That told her Ashley could indeed break its hold and defeat its purpose, but at what cost? Her relationship with her son, and his being used until once again crushing him?

“He's making plans right now Emma! And if I know my little tramps she's probably talking dirty and promising him everything! Bet she's even sending dirty pictures to him!"

Emma nodded, she could see it happening that way. Ashley was a sexy little thing and girls her age used what they had to get what they wanted. Sad thing was she had no doubt Eric could be swayed away from her if he'd go out and find a real woman. One that could put that little girl to shame.

"You're a real woman, Emma, and right now he's yours for the taking.

You felt the control you have over him last night. That control will be lost if she comes here. He won't be your boy anymore, he'll be hers!"

“No," Emma stood up from the couch.

“He's not hers. He's my baby and I'm not going to let her take him from me."

“Then you know what to do, Emma."

“I have to make him forget her.

“And there's only one way to do it." The voice whispered.

“Show him what real love is and be what he needs you to be, his everything."

“But its wrong." She whispered as she slowly walked over to the stairs.

“Wrong is watching a beautiful woman being mistreated. Watching them be cheated on and beaten and spoken down to and isolated from everything but their abuser."

Emma flinched as the voice now sounded angry.

"Wrong is women who think they have to take that. That no one else would love them. Wrong is a young man who loves his mother and wants to help her, being told he can't because of some laws made up by man and a god who long abandoned his people."

It laughed harshly.

"But yet wasn't this world populated by incest?

Father's impregnating their daughters? But that was okay?"

“I'm not evil, Emma! My sole reason for existence is to try and bring lonely and mistreated mothers together with the young men who truly want them to be happy! If wanting to see love consummated is a sin, then all hope is gone."

"But Mary and Maria. All the heart ache and death and pain. You caused that." Emma didn't care she was speaking aloud as she walked up the stairs. After all, she was sure Eric was engrossed in whatever bullshit Ashley was slinging.

"No! I brought them together and what hurt them were their husbands!

Mary was killed by the drunken filth and Maria over whelmed by guilt over what her husband would think. A husband, who if he were any kind of man, wouldn't have left his wife so lonely she would see her sons as lovers."

“Both of them."

The voice seemed to hesitate.

"That was...an anomaly. I had no idea both secretly desired to make her happy. I erred in that instance."

It sighed.

"That was on me and all I can do is keep trying."

“But there is no man in the picture for you, Emma. It's just the two of you! You can be as happy as Robin and Cliff! Don't you want to be happy? See your son happy? The only thing that could be better is to be happy together!"

"You think you're frustrated? I was awoken decades ago and cannot be at peace until I can bring two broken hearts together. I'm here to help you, Emma. Now go do what you know you have to."

Emma walked past Eric's room and stopping, felt a surge of anger when she heard him laughing behind the door.