Madison was cleaning the kitchen and Jake was watching TV in the den in his pajamas when the doorbell rang. Jake jumped up. "Daddy's here." Jake ran to the door and opened it.

Ephram heard Jake yell from inside and had a huge smile on his face when he saw Jake.

"Hey, kiddo." Ephram swooped Jake up into his arms and walked inside the house and toward the den and sat down on the couch.

"How was your day, Daddy?"

"Much better now that I have seen you. How was yours?"

"Oh, we played kickball and red light, green light and I read a book today. Can I read it to you?"

"If you want to," Ephram said with a smile. He couldn't believe how excited Jake was about telling him everything about his day.

Madison came in the den wearing some shorts and a t-shirt with her hair pulled back. When Ephram caught sight of her, his jaw almost dropped. "Jake, why don't you read your book to your Dad and then he can read you a bedtime story."

"Mom..." Jake whined.

"Come on, Jake," Ephram said picking Jake up and getting up from the couch. "We don't want to make your Mom mad."

"Fine." Jake said giving in.

"Let's go then." Ephram gave Madison a glance and then he and Jake went towards his room.

An hour later, Ephram walked into the den with his tie undone hanging around his neck and sat down in the chair and Madison was sitting on the couch reading a magazine enjoying the quietness. When he sat down she looked at him noticing he looked really good with the tie around his neck and him looking exhausted and let out a slight smile.

"Does it usually take that long to get him to sleep?"

"Actually an hour is pretty average."

"He read his story and then I read three stories. I thought I was gonna have to read every Mother Goose story before he passed out."

"Sometimes Jake has gotten within two or three stories of finishing that book before he's out."

Madison looked at Ephram and didn't say anything and Ephram just looked back. Madison got up and went and stuck the tape in the VCR. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"What do you have?"

"Let's see." Madison walked into the kitchen and Ephram followed her. She opened the refrigerator and looked inside. "I've got milk, juice, Coke, Sprite and in the forbidden drawer, I have Heineken and Coors Light."

"Heineken's good."

Madison grabbed one and handed it to him.

"Y'know your comment this afternoon was uncalled for."

"Yeah, well, I know that not working with me will make you happy."

"You have no idea what'll make me happy," Ephram said walking back into the den.

"You're right. I don't." Madison said spitefully following him into the den.

"Look, I don't want to fight with you. I just want to get to know my son, since you deprived me of that."

"So he is more important than fixing our relationship."

"We don't have a relationship, Madison. And yes, Jake is more important. He's my priority now, that's why I'm suing for custody." The words just slipped out of his mouth without thought.

Madison took a breath when she heard those words. She looked like she had been hit by a truck and Ephram realized what he said and tried to correct.

"I meant, I'm thinking about it." Ephram said.

Madison walked over to the front door and opened it, "Get out."

"Madison, we have work to do."

"Just go. Please."

Ephram put his beer done on the table and walked over to Madison.

"Come on, Madison, let's talk about this. It's not what you think." He put his hand on her arm trying to comfort her. Madison jerked her arm away. She started to cry.

"You can't take Jake away from me," Madison said through her tears with anger in her voice.

"I'm not trying to." Ephram said trying to make her feel better even though now it was impossible.

"That's what it sounds like," Madison said bitterly. "Now, just go."

"Fine, I'll go. But just so you know, all I wanted was joint custody." With that Ephram walked out the door closing the door behind him.

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