The quarantine housing that they’d given to Flint and Lola was merely a house near the beachfront of Fuchsia that was isolated. It had a rather nice deck but it was otherwise nondescript.

I suspected that it was actually a retreat for Lance in truth as there hadn’t ever really been a need for proper quarantine sites.

Not with the power of pokemon healing. Still, people had seen the sense in using it as an excuse to keep Lola from escaping and for a few days it had worked.

The officials had apparently gotten all they wanted from her and were willing to give her a clean bill of health which meant she could return to the house.

The question became if she should be allowed to.

That was what I was here for. I lingered on the beach looking up at the house with a sense of trepidation.

I’d relayed a lot of what it had been like to deal with Lola to various people. Sabrina had corroborated it and we’d worked out an action plan.

For today’s talk I was going there alone to avoid Lola focusing on the wrong thing.

Which I expected to happen anyway but still it was important to try.

If not for her then myself.

I took another breath to clear my thoughts and walked up the stairs and onto the deck. I knocked on the door and it wasn’t long before Flint emerged.

“Brock? Oh! Does this mean that we’re cleared?” he asked softly. When I nodded he smiled. “Good. That’s good. I’d hoped so with the doctors coming around the other day… and to tell you the truth, I was getting a little nervous. I had this itch that was starting to worry me but it was apparently just flaking skin if you can believe that!” he said with a nervous chuckle.

I glanced into the house and noted that Lola wasn’t close.

I worked my jaw thoughtfully. There had been one thing I’d considered when I’d replayed everything in my mind and I felt I needed to mention it.

“Thanks,” I said slowly.Flint blinked at me in surprise. “Thanks for actually trying when Lola first showed up. I know that it would have been beyond awkward to even attempt to follow through with my… suggestions on what we do with Lola so thank you for trying.” I looked to the side, not willing to look him in the eyes. I had the odd tightness back in my throat.

“Thanks,” I repeated lamely. “It means a lot to me.”

“Oh, well yes I wanted to try…” Flint replied with a shuffle. “It wasn’t something I was comfortable with but…” he splayed his hands out and I chuckled knowing what he meant.

“Yeah, gonna be a ton of conversations like that soon I think,” I said with a sigh as I raked a hand through my hair.

I looked at him properly. “You’ve uhmmm, grown?” I said. Arceus, that felt awkward to say.

Flint chuckled. “You know it’s a strange thing for a son to say to his father,” he said and I considered denying that appellation, but for now I let him say his piece.

“But… It also means a lot to hear it from you. So in my own way, thank you for noticing,” he replied.

We shared an awkward smile and then exhaled and looked to the side. “Okay right! Well best get Lola then?” he said.

I grunted and held up a hand. “Best I lay down some ground rules first,” I said.

Flint searched my face but nodded. “Alright then, I’ll try to help.”

He moved off into the house and I moved in to sit at the table. It wasn’t a big thing, it would never be able to fit my family. I glanced around. In fact this house was really more of a love shack than anything suitable for a family. An urge to poke fun at Lance next time I saw him emerged.

I could see various signs of occupancy, such as cups and plates along with plants, but they were bland and obviously an afterthought for the house. The plants' plastic nature was a bit of a give-away.

I’d positioned myself with my back to the wall near the entrance so that Lola couldn’t sneak up on me, and yet when she and Flint emerged, I noted that while her mouth motored away at Flint, her feet and movement made no noise.

Her eyes zeroed in on me and she beamed. “Brock, my baby boy!” she squealed, accelerating towards me.

I held up my hand again and she started to duck to the side. “Now come on, don’t be shy about letting your mother hug you!” she teased.

I grit my teeth. “I don’t see you as my mother,” I stated flatly.

That caused her to pause, and she frowned. “Brock don’t be silly. Of course I’m your mother!” she declared.

I huffed. “No. I’m not going to allow that after you left. You’ve been gone so often that I think in total these last… five years?” I’ve maybe spent four months with you.”

In truth, the sum total of time spent with her was only about seven or eight months but that wasn’t a conversation I was ever planning to have with her or Flint.

