She's the Boss

17

NO SOONER than I get to the house after I left from the hospital, I get a call from Addison's school.

The Vice Principal just said it was a 'serious matter' and suggested I come immediately.

When I was growing up, I had teachers and principals like him.

They sit behind big desk, put their uninteresting achievements on the wall, and try to intimidate little kids because they can't handle anyone else.

I already wanted punch this asshole.

Still, I drive up to the school, go into the office. The receptionist points me to the Vice Principals office, smiling kindly.

She reminded me off an old lady in my old neighborhood that used to give me cookies.

I was tempted to ask if she had any but I refrained, instead entering the office.

Addison sits there calm as can be, while the Vice Principle fumes.

Just as I thought, he's an overcompensating p***y.

I sit beside Addison, containing a smirk when I tower over him and his desk.

I'm not a kid, bud. That mind games s**t you're trying? Won't work.

Been there, fought that.

"What seems to be the problem?"

The man squirms, clearing his throat.

"Uh–Addison here," he gets his bearing on that, accusingly Addison.

"Assaulted a student and a teacher. Both had severe injuries."

I c**k a brow. "What for?"

"Excuse me? There was no—"

So he's gonna lie.

"Addison, what for?"

He shrugged. "Called my Momma a w***e. Then the dumb teacher did same thing so I hit him too."

My blood boils, but I rein my temper in.

"Is this true?"

I know it's true. I just wanna see if he's gonna lie to face like I think he will.

"W-Well,"

"Where is the student? And the teacher? Did my son assault them so badly they had to be escorted off the premises?"

The slug is grappling for an excuse finding none.

"Were you there?"

"No, but—"

"Then bring in the kid, and the teacher, so they can tell me what happened. You calling my son a liar with no proof just pisses me off,"

Sweating bullets, he gets up and does what I tell him. Like the p***y he is.

It's quiet, just the two of us.

"I believe you," I blurt. I just... Want to do what my father never did.

I've been here so many times before, with no one to advocate for me, who cared about me.

I'm not the best father, but he's young, and I can fix that.

"I've been here. They're gonna to lie on you, but don't get mad. Don't lash at them, okay?"

He nods dubiously.

This is a chance to prove to him that I can be there for him. Every time I'm there for him, is a step closer to being better for him. For Layla.

Then it hits me.

Layla.

Oh, s**t. I'm gonna have to tell her, or else she's find out and be pissed that I didn't tell her.

First thing first...

A man, who I'm assuming is the teacher, limps in the room, followed by a bloodied boy.

I can't help it, I'm proud.

The receptionist sets too foldable chairs for them. Slug sits down emphatically.

"Mr. Hubert, please tell Mr. Kane what transpired,"

No you don't, Slug.

"The child was assaulted first. The teacher wouldn't know what transpired before then, so accuracy's sake, the boy needs to tell what happened."

Slug starts sweating again, a horrible tell.

The boy, who looks scared glances around.

"Uh–We were playing at recess and Addison and Ellie were playing Married at the treeline,"

My head snaps to Addison who pointedly ignores my gaze.

"And some boys started talking about him."

"What were they saying?" I demand.

I know.

"They...they were calling him a bastard,"

I clench my teeth and tell him to go on.

“The other boys wanted throw rocks at him, cause he wouldn't listen, but I repeated what my dad told me, and they didn't get a chance."

The kid is clever, leaving out important and incriminating details.

"What did your dad tell you?"

The boy starts quivering like he gonna erupt or some weird s**t like that.

"He-He said that that Addison was a bastard and...and..."

Addison bristles. I give him long look.

"And?" I demand.

"Andhismommaisawhore."

"Say that slower for us English speakers kid."

"He said his Momma was a whore."

Addison's fist clench at very phrase, and it occurs to me once more, that this is my fault.

"Then?"

"Then he turned around, and pushed me real hard, and he told me to take it back. But I didn't. So I said it again, and he was all like yeah? I said yeah."

