Chapter 20: Otto

Greer stopped in front of me with Otto on her shoulder.

His hat had fallen off, and his chestnut curls stood up at the back.

"He's yours," she said. "I should have said it a year ago."

"Greer."

"Take him. Please. Before I can't."

She turned him around in her arms, and she put him into mine.

I had held him once before, in a penthouse, when I told myself that babies curl their fingers.

This time I let myself know.

He was warm and heavy and smelled of banana.

He looked up at me with grey-green eyes I had seen in a mirror every day of my life.

He put out his left hand.

The smallest finger curled in at the top joint, and it closed around my own.

I made a sound I couldn't hold back.

"Hi," I said. "Hi, Otto. Hi, love."

He said something that was not a word, and he laughed.

The whole hall was silent.

Then a man at one of the front tables began to clap.

It was slow and alone.

Then the old investor with the cane joined in, and a woman in green, and the whole board table.

Constance's voice cut through it.

"That is my grandson."

She was coming down the marble steps with her twist half undone.

"He is an Ardmore. I have an order from the court."

She pointed at me.

"I will have that child back in my arms in five minutes."

"You'll have an order for something else in five minutes," Eli said.

He had stepped in front of me, and he didn't touch her.

He stood there with his shoulders square.

He had never in his life been in her way, and he was now.

"Move," Constance said.

"No."

"Eli."

"I'm in a doorway, Constance. I've had a lot of practice."

Chase had crossed the floor at last.

I thought he would take his mother's side. Everyone did.