Boys.

FIVE

TERRI POV

If I wasn't so determined to get out of Chicago and to become a doctor then I would be done with this school stuff. Been going at this for years and I still ain't done yet with about seven more years to go.

Studying for this Microbiology course I'm taking tomorrow is draining my energy. It was only eight and my mom wasn't back from work, probably doing God knows what as always. I've suspected that she's been with this new guy.

Sometimes when I come home from work or school, she's on the phone laughing it up until she sees me and goes into her room. One time—I've stopped checking since then—I went to her door and it was locked. She ain't ever locked her door before so it was a definite red flag for me.

I wasn't gonna go too much into that cause I needed to focus on potentially passing this.

This study guide Mrs. Winters gave us wasn't anything like before. This was a pretty big unit but it shouldn't have affected the format of our usual study guides too much. Usually, she'd have some things mapped out for us so we could get along in our reading and so we have something to expand on, but it's all blank now.

I have to fill in everything by myself and it didn't help that I missed a lecture because of a doctor's appointment either.

I sighed, flipping a page in my binder before my phone started to ring, knocking me out of my daze.

"Hello," I answered, putting my phone in between my cheek and shoulder.

"Teresa?", I heard my dad as I coughed caught off guard before adjusting my phone in my hand again.

"Hey Dad, I thought you've been working on a case? I didn't think you'd have time to call."

"I've always got time for my pumpkin, where's your mama?", I didn't hesitate or else he'd know something's wrong and just said at work even though that may not be the case. He doesn't like how Mom isn't around especially since he knows her usual schedule. Dad always found time to spend with me, didn't even matter if he had the hardest case at his firm that needed his utmost attention.

Dad always said the best way to keep a good relationship with your child is to be in the know at all times and just have fun with them. Gain a trusting relationship as a parent and still be the fun parent. And that he was even though he's almost 2000 miles away in Arizona.

He hated how Mom didn't spend enough time with me. Even though he basically hated her now since they got divorced when I was just ten, he wants me to have something with her. Even after she messed everything up, he wants her in my life.

I don't want anything to do with her but I'd do it for my dad only. Otherwise, I would've run away right back to my actual home.

"Have you been good Dad—and I'm not just talking about work," I said softly as he sighed, before a dinging noise shot through my phone. I accepted the video chat and saw as he smiled widely at me.

"I ain't talking till I see a pretty smile on that face," he raised an eyebrow as I rolled my eyes showing off my teeth.

"Now spill pops, what's going on with you?"

"Well I've been getting some help from a rehabilitation center for the past week or so and it's been recommended that I lay down work for a little bit. I managed to convince the boss to let me take some vacation time so I'll just be focusing on myself. Imma get better pumpkin, for you."

"You gotta do it for yourself too."

"Yeah, but you give me more reason to fix myself up. I want my baby girl home with me, you know, so I can see her face every day, these calls don't do it. I see you working on something," I held up my sheets so he could read them as he winced.