The warm afternoon sun lightly heats my skin as I sprawl across the plush pool chairs. My eyes snap open when I hear oncoming footsteps. Angela appears by my side with a small smile on her lips.

"You look like you need one of these." She hands me a fruity cocktail, then takes a seat on the pool chair beside me.

"Damn! Do I really look that bad?" I sigh.

"No, of course not." She quickly shakes her head.

I remove the straw and chug down the red liquid. My nose wrinkles as the strong taste of gin and cranberry hit my taste buds. Angela's eyes go wide before she chuckles.

"I wasn't going to ask . . . Well, Thomas told me not to ask." She sighs. "But how are things going with Tori and the court case? Blake hasn't mentioned anything and he looks . . . I'm just worried."

I glance at Blake who's standing beside the pool talking to Thomas about something. Thomas is smiling at something he's said but Blake looks blank. He wasn't excited about coming to the barbeque because of the court case, but it's another chance to see London and that's precious time right now.

Angela settles into the chair and sips on her drink. I wish these glasses were a little bigger, especially for this conversation.

"The DNA results were just submitted to the lab. Once they come back and the results are read, I can then submit to have partial custody. Depending on the ruling and time, we could submit the claim during the DNA result reading and have an answer or be stuck waiting. It's a freaking mess."

"Damn it!" she grumbles. "I wish the court could see the home they're taking London away from and what she's going into."

"Yeah, I wish the court would see that. But hey, that just makes things too easy and life doesn't work like that. I just . . . I don't mind the stress if things are going to work out. I hate this limbo – I hate how it's tearing Blake apart."

Angela takes a long sip from her drink and glares. "I never liked Tori! It's hard to be a good parent. You want them to learn their own lessons, even if it's the hard way, but you also want to keep them safe from the world."

"I can agree with that." I chuckle.

"You never stop being a parent, and I'll never forgive her for what she's done."

"And neither will I." I shake my head.

"On the bright side, at least you can fight for London. With you as her Aunty, she's got an actual chance to grow into a beautiful young woman. We don't need any more Tori's in the world." Angela rolls her eyes.

"Oh goodness, we don't."

I've always wanted to see the best in people but after everything I've been through, it's hard to see any good in her. She only brings pain. I can't blame her for everything because I was stupid enough to be sucked into her web of lies.

Once we finish our drinks, Angela takes our cups and walks inside the main house. I consider following for another drink, but I wander over to Blake. I wrap my arm around his waist and rest my head on his chest.

When our eyes meet, we smile at each other. Pain lingers in his green eyes, but there's a tingle of happiness which is a good start.

"Is the barbeque better than you thought? And are you having a good time?"

Blake shakes his head. "I don't have the strength to talk about it right now."

"Oh –" I have to hold myself back from questioning.

"Daddy!" London screams as she rounds the pool.

"Oi, missy, what have I said about running around pools?" Blake playfully glares.

London skids to a halt and smiles. Her baby blue eyes sparkle as she wanders closer. That's the same look Logan would give me when all his bribes weren't working.

"To walk and not ran."

"What happens if you run?" Blake questions.

"Uncle Jude will throw me into the pool." She giggles.

"Does someone need to be tossed into the pool?" Jude wanders over with barbeque tongs in his hands.

London runs to Blake and jumps – Blake yanks her into the air and she wraps herself around Blake's muscular body.

She buries her face against him and squeals, "Don't let him get me, Daddy!"

Blake rubs her back and smirks at Jude. He kisses her cheek and whispers something into her ear. Whatever he says, it makes London beam with delight.

Jude snaps the tongs in London's direction and attempts to be stern with her.

"Do as your father says and don't run around pools! We can't have you falling in with that pretty dress."

"Okay, I promise." She grins.

"You better otherwise Uncle Jude will be upset."

"Yup, and we can't have Uncle Jude upset." I gasp.

With a smile, Jude wanders back to his post beside the barbeque.

We turn our attention to London who shines under it.

"How has your day been? I've missed you." Blake's eyes soften which make my heart melt.

"I miss you too, Daddy." She pouts. "And the booberries."

Blake bursts into laughter. "Next time your over, we can make blueberry pancakes. How does that sound?"

"Yes," she screams.

"What have you been up to?"

"Grandma let me stir the punch bowl and Uncle Jude and I cooks snags on the barbie."

