Barbara dropped the powder blue shopping bags on the pavement in surprise. Her fingertips gingerly touched her reddening cheek. She spat blood at Maria's feet.

"You're going to be sorry you did that," Barbara said in a low, saccharin voice. She was eerily calm as she looked up at Maria. Her elegant clothes and coiffured hair clashed with the shock of her bloodied teeth.

"Not as sorry as you," Maria spat at her, looming. "You think you can steal my daughter away from me and pretend she's yours?"

"Mom, stop!" Selina tried to step between the two women but Barbara blocked her with a firm arm.

"From what I've heard, you've been a pretty shitty mother," Barbara goaded. "I had a shitty mother, too, you want to know what I did to her?"

"Barbara!" Selina pulled on her friend's arm.

"What's going on over here?" A deep male voice cut in just then. "Barbara Keen? Is that you?"

Selina looked up to see a tall, stocky, olive-skinned police officer walking up on Maria's left. His name badge read Jorgensen. At the sight of him, Barbara's entire demeanor changed. Her eyes, which had been squinted at Maria with an eagle-like sharpness softened and became wide with faux bewilderment. Her curled smile turned into a surprised "O" with a slight pout. She appeared to shrink.

"Aaron! Thank God you're here!" Barbara cried out in feigned relief.

She more or less collapsed into the officer's arms. She was shaking and her perky breasts heaved attractively as she pressed her body against the blue of his uniform.

"She attacked me!" Barbara shakily raised one perfectly manicured maroon nail in Maria's direction. "My friend and I were shopping for maternity clothes," she gestured at the collapsed bags behind her. "When this… this person ran up and hit me." Her hand fluttered to her injured cheek. She batted damp purple lashes up at the officer.

"It's okay now," Officer Jorgensen shushed patting Barbara's hair. "I won't let her hurt you. Just tell me what happened."

Selina had seen a lot of cons in her life but even she was amazed at Barbara's performance and how easily the officer was buying her side of the story. She felt she should do something, contribute somehow, but she didn't want to make things worse for her mother.

Maria must have had enough encounters with the law to know when to keep her mouth shut. Any other random attacker would have run off at the sight of the police, but she seemed to be determined to stay near her daughter, silent anger still clear on her statuesque face.

"Barbara?" Officer Jorgensen looked down at her lovingly. "Do you want to press charges? We have enough here for an assault and battery charge."

Selina didn't want her mother arrested, she only wanted her to go away. Suddenly, she had idea.

"You don't have to arrest her, she's my mom," Selina cut in. "Just let me talk to her."

The officer looked at Barbara questioningly.

"I don't want to cause any trouble." She told him in a sweet, passive voice. The officer gave Selina the go-ahead.

Selina pulled Maria aside. She spoke in a low pleading voice.

"Mom, I love you and I'm glad you came back, even if it was a scam, but I can't have you in my life. Please." Selina pressed a folded piece of paper into her mother's hand. "I'm going to give you this and you can keep it if you promise not to try and contact me again. If I want to see you, I'll find you. Otherwise, please stay away."

Maria unfolded the paper Selina had given her. She looked at it for a long while, her face softening. Finally, she took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and nodded her agreement. She wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. For a few seconds, Selina was stiff but eventually she gave in to the hug.

"I'll never stop loving you. No matter what, you'll always be my baby," Maria whispered tearily.

"I know," Selina whispered back.

Maria collected herself and replaced her wide sunglasses.

"Sorry about your friend's face." Maria said before taking her leave.

"You should really let me take you to the hospital to get your cheek looked at," Jorgensen was telling Barbara.

"It's okay. I don't want to be a bother," Barbara told him. She was back to standing on her own now and her crocodile tears had ceased. "I just want to get some food and get back to normal."

"If you're sure," the officer said, still holding Barbara's small hands.

"We'll be fine. Thank you so much." Barbara kissed him chastely on the cheek.

"This is my personal cell number," Jorgensen said pulling a card and pen out of this breast pocket. He scribbled on the back of the card then gave it to Barbara. "Call me anytime."

"That's very sweet." Barbara tucked the card into her purse.

"What did you say to her?" Barbara asked Selina after the officer finally left them alone.

"I gave her a picture of the baby from my ultrasound." Selina replied.

"And that made her go away?" Barbara was bewildered, this time, probably genuinely so.

Selina nodded.

"But how did you know that would work?" Barbara pressed.

"Instinct?" Selina said with a shrug.

Barbara smiled in understanding.

"Can we get food now?" Selina reminded Barbara of their earlier mission. "I'm starving."

"Sure," Barbara agree. "I think I could go for some fried chicken."