pulled me tight against his body as his face dipped to mine. The swirl of peppermint toothpaste and coffee lingered between us for a split second before his lips met mine in a fevered crash. This wasn't the tempered connection we had been fostering for the last couple of weeks. His fingers dug into my hips as the slight pain mixed with the warmth coursing from his lips. His sharp intake of breath provided a chorus to the aching pounds of my heart. His hands suddenly dropped from my hips and lifted to the sides of my face as though he were going to pry us apart. Any effort to disengage was only met with his tender touch caressing my cheeks. The sensation was intoxicating and, without his frame steadying me, I certainly would've puddled to the floor. My lungs screamed for air, but I resisted. Parting just enough for a breath felt like too much of a gamble, but Billy must have sensed it. His lips parted from mine as our foreheads gently met. His hands circled my waist as he clung to me while we gathered our breath.

"Let's wait for marriage, you say," I finally managed.

"I'm often wrong," he whispered back.

"Go, Jackson needs you," I said as I gently pushed off him. "I'll make sure Viv gets to Mary's. You two can meet us there."

His eyes clung to me in a moment of reluctance, but then he turned, but as his hand hit the doorknob, he paused. "Oh, and Lil," I looked up at his call. "You're many things, but I don't know if approachable would top the list."

"What? What's that supposed to..." but before I could finish, he quickly left.

I meandered through getting ready for the day and lightly packing for the trip back to Maine. I didn't have to bring much outside of my empty suitcases. By mid-morning, I was perched at the kitchen counter with my crossword, enjoying a cup of tea.

"Hi," Viv coolly said as she pulled the orange juice from the refrigerator.

"Good morning. How are you?" My voice came in a false chipper tone that grated on me when I received it from my mother.

"Fine," Viv replied in a solid impression of me at her age. I suddenly felt very forgiving of all the annoyance I had once held for my mother.

I watched her pour her juice and sip it with her back to me. Her lingering was the teenage sign she was not entirely closed off to me.

"So, Viv..." I began. Viv turned amid an eye roll. "So, I know I'm not your favorite person, but we're a bit stuck with each other."

"Are we?" Her cocked eyebrow accented her words.

"Well, your dad and I..."

I didn't get to finish before Viv cut me off with, "are a well-documented disaster."

"Well-documented?"

"Have you listened to my dad's music?" Then, with another eye roll, she added, "I suppose I should thank you since you basically made his career."

"That's certainly a perspective," I agreed with a shallow nod.

"So, within the next few weeks, you'll leave, and he'll get another decade of music," she continued.

At that moment, I realized I was fighting with Sarah, and the revelation bubbled a laugh in me.

"I'm glad you find hurting my dad amusing," Viv shot as she started to leave.

"Viv, wait."

She stopped her departure but didn't turn to face me.

"Hurting your dad is never amusing and has never been my intent. I just realized how much you're like your mother."

"Don't insult me," Viv said as she turned to meet my gaze with a scowl.

"You being like your mom isn't an insult. She's among the most confident, strong, kick-ass women I've ever met. Just like you may never see your dad as a rock star, you may never fully see your mom, but you have to respect her; she deserves that."

"What do you know about my mom? From what I've heard, you two could barely stand to be in the same room together."

"We've never been close." It was an understatement, but at least Viv and I agreed on something. "But I've always respected her."

"Ugh, you sound like my dad."

"Well, I've been accused of a lot worse."

Viv absently shook her head, and I could tell I was losing her.

"Viv, I know you're very protective of your dad; I was the same way about my father. But I can tell you that every time I left this family, it wasn't because of him, and it wasn't because I wanted to go."

"That's ridiculous; you left. You did that. You can't say you didn't want to go."

"It's complicated," I meekly offered.

"No, it's not. If you love someone, you stay. If you don't, you leave. It's that simple."

"Honestly, Viv, for you, that's probably true. You're intelligent and confident. Even at thirteen, you go after what you want. I wasn't like that."

"Like what?" Viv sighed.

"Confident. People always told me how great I was, but I never felt that way..."

"You mean like you just did to me?" Whether or not she meant to, Viv took a small step toward me.

"Yes, exactly like that, and sorry."

I watched Viv's eye dip to the ground as she let the apology wash over her before I continued.

I took the opportunity to continue. "I didn't know who I was and didn't know what I wanted. So, I questioned everything. I kept leaving your father because the only thing I've never doubted in my entire life is how much I love him. I couldn't risk my self-doubt spreading to him. I never wanted to question my love for him or his love for me. It would've been too much." I physically shook my head as I tried to cast off the stomach-churning thought.

"When did it stop being confusing?" Her voice was higher now, with sincerity.

"It didn't, but eventually, I realized I don't have to fight for everything; not everything requires you to give something else up. Suddenly, all the reasons that I thought your dad and I would never work seemed..." I let out a sigh, "to be honest, stupid."

"I remember when you were here," Viv began as she set her glass down on the island across from me. "Not like full memories, but flashes of things. I remember giggling a lot and wanting to be around you all the time. The one vivid memory is me fighting sleep so I can watch you and my dad dance in the basement."

"You always loved dance parties." I smiled.

"I hate that memory." Viv's words sliced through me. "Every time it stabs into my brain to remind me how happy you made my dad and then how miserable you made him. He may think you've changed just because you show up here with some weird speech about finding yourself, but I don't believe it." With that, she swiveled on her heel and left with no hesitation.

"Well, that went well," I said to no one as I returned to my crossword, but all the clues mashed together as my brain freefell from Viv's words.