Sabrina, I could talk to about this, as sharing with her was one thing. Flint and Lola?

I wasn’t touching that topic with them ever.

Lola's frown shifted into a small smile as she waved a hand dismissively. “Oh Brock that’s what this was about? That was nothing!”

“I’m glad that to you the almost five years of neglect is nothing, but it has left scars on me and my siblings,” I stated tersely.

I bulled on before she could say anything else. “To us that wasn’t fun or nice. It hurt. And your attempts to hand wave it as nothing aren’t helping. It’s going to cause a lot of issues in fact, so I’m going to address it.”

“The kids barely even remembe—” Lola tried to say only for Flint to cough.

“It was still their formative years dear…” Flint said gently. He laid a hand on her shoulder and Lola twitched like she was going to pull away but stopped herself. Flint offered her a sad smile.

“I’ve had some very awkward conversations with teachers and the children. It’s taken them a few… months to actually understand who I am to them,” Flint continued.

He gestured to the table. “Brock has been doing an amazing job looking after them, and he’s worried, which is why we should talk.”

Lola blinked up at Flint. I could almost imagine her brain working away at this issue. The cogs of thoughts whirring to life.

She turned towards me with a smile and I held back a sigh knowing that she’d reached the wrong conclusion from how she looked at me. “Oh you’re just worried you’re going to lose all your freedom aren’t you? Don’t worry! I’m not going to tread on your toes Brock baby!”

I allowed the sigh to escape me in a long slow show of frustration. “Sit down, we need to talk and I need you to listen.”

Lola fidgetted and her eyes darted towards the door. “I’d really prefer to just go home.”

I clenched my jaw. “Lola… I don’t think I can let you into the house unless we have a proper talk first.”

“What?” she said, her eyes locking onto me. “What do you mean you can’t let me? They’re my babies!” she hissed like an angry persian.

I snorted. “You have a horrible way of showing it.” I levelled a finger at her. “And I’m not convinced that you’re not going to screw things up by coming back!” I snapped.

Flint stepped between us and patted the air in a calming gesture. “Okay, okay let’s ease things up we’re getting a bit heated here so let—”

Lola whipped her head around. “Flint baby! Are you hearing this? He’s going to try and stop me from seeing my babies!”

Flint swallowed. Then he wet his lips and worked his mouth. “Well… the thing is…”

Lola leaned back. “You don’t agree with him do you?” she said.

Flint raised a hand to forestall her only for her to slip around it and hug him. “Flint baby, I’ve dreamed of us being a family for so long don’t do this to me!” she whimpered.

I narrowed my eyes. I hadn’t really considered it at the time and it was only upon review with my therapist had it been pointed out.

But damn, Lola was playing Flint wasn’t she? I thumped the table in front of me to break up the moment as well as take the ‘pressure’ off Flint.

Lola stepped back and frowned at me. “Your mothering skills are shit,” I said, jumping straight into one of the many issues. “That’s one of the… many reasons I have for considering keeping you separate.”

When she opened her mouth—likely to refute my words— I spoke over her, “you sabotaged the girls confidence in getting needles which are important for certain diseases. There was also the way you spoke about getting rid of some of the pokemon that the kids love. Also? You were going to strip them of a security measure with the growlithe.”

I thumped the table again but with a finger like I was hammering in a point. “You haven’t been here to make these decisions and you’re sweeping in trying to change things to how you want them. I’m not going to stand for that so, in the interest of…” fairness wasn’t the right word but I wasn’t sure what was. I settled for saying “working things out, we need to have this talk,” I said, indicating the chair across from me.

Lola looked at the chair.

Then back at me.

Then she looked pointedly outside.

Then she spun and gave Flint puppy eyes.

Flint swallowed and looked right into her eyes. He even reached out and took her hands in his. “Lola… my love, this is what we need to do to help our family heal. They’ve been hurting,” he said softly like he was talking to a wounded wild pokemon instead of a woman.

Lola shifted and her puppy eyes vanished as she frowned. “It will be better with me there.”

Flint considered her. “Do you remember that water pokemon we found during our honeymoon?”

