Push

42. He Went to Court

TOBY

The Rawles house was alive with squeals and laughter.

With a smile on my face, I rapped my knuckles on the front door and glanced around the yard. Zach's place had good energy. Chill, but kinda nuts at the same time. He could pay more attention to his grass, though. What did his dad think about the patches of clover growing along the front fence and by the driveway? I bet he nearly busted an artery when he looked at 'em. I was.

Noah clung to me like a koala, blinking his big eyes at all the new sights. Footsteps were pattering closer. When the front door swung open, an unexpected face greeted me.

"Toby!" Marie stepped back to give me the once-over. "Don't you look handsome in your suit this morning!" Her smile faded into an intense look of concentration. She stepped closer, her thin brows furrowed behind her glasses, and she straightened my tie. Made sure my collar was just so. "Now that's better!"

"Ah, yeah..." I swallowed nervously. My mother had never fussed over me like that. "Thanks, Mrs. Rawles."

I might not have been used to being fussed over, but Noah was. He grizzled with a serious case of FOMO. He stretched his legs, bucking against me and straining his chubby hands for Marie.

She laughed. "Did you think I forgot about you?" She leaned over to smack kisses on his fists until he gurgled with a belly laugh. "You look handsome, too!"

Noah happily went into Marie's waiting arms, and she snuggled him close, swaying him from side to side like grandmas seemed to know how to do just right. A pinch twisted under my ribs. Well, some grandmas. I had no regrets about not speaking to my mother, but she'd never cared about Noah. Never kissed him. Barely even held him. She was just as cold when I was growing up. I didn't get it. How the hell was I born into my family? I was so...different.

Marie bounced Noah on her hip. "We're going to have fun this morning," she cooed. "Aren't we?"

"Thanks for looking after him this morning, Mrs. Rawles," I said, dropping his baby bag by the door. "I really appreciate it." I raked a hand through my hair. "I have no idea how long this whole court thing will take... I don't want Noah getting upset... Or Gwen..."

I snuck a look over my shoulder to the car. Gwen was chatting to Marnie on her phone. She wasn't bothered about charging into court. She was a pro. She didn't even seem worried about being stuck in the same room with Kayleigh. I rubbed my palm over my chest. I was the one with the nerves fizzling like I was about to run on the football field for a grand final with everything to lose.

"We're happy to have Noah over any time," Marie said. "The more the merrier!" She flashed me a sly smile. "And I have an ulterior motive."

Juicy. "Don't leave me hanging, Mrs. Rawles."

"Zach and Eden say they're happy with two kiddies, but...I was thinking... If I can show them how well I handle Josie with the two babies..." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe..."

"Not happening." Zach's voice drifted down the hallway. He lumbered into view, shrugging on a black suit jacket, Josie clinging for dear life to the leg of his matching trousers. "Two tiny terrors are enough, thanks!"

Marie's face fell. "But—"

"No buts. Eden will ship me off on a one-way ticket to the moon if I even suggest another baby right now." Zach tried to pry Josie off his leg, but her tiny arms only clung tighter. He turned to me with a smile. "But we are happy to have NoBo over any time."

"Slick suit," I said to Zach. He looked like a totally different guy to the one who rocked up at Stroller Squad and hung around his folk's place. "Aren't Mondays your day off? How come you're all gelled up?"