(3 months later)
I haven't talked to Jackson. I'd decided to respect his wishes. Daley and I have been talking more about adoption or becoming foster parents. Eric's doing a lot better without Taylor.
Melissa: Thanks for taking me to lunch, Nathan. (opens her door and mumbles) I thought it was locked.
She sets her purse down onto the table next to the door, then takes off her coat. I follow her into the living room.
Melissa: (comes to an abrupt halt) Cody?
Jackson: (gets off of the couch and steps closer) Melissa, can I talk to you?
Melissa: What are you doing here?
Jackson: I came to apologize.
Melissa: Get out.
Jackson: Mel, I'm-
Melissa: You heard me, Cody! Get out of my house!
Jackson: Mel, I'm so sorry. Please, listen to me.
Melissa: I don't want you back, Cody! I hate you! So just leave!
Jackson: (on the verge of tears as he glances at me, then goes out the door)
Nathan: Don't you think that that was too harsh? I mean, he cleaned up for you.
Melissa: (with venom in her voice) Well, I don't want that dirtbag anywhere around my kids. He's a loser and a bad influence. (looks at the clock on the wall) I gotta go pick up the boys from school.
Me: (picks up the phone) Hello?
Jackson: (cries) Nathan?
Me: Jackson, what's wrong?
Jackson: (sniffles) I relapsed.
Jackson checked back into rehab. He couldn't go back to the halfway house because they do random urine tests and because you can't stay there until you've gone a certain amount of time without using drugs. I'm glad that he actually wants to quit enough to go back there.
Melissa: (chuckles angrily) I knew that he couldn't stay clean.
Me: Well, he wants to. He checked himself back into rehab.
Melissa: He'll just relapse again.
Me: I heard that it takes on average seven tries to get clean.