“The Lapras?” Lola replied with a tilted head.

Flint nodded. “Right! Right! Lapras, remember how it was thrashing around and we had to calm it down and earn its trust before we could get the nets off it?”

Lola nodded slowly and Flint’s smile grew. “Well, this situation is like that you see? Thrashing around is only making things worse, we need to calm it down first.”

He reached out and slid the chair back so she could sit down.

Lola glanced at it and then back at him.

He nodded encouragingly.

Lola sighed and sat down before primping herself up. “Hehehe! It’s like we’re at one of those fancy dinners we used to attend at Pewter. Remember them?”

“Yeah, I remember those,” he replied blandly.

I noted how Flint’s jaw twitched. I knew he hadn’t enjoyed going to them. His views on ‘high society’ of Pewter was probably justified though with them looking down their noses at him and him being such a target for snide gossip.

When Flint sat down next to Lola, I gave him a nod of thanks which he returned.

With him having calmed things down, I decided to start small. “The house has been built to facilitate pokemon entering and exiting it. It also has high enough ceilings in most rooms that my main pokemon can join us if we want to. So, the… companions we’ve added are all set to stay alright?” I said.

I felt more like I was a principal reading out the ‘rules of school’ to a child than a son addressing his parents, but then again our circumstances were rather odd.

I had a list of ‘conditions’ that I laid out to Lola working up to the biggest point of contention at the end.

Some of the lists were pretty easy. Like swearing or undermining Flint or I when we were trying to parent. I trusted Flint’s skills as a parent more than I did Lola after all.

She’d rolled her eyes at that. “I just have a more free and easy going style of parenting!” she’d said with a laugh.

“No, you have an absentee version of parenting,” I pointed out. Lola blinked at me but I continued.

“We’re not trying to just be friends with them and have fun. We’re raising them,” I stated firmly.

“That means some things,” I held up a hand to underline my point. “Some things need to be done that they and we don’t like, such as telling them to go to bed at reasonable hours, or giving them healthy foods over junk food,” I said, listing off specific points.

There would be a lot more. I ended that ‘point’ on my list by simply stating. “I have some parenting books I think you should read.”

“I don’t need those.” Lola waved a dismissive hand.

“I think you do,” I replied before moving on with my list. “We need some structure cause there are six kids in the house that are like little sponges. Salvadore and Yolanda are much more responsible, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need their own nudge occasionally,” I said.

Lola perked up. “Well that’s one of the good things that came from my quest! The children learned responsibility!” she said.

I stared at her. “That… no. That’s not teaching responsibility, that was abandonment,” I said.

“Noooo, no it wasn’t,” she replied.

I felt my hand spasm. Damn I wanted to smack her around for saying that sort of thing. Even Flint noticed my hand twitch. Lola just smiled like nothing was wrong.

I rubbed my head. “Lola No. Never imply that we got stronger due to you leaving.”

Lola hummed and gave me a pointed look that made the urge to slap that thought out of her head grow stronger. I didn’t need Sabrina here to know she was thinking something stupid like. Look at where you are now thanks to me!

That was some wrongheaded thinking right there.

“First off, the Gym? It’s mine legally and you have no say in it so don’t try.,” I said starting on something easy enough.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Oh but I want to see it! You’ve changed so much!” she weeded.

I snorted. “You can see it from the stands like everyone else. No behind the scenes tours or suggestions will be accepted. The staff know not to listen to you if you try anything.”

Lola merely smiled in a ‘we’ll see’ manner that made me grit my teeth.

“The reserve also has areas that are off limits like the feed storage area, the Plateau, the caves ,and the Elite training area. I’d also suggest avoiding the swamp. I own that but it’s not maintained beyond keeping it murky for some of the pokemon I own.”

“You own water types?” Lola perked up.

“I do,” I said only for Lola to bounce excitedly.

“Oh! I can show you how to get the most out of them! I’m a pro when it—”

I held up a hand and when that wasn’t enough to silence her nattering I slapped the table again to draw silence. “I’m good. I don’t need that,” I said.

