Bittersweet Revenge

Chapter Six

"Emma!" Ruby shouts and waves her hand in my face to grab my attention while I cut a piece of tile.

"What?" I snap. She knows when I'm cutting I hate to be interrupted, too many things can slip and too many casualties can be taken.

"Your phone, it's been blowing up!" She yells and tosses my phone into the air. I stumble forward to catch it and find that I have six missed calls from my kid's school.

"Dammit!" I grumble as I quickly return the call. "Yes...hello, I'm Mrs. Swan, someone from this number called. Which one of my children is it?"

"All three. They are all misbehaving and the principal would like to speak to you immediately," the receptionist informs me with a snippy attitude.

"Alright, I'm coming now," I groan and end the call. I slip my phone into my back pocket and explain my unexpected emergency to my coworker.

I rush toward the school cursing over and over again. I just had a long talk with all three of them last night about their behavior. They promised me they would do better and now not even twelve hours later I'm being summoned to their school...for all three?

I run inside the school and sign in with the secretary. "All three of your children are in the principal's office with your wife." I freeze with my mouth hanging open like a fool.

"Wha-?"

The secretary points to the principal's office with her pen and pursed out lips, silently judging me. I swear I'm trying. I groan and trudge my way over to the office. The door is slightly cracked but I can hear Roni's voice loud and clear.

"What did you three do?" She growls and I can only imagine how angry her face is right now. That vein in her forehead ready to pop, ready to throw fireballs if she had any on hand.

"They have been disruptive all day in class. Each one of your children have been reprimanded plenty of times today for not sitting in their seats, from running around and whining to interrupt their teachers all day. All three of their teachers sent them down here. Your children are a disciplinary problem."

I sigh and shake my head, I'm about to step inside the office but then I hear Roni's voice.

"I know, I've had difficulty myself."

"They lack structure and obedience. I have discussed this with your wife before but she just seems like a big child herself."

I feel my blood boil and I know I need to calm down before I enter. I'm trying so hard to provide for my family and not one damn person seems to understand this. Fuck Neal!

"Excuse me!" Roni snaps causing even myself to flinch. "Has it escaped your attention that my children have head to toe poison ivy?"

"No! Well yes..." There's a thick silence for a moment before I hear Roni's voice boom through the room with anger.

"My children are in need of medical assistance and you have the nerve to stand here lecturing me about discipline? How dare you? As for my wife, Emma maybe a large child but she is mine and you have no right to speak about her in such a manner. My children may be rotten and out of hand, but they are mine! Henry is brilliant. Max is creative and Drew is wise beyond her years. Kids get in the car, lets go." My eyes are bulging out of my head at Roni's speech. I can't believe she defended me and my children. "I said, MOVE!" Roni screams provoking my children to jump to their feet.

I hear their chairs scraping against the floor before the little pitter patters of their feet. I straighten my posture and open the door.

"Emma," Roni breathes out once she sees me. Her face softens and I can physically see the woman relaxing.