Growing Season (MxM) Complete

Ch. 11 Assertions

CH 11

Linda Hollings, the very lovely and efficient secretary handed him the phone. She was one of those elementary school secretaries that everyone loved. Great with the kids, friendly with the parents, and indispensable to the staff, motherly and caring. She knew everything and everybody.

"Hello?" Gareth had been called to the phone over the P.A. system shortly after the end of day bell. He walked briskly to the main office thinking it was a parent calling. It was, just not one he was expecting.

"What, you change your number or something? I'm still their mother, I still have rights," Leeann's shrill voice screeched through the phone line. Gareth had to hold the phone away from his ear she was so loud.

"No, Leeann, I haven't changed my number. My phone is off during school hours, when I'm at work. Remember, I'm teaching?" Gareth reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved his cell phone. Sure enough there were eight missed calls and fifteen texts, all from Leeann. Judging from the lack of coherence in the later texts, it was obvious that she was under the influence of something.

"You can't keep me from my kids, you asshole," she spewed.

Gareth was taken aback. Perhaps she wanted the Mother's Day gifts after all. "I haven't been. You just haven't called. You haven't wanted contact. You said you never wanted to see them again."

The tone of the conversation suddenly changed and Gareth suspected this was the real reason for the call. "YOU haven't been paying your bills, Gareth. Your credit rating is going to be fucked. I need money to cover your expenses," Leeann stated. Gareth's eyes rolled to the ceiling, so did Linda's, not that she was listening.

"No Leeann, they're your bills. I don't live there anymore, and neither do the kids. Therefore I don't pay things for that address," he calmly asserted.

"But you said you'd take care of me." She had a nasally whine to her voice now.

"I said I'd take care of our family. When you kicked us all out, and injured Gabe, I might add, you forfeited any money that I would pay to support that household. I am still supporting the household, just at a different location and without you in it." Gareth felt it was a good and logical explanation.

"Where are you living, you asshole? I want to come and take my kids." After what she was saying, Gareth was fairly sure she didn't actually want the kids. She could have shown up at their school to take them if that was the case--thankfully she hadn't done so, and the school probably would have called if she'd shown. But it was definitely the money that was her motivation, not any last ditch parenting attempts.

"Leeann, there is a proper channel for you to have visitation if you want it, and this isn't the way to go about it. Please don't contact me at school again." Gareth's voice was strained, but he tried to keep it level and civil. He was at his place of work after all.

"You'll regret this you faggot!" Leeann yelled into the phone before hanging up, her voice clearly audible to the secretary and other teacher in the main office, both of whom flinched.

Linda, who had fielded calls from Leeann in the past, couldn't help but overhear, heck the entire room couldn't help but overhear. "Gareth, you're doing the right thing. You know that don't you?" She took the receiver from him and placed it back in the cradle on her desk.

Gareth slowly nodded his head in agreement, still too stunned to say anything.

"You need to get a lawyer, honey," Linda patted his arm. "And soon."

Again, he nodded. "I know."

................................................

The two men sat in the living room, having their nightly tea after the kids went to bed. It was originally Phillip's nightly routine, but now it belonged to them jointly. Both men relishing the time together more than each of them realized.