Flint shifted in his chair. He knew I’d read through Lola’s journals about training pokemon so it wasn’t like I hadn’t followed some of her advice. It was just that her advice written down was one thing and receiving instruction from the woman was something else entirely.

“No organising family outings or trying to drag us to big social events like you did in the past. If you want something like that you need to ask us well in advance,” I said recalling one of the issues that I’d had to deal with that had annoyed me for the few months I’d spent around her when I’d been eleven.

“But the social scene needs to see its Gym Leader!” Lola decried.

“They’ll survive. I have people in place to make sure our interests are taken care of,” I stated.

Lola grumbled at that.

I continued laying out ground rules for her to follow.

You wouldn’t think you’d need to say something like. No dragging the kids out of school on a whim would need to be said, but she still whined and grumbled like a toddler at the rule.

“And I don’t want you hugging me, or calling me son. I will not acknowledge it or allow it,” I said finally.

“Dawww my baby is all grown up!” Lola whined.

She turned to Flint. “Our baby is all manly and has a fiancé and he doesn’t need his mummy!”

Flint shook his head. “Uhmmm don’t do that Lola,” he said carefully.

Lola ignored him and I felt my eyebrow twitch. “Lola.”

She turned back to me and smiled like nothing was wrong. “The points I just raised with you. Do you think you can stick to them?”

“Hmmm? Oh maybe,” she said airily.

I exhaled and glared at her. “No. Not maybe! Yes or no.”

Lola huffed and shook her head. “Oh baby you don’t need to get your shorts all twisted up. It’s going to be fine! Better than fine! Mummy is going to be home to take care of everything!”

Anger surged up hot and molten from my stomach. Everything I’d said had apparently gone in one ear and out the other!

I slammed both hands on the table and this time a crack rang out as one of the legs broke. The table listed awkwardly to the side.

“Lola, it’s either this or I buy a house for you on the other side of the city,” I said. “And that will be where things start. If you can’t follow my rules, I will have to take other steps.”

“Why would I stay there when I can live with my babies?” she said like I wasn’t making any sense.

Alright, I was done sugar coating this conversation.

“Because you’re a shitty Mother and I don’t want you to scar them more than you’ve already done!” I said.

Lola blinked as her mouth opened in shock. “That! You can’t say that!”

“I can and did.” I gave the table another thump to break it properly. “These are the terms, my line in the sand if you would. Step a toe over them, and I will follow up with my promise of making you live somewhere else.”

Lola locked eyes with me and saw that I was dead serious about this. “Fine, I’ll try,” she said but I wasn’t going to let that stand.

“No, you will do. There is no try. Do or do not,” I replied firmly.

Lola huffed. “Can’t believe I came back while you were in the middle of a teenage rebellious phase!”

“I can’t believe you came back. Life was pretty good without you around. Now I have to adjust,” I replied snidely.

Lola gaped at me, and I held in a smirk.

Flint cleared his throat and shot me a disappointed look, but I wasn’t going to apologise. She had that and more owed to her.

“I… I’m sorry you feel that way Brock,” Lola said while staring at her lap.

I snorted. That wasn’t actually an apology. It sounded like one, but it actually twisted my words back onto me, as if my feelings were the thing at fault.

“I see you want to calm things down… I think calm might be nice,” she said and I shot her a dour look. I’d said a good deal more than that but I got the impression that was the best I was going to get from her.

Especially with Flint nodding along while mouthing ‘we’ll both work on it!’ at me.

Lola stood. “Well, what are we waiting for! Let’s pack up and head home!” she said with a gusto that was entirely too fake to be real.

I watched her skip back towards the bedroom. I felt like I was making a bad deal here but there didn’t seem to be many good ways to approach this. A lot of it would depend on Lola… which I didn’t have a lot of confidence in.

Flint offered me an apologetic look. “I’ll work on her,” he said and I nodded.

When it was time to leave I sent a message to Sabrina and she sent Alakazam. Lola shifted in close and tried to wrap an arm around me but I side stepped her easily before a thought came to mind. I’d warned her.

I snapped off a punch towards her only for her to duck it and fade back with a shocked look like she couldn’t believe I’d actually thrown a punch.