He looks might proud of that; I don't think I've ever had the urge to hit a kid in my adult life this bad.

"And then he jerked me up, and punched m'face. Then he kicked my stomach in like a football," his little feet violent reenact this.

I try not to laugh.

"So I ran to Mr. Hubert and he came out."

"Mr. Hubert, what happened from there?"

"I approached him calmly, and asked why he hit Eaton. He told me it was because of what he said. He then attacked me—"

My poor son is glaring death rays in his head.

Just like his Momma on that.

"Really?"

Mr. Hubert blanches as if not expecting me to question his account.

"Yes—"

"There wasn't anything you said in between you approaching him and him 'attacking' you?"

He doesn't answer.

"The whole class was there, if your memory is faulty? Young kids rarely forget these type of things."

"I-I...I said that he couldn't hit people for stating their opinions."

Gutless lying piece of s**t.

"I don't believe you,"

"Excuse me!" He looks so appalled.

"I don't believe you at all. Frankly, your insulting my intelligence by lying to my face. Addison what did he say?"

"He said that I couldn't hit him if he the said was true. Then, because I'm nice, I asked if he was calling my Momma a w***e even though I know he was,"

He takes a deep breath before started.

"He said if it's true, which means, yes. So I kicked him the balls, waited to his face was in front of me, I punched his monkey face, and when he fell down I kicked his gut," Addison smiles proudly, as if recalling that moment.

"Now that makes sense," I nod. "You antagonized him, assuming he wouldn't hit you, and he did. So what the disciple procedure for this? Because so, far, you've wasted a good hour of my time."

Slug's beady eyes dart left and right like the answer will appear on the walls.

"Usually it's a suspension—"

Layla would kill me.

"I'll take him home early today, he will return tomorrow. I'll see to it that he's disciplined for what he did wrong."

Nodding at Addison to get his stuff I stand, anxious to get out of here.

"You would do well to watch what the people in your school, faulty , students or otherwise say about my child's mother. He is also my son. And his mother means the world to me,"

"Get it done. Or I'll get you fired."

Wordlessly, I leave.

The drive home was tense. One thing nagged me though.

"I'm gonna fix this. I'm sorry, it is my fault that it's happening. I will put to an end to it. I promise."

My son glances up from the picture he was drawing, catching in eye in the rearview.

"I thought you were gonna punish me,"

I grin. "I said I was going to punish you for what you did wrong. You didn't anything wrong. You defended your Mother. Something I should've done."

He doesn't say anything, but I catch a small lift of his lips and I know he hears me.

"What's this about playing Married? How does one go about playing Married?"

"Ellie is my wife," he states nonchalantly, "I love her. We have doll together."

We get the house, where I ask him to tell me more about this 'Ellie'.

Apparently, he loves to talk her.

"I didn't want Finly to have that name. I wanted Sarah, but Elle told me that she's the mother and she's gets the last say," he -shrugs, still coloring whatever he was working on.

"So that was that. Ellie always has the last say, and the last cookie, but she does kiss me, so that's okay."

Why does a six year old have better relationship with his baby mother than I do?

"She kisses you? Aren't you scared of cooties or something?"

I was deathly afraid of cooties when I was his age. I wouldn't even share a snack with a girl. It was too dangerous.

"No," he states matter factly, shading in something vigorously.

"Ellie told me it wasn't real, and that if I wanted her to be my wife I couldn't believe in silly stuff like that."

I just can't grasp it.

How? Why? Six!

"Does your Mother know about your...Marriage?"

He snorts.

"Of course, Dad. She was at the wedding!"

I don't even question it, too busy beaming to ask about when where, and how this ceremony happened.

Dad.

I grin. He'll most likely be back to father tomorrow, if he's anything like me.

I missed my my son's wedding, the birth(buying?) of his first child, never even met his wife, all of this despite the fact he's six.

But still.

Dad.

"Of course. Why would she miss the wedding?"