I Get A Kick Out of You

Chapter 56

Cassie walked into the school in front of Ben, Joel and Cynthia, already ready to bring down a scorched Earth upon this school and the administration. She set up a meeting with the Superintendent, Principal Gardner, Coach Richter, and invited Joel, Ben and Cynthia to tag along.

Ethan had told Joel once they got back and, as Cassie expected, he supported his son. Ethan had endless support from everyone he has told so far and Cassie could tell it's been some of the biggest weight off of his shoulders. He's allowed Cassie to take some of that weight onto her own so she can solve whatever problem he may have.

She's about to kill three birds with one stone.

The receptionist led them all into the classroom where they were to have their meeting. Since there were so many people, they had to borrow a history classroom that was vacant for the period. Cassie walked in with complete confidence, creating an uneasiness between all of the authoritative figures.

They knew exactly how she could be, but had no idea why this was happening in the first place.

"Mrs. Cumberbatch," the Superintendent greeted, extending her hand. Cassie ignored it, as well as Principal Gardner's and Coach Richter's. "Let's skip the formalities, shall we?" She said. "I'm here about my son and it is quite a serious matter that I would like to get into."

They all nodded awkwardly and sat down, but she remained standing. Ben couldn't help the look of pride on his face. He noticed Joel couldn't help it, either.

"I am well aware, as are you, of Ethan's troubles this school year," she started. "I also hope you are aware that a student had posted something on social media, outing my son as gay." The group shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the Superintendent said, "We are aware of the situation and are monitoring it closely. We're doing our best to have it taken down."

Cassie shrugged as she asked, "Why? The entire school knows now. No thanks to you, Coach Richter." He looked up at her with confusion in his eyes. She continued, "You told my son not to tell anyone, including myself, because he would lose his scholarship and that I would be disappointed."

Both the Superintendent and Principal Gardner looked to Coach Richter in shock. "Adam, is this true?" The Superintendent asked. Coach Richter defended himself by saying, "I was just looking after my player! There's no way he would have gotten that scholarship if he was open about it!"

"What about the fact that I would be disappointed?" Cassie asked. He was silent on that note. "Mrs. Cumberbatch, everyone," she looked to the rest of her posse behind her, "I was completely unaware of this matter, as was Principal Gardner. I assure you, this is going to be dealt with immediately