“Don’t do that,” I said firmly unsure how I should feel about punching out. Was I more annoyed that I’d had to punch out, or that I’d missed?

Lola sighed and shook her head. “Whoever trained you to throw a punch should be ashamed of themselves! Also I can’t believe you threw a punch at me like that!” she clicked her tongue. “Welp! I can see you’ve taken after your father as a rock type through and through with your stubbornness!”

She clenched her fists and beamed at me. “I’ll wear you down yet!” She then smiled at Alakazam. “Come on Whiskers! Let’s head home!” she ordered.

Alakazam gave me a look that conveyed a lot of emotions with it. I nodded reluctantly and Alakazam patted me on the hand.

An instant later, we were back in our front garden with Lola bouncing on the spot. She quickly darted for the house.

Flint clapped me on the shoulder and followed Lola inside, but I stayed where I was, wondering if I hadn’t just made a mistake.

My gut was telling me I was, but I also knew that it was a mistake I had to risk for the sake of my family.

I was tempted to vanish and go train my pokemon but I knew I had to instead stick around and make sure the talk stuck with Lola.

I’d save the training for later when I needed some stress relief.

Zubat darted in and out against Kirlia. “Stay fast but keep up the dark energy!” I ordered Zubat, knowing that if Sabrina had half a chance, she’d lock Zubat down and end this match in an instant.

She’d done it before.

Still, it wasn’t like we weren’t also threatening to her and Kirlia with our own attacks.

Sadly Sabrina was coming into this with a significant advantage as she stood with a relaxed pose, her eyes barely shifting as she gave her own commands.

I wasn’t yet at that level with Zubat, but I knew we’d get there with time.

Thankfully, I’d been able to get off an early Taunt to stop Sabrina and Kirlia steamrolling us with their faster moves and commands by buffing Kirlia.

Rocks rose into the air and Zubat began dodging flak as Kirlia tried to fill the air only for us to vanish a moment later with an Aerial Ace.

Kirlia had a moment to gasp in shock before Zubat slammed into her face and bore her to the ground.

Then it was wings in the face and flashing teeth while Kirlia tried to swat Zubat off with fragile arms and psychic energy only for a Crunch from Zubat to negate most of the damage.

“Enough, we concede,” Sabrina stated, causing both pokemon to pause for a second only for Kirlia to make a show of considering giving Zubat a final shove which in turn caused Zubat to bare her teeth.

Kirlia raised her hands in a show of submission and Zubat fluttered off her and back to me where she began fluttering around while going up and down and chirping happily.

Sabrina approached with Kirlia in her arms as a potion bottle sprayed over the little empath. “You’ve updated her movepool once again,” Sabrina commented. “You had been avoiding adding TM's.” the question lingered in the air and I hummed.

“We’ve been working on building up her poisons as much as we could. We sadly need to linger in the Golbat evolution. Speaking of which.” I reached out and caught Zubat gently in my hand as she flitted past. I tugged a little necklace off her and smiled. “Feeling up for it?” I asked.

Zubat answered by unleashing a light from within her and growing heavier in my hand. She continued to grow until she was almost half my size before stopping.

As the light faded Golbat was revealed.

She was much smaller than the average Golbat at roughly a metre in height but she felt relatively dense. Her leathery skin was still a sickly looking green but her wings had become more pronounced with their pink colouration.

“Golbat!” sang my newly evolved pokemon. I grinned and was about to verbally congratulate her when she slammed into my face and began slobbering.

I felt my face lock up as the paralysing venom that lingered on her tongue went into effect, but it was a small price to pay with her joy. I was going to have to get used to it.

Thankfully my rock energies made me slightly more resistant to it so I wasn’t completely flopping on the ground.

Sabrina pried Golbat off my face and set her on my shoulder. “Heh, knew you had it in you girl,” I said with a slight slur.

Sabrina shot me a look and produced an antidote which she began rubbing on my face. “You’re going to wash your face before bed tonight,” she commanded but I just laughed.

