Teacher's Pet

Epilogue: No...

Three years later...

Hey ma, what's up?

Well I actually wanted to talk to you about something.

What's wrong? Is everyone okay?

Yeah everyone is fine.

Then what is it Mom?

It's me and your father.

He didn't cheat on you, did he?

God no. It's just...

It's just what? What's wrong?

It's just he has this need to control things, and ever since the trial we haven't had a conversation that hasn't lead to an argument.

On the other side of the line I could hear my dad walk into the front door downstairs by the noise his keys made. I heard my mom curse under her breath hearing the same thing.

Where are the kids when they happen?

I said low like he might hear me if I talked too loud.

Usually school or Jordan's'. But lately they've been here.

Where are they now?

Their room.

Shit. Just as she said that, their bedroom door opened. At first all I heard was mumbles, but they soon turned into loud screams that I could hear clearly through the phone.

Wow. All I did was ask what you did today and now I'm the bad guy.

Yeah. When you're being an ass about it. Like I haven't done enough for the company already, now I can't take a break.

No! Not when we're struggling with money.

It's your fault that we are.

Oh here we go again!

Yup. Here we go! Because if you never went to trial with that woman in the first place, you wouldn't have sat on your ass for a half a year doing nothing while I made all the money we were struggling to get.

You're always defending them! She got lucky that day and for all you know she could be fucking some other kid and telling them she's in love, too.

After that I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. If that's how all their arguments go we have a problem. I booked a roundtrip ticket right then and there for me and two one ways back to Duke. They can't sit and argue like that around kids and act like that's okay. Especially with my dad talking to my mom like that. Matt and Alicia can remember that type of stuff at 6 & 7 and I'm not going to let this mess with their thoughts when they need to be worried about kid stuff. So, they'll be coming back with me regardless of what my parents have to say about it.

I booked my flight for two hours from now so I could pack a small bag and talk to my teachers... and get this girl out of my apartment. I knew my professors would let me off without much fuss because I'm the reason they are getting Christmas bonuses and raises. It was my coaches that I knew I would have a hard time convincing. We played the Tar Heels tomorrow and missing this practice tonight could be the reason I mess up tomorrow. But luckily I was able to negotiate going to a morning practice tomorrow. That way I could sleep and catch up with the kids the rest of the day until the game.