Tony looked down at me from his full height and pointed to the long scar running across his forehead.
"If you hadn't run into the street like a lunatic that day, would I have gotten these scars all over my head trying to save you?"
"It's been years. Are you really going to hold one mistake over me forever?"
"I owe Faith a real family. What exactly do you have to feel sorry for yourself about?"
The next morning, I was sitting in the dining room.
Tony slapped a document down on the table.
Across the top, in bold letters: Parental Recognition Agreement.
"Sign it."
He pulled out a chair and sat down, rapping his knuckles on the table.
"Rufus has an interview at Stratton Academy next week."
"The school requires both parents to be present, and the child has to be a legitimate dependent registered under a local household."
"You'll issue a statement acknowledging Rufus as your biological son and register him under your name."
I looked at the agreement, then pushed it off the table onto the floor.
"Not a chance."
Tony slammed his palm against the table.
"Don't push your luck!"
"Faith is willing to let her own son call you 'Mom' for the sake of keeping the peace. What more could you possibly want?"