"Wow, you've been a busy bee." He pokes her nose.

"Daddy, can we go swimming?" She smiles at the pool.

Tori zaps over with a brooding glare. She abruptly yanks London from Blake's grasp and walks away muttering, "That's Uncle Blake now. Don't you remember the talk we had?"

"No, it's Daddy." She frowns.

Angela smiles at London as she wanders past but as soon as they're behind her, she rolls her eyes with disgust.

"She can't expect a four-year-old to magically understand why her father is now Uncle Blake." Angela crosses her arms. "Couldn't she remember which man she was sleeping with? I should go and give her a piece of my mind!"

As Angela goes to leave, Blake grabs the hem of her shirt and pulls her back. She looks over her shoulder and raises an eyebrow.

"Don't say anything. I don't want London to see her family fighting."

"I was planning on pulling Tori to the side and tell her what a selfish cow she's being."

"There's no point because Tori doesn't care – Tori does whatever is best for Tori."

Angela sighs. "I don't know how you dated her."

"Honestly, me neither." Blake laughs. "I was young and stupid."

"Now you're old and wise." I snicker.

"Oi, I'm not old!" He pouts.

We chuckle and Angela wanders away. She goes to talk with Thomas – the conversation looks serious due to the fact she's using a lot of arm gestures, and she's glaring in Tori's direction.

I lace my fingers through his and tug on them. He looks at me and smiles.

"Is the 'Uncle Blake' the thing you didn't want to talk about?"

The smile vanishes from his face.

"Yeah, it was. She mentioned it when London arrived."

I don't understand why Tori won't allow London to enjoy the big family she has! How many kids can say they have six grandparents who spoil them rotten? Growing up, most kids usually talked about the grandparents they'd lost.

It's just . . . Family isn't all DNA, it's who is always there for you.

"I'm just . . . I'll be back." I smile.

"What are you doing Ava?"

"Who said I'm doing anything?" I gasp.

"Ava –"

Before Blake can finish the sentence, I'm already standing beside the pool chair. I shoot London a smile which makes her giggle.

"Hey Lo!" I grin. "Do you want to help Uncle Jude with the barbie?"

"Yes." She looks at Tori and she nods her head.

Tori places London on the ground and she wanders over to Jude. Blake gives me a look of disapproval but I wave and smile.

I turn back to Tori and frown. She coils into her seat and waits.

"How can you do this to Blake? For years I've felt sorry that you've had to grieve Logan in secret, or that you couldn't be a mother to your own child. I tried to be your friend and always see the best in you, especially when people said the worst. But now I see you and the pain you cause everyone around you."

Tori crosses her arms and shakes her head.

"Don't you dare talk to me about hurting people! I'm not the only one that left Blake when things got too hard."

"You can't imagine the pain of what it's like to lose your baby because you were never a mother to London like she needed you to be. Did you ever love Blake or Logan or where they just people to amuse you?"

"I can't believe you said that. You know I loved Logan."

"You're not capable of loving anyone but yourself."

"I love London. Why do you think I'm fighting you in court?"

"You need to think about what's best for London. Cutting out her father – a man who's a better person than the pair of us – isn't right. She deserves the chance to have a father who does everything a father should. Logan would have wanted her to have a father figure in her life."

"How can you know what Logan would have wanted?"

"Because he's my brother."

"I'm done talking to you. When I get full-custody, you won't be seeing her again."

"I will never let that happen."

"London, come here!" Tori climbs off the chair. "We're leaving."

"Enjoy the time you have with London because I will fight tooth and nail to protect her from you. And don't bother coming to the wedding – you're not welcome there."

"London," she shouts. "I said we're leaving."

"But Mummy." She rubs her teary eyes.

I crouch down to London's height and kiss her forehead.

"I'll see you soon, Lo!"

Tori picks her up and rushes away.

As an arm wraps around my waist, I look up and see Blake curiously staring at me.

"What did you say to Tori? I've never seen her that upset."

"Um." I bite my lip. "Everything is blurry. I told her she's not welcome at the wedding, I questioned if she ever loved Logan and I might have said some other mean things. I did say you were a better person than the pair of is."

"Thank you for defending me."

"You don't have to thank me for it – it's what we do."

"Still, thank you." He smiles.

I know I shouldn't have said anything, and I know I've made things worse, but sometimes you just need to get certain things off your chest . . . that was one of them.