“I think I’m going to have to keep a lot of antidotes on hand,” I said. But I pulled Golbat out to give her a proper look over. “You’ve done amazing!” I declared and Golbat squirmed happily.

I brought up the everstone bracelet once again. “Well I’ll probably have to get this resized but it will be worth it. We’re going to focus on the poisons and once that’s up to snuff, we’ll evolve you straight away as unlike other evolutions, you’re going to get smaller rather than bigger. You’re also going to have a serious shift in your flight pattern which you will need more time to adjust to.”

I stroked her head gently. “I give it a month tops with the notes from Janine speeding us along,” I announced. From there I had no idea how long it would take to get Crobat up to snuff, for her to feature in my Elite team, but I knew she was going to get there.

Sadly she was going to be competing for flying type match ups against Don and Zephyr. Thankfully she brought something new with her poison.

Toxic, Toxic spikes, and more were soon going to be added to my arsenal. Which, with the emergence of the popularity of Fairy type pokemon growing in importance, it was going to be key to have their counters set up.

I expected Knight, my Aggron, to also start featuring more in any Ace matches I took part in.

I probably wasn’t going to be so aggressive about challenging others next season as I had this year, but I rated it as a good experience. I had the option to go for more if I wanted.

I still wasn’t planning on taking part in the Ace end-of-season tournament.

It was rather funny, I expected Karen to have a lot of mixed feelings about it as I’d effectively cleared the path for her to ascend to the top ranked Ace position and let her rise to Elite Four member like she’d wanted.

There was always going to be a lingering ‘what-if’ in people’s minds that would detract from her ascension.

Although there was always going to be that on any of the current Elite Four with Sabrina lurking in the wings. In the hearts and minds of the people of Indigo she was the strongest trainer.

The only person who probably didn’t have this was no doubt Koga. The man was simply too well respected for anyone to say that he didn’t deserve his position in the Elite Four.

“Oh wowie!” called an unwelcome voice.

I sighed and looked over to find Lola skipping through the reserve like this was a garden rather than a rock strewn field.

“Hello Lola,” I said. I hadn’t told her she couldn’t come out here as I’d mostly focussed on what I expected on her interactions with the family. I was probably going to have to add to the rules.

Lola couldn’t try what she did in the cartoons, what with shifting the Pewter Gym to a water type. I’d locked everything down so Lola had no say in the Gym. Flint might come back but that was only if I set up my historic challenge with fossil pokemon.

The introduction of Shieldon to my roster was going to do a lot to change up the options I had next year. I’d need to review my notes on the pokemon to see how viable it was.

“I wanted to come see what you were up to! Your Father—” “Flint,” I cut in only for Lola to keep talking like I hadn’t interjected. “—has gotten dinner made up and wanted someone to call you in.”

She turned towards Sabrina. “Will you be joining us dear?”

Sabrina raised an unimpressed eyebrow at Lola. “Yes, my place is to Brock’s right, at the head of the table,” she stressed.

Lola and Sabrina locked eyes and I could almost see the bolt of electricity shooting between them both.

“Oh, I enjoy sitting in the middle where I can see and hear everyone,” Lola said in a sugary tone.

“Hmm, I suppose at your age that’s important,” Sabrina said with a placid smile as I chuckled.

Lola’s gaze narrowed while Sabrina’s lips twitched into a smile.

Point to Sabrina, I thought.

I considered telling Lola not to try and get into a battle of wits with Sabrina as it would be like taking a stick to a battlefield only for Sabrina to unleash a bazooka at you.

But I didn’t, if Lola wanted to run face first into that wall over and over again, good for her. I was looking forward to the entertainment.

I kept Golbat out and nodded towards the house. “Alright, lets go have some dinner, we’ve got a few matches to watch tonight,” I called.

Lola turned and ducked towards me only for my hand to shoot out and stop her cold as she attempted another ‘sneak hug’. “Stop that or I’ll punch you next time,” I said. Damn, I’d reacted without thinking. I really should have just dropped her. Damn instincts.

“Please do,” said Sabrina as she moved up next to me.

Lola whined about me being mean to her, but if anything I was restraining myself. Lola quickly got over it though and rejoined me.

“Your brother is coming home soon! Apparently his little friends weren’t able to get tickets for the last few rounds of the tournament so they’re going home. Eiiie! I can’t wait to have the whole family back together!”

I hummed. Somehow I doubted that Forrest was going to be as receptive as he once might have been, having experienced how disruptive Lola could be to his performance.

I considered the other tasks I would be picking up.

I had the baseball team, Guardian training, Elite pokemon training, and I suspected that I hadn’t seen the last of Cynthia either.

With how interested she was in history I— a ping on my Xtransceiver drew my attention and I chuckled.

Sabrina shot me a questioning look and I smiled.

“Cynthia wants to revisit the Gym. She has been looking over some of the Ace matches apparently and she ‘discovered’ Gawain.” I pointed at her. “Might be a good idea to bring Wyrdeer.”

Sabrina nodded at this while Lola glanced between us. “Huh? Gawain against a Charizard? Wyrdeer? Who are they and when did this happen?”

I shrugged. “Oh, it was something that happened while you were away, don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah you had to be there,” Sabrina said and I snorted while giving Sabrina’s hand a little squeeze of approval.

“Daww you’re so cute!” Lola gushed. Then she gained a glint in her eyes and I had a premonition of what she was going to do right as she ducked low, moving with her arms spread wide.

Damn it she was trying to sneak a hug in on me. Sabrina stepped to the side and I twisted, my training kicking in as I swung with one arm while allowing the other to come up into a defensive position.

Lola ducked the blow. “Ha! You’re going to have to get better—” Lola started to say as she closed in, only for my other hand to pulse with dark energy and lash out catching her in the face.

She was sent flying back from the blow but came up to her feet with a stunned expression. “Did you just Sucker Punch me?” she asked.

I nodded the dark energy pulsing in time with my heartbeat. “Lola,” I hissed. “I told you not to do that.”

Lola blinked and adopted a cutesy pose only for me to glare harder at her.

She wilted. “I’m sorry! It’s just… it’s hard! You’re my baby and I want to hug you!”

Sabrina glowered at her from next to me. “You need to respect Brock’s desires. He doesn’t want you to touch him. Do not do it again!” she snapped.

I put a hand up and to calm Sabrina down. “I can handle her,” I stated.

Sabrina shot me a smile. “Yes, you can,” she replied and I had to admit it felt good having just proven that right.

I turned back to Lola. “I think you should have a night at a hotel. Don’t try to force your way back into the house.”

Lola blanched. “Brock I—” she vanished in a Teleport and I shot Sabrina a look.

“She’d have made a big scene of it. I’ll make sure she can’t sneak in. What will we tell the children?”

“The truth I suppose. She broke the rules and got punished.” I grimaced as I announced this, knowing that it was going to be touch and go.

I walked in with Sabrina and the kids all glanced behind me only to frown when Lola didn’t appear. “Where’s Mum?” asked Cindy nervously.

I coughed. “She broke a rule I gave her so she’s staying the night in a hotel,” I said.

Flint gaped at me. “Oh… Uhmmm I should go… calm her down?” he asked.

I shrugged, not really caring as I watched the rest of my family for their reactions.

Suzie tilted her head. “So she’s sort of in time out?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yup precisely,” I said.

“Oh!” Suzie nodded. “Okay then!” she said before returning to her dinner. The other kids all considered Suzie’s child wisdom for a moment before nodding along and accepting it.

I blinked and shared a look with Sabrina. She nodded and gave Suzie a pat on the head. “You’re a clever girl aren’t you?” she praised her favorite.

Suzie grinned. “I don’t know what I did but thanks!”

I chuckled, rather pleased with how things had turned out. Lola had tested the line and found I wasn’t bluffing.

Hopefully she’d learn from this ‘time out’ but only time would tell.

The next day, I sat down with my therapist. “Soooo, I punched Lola…” I said as a way to start things off.

My therapist pursed her lips and tilted her head before asking, “What did she do?”

Relief swept through me.

Yeah, moments like this let me know I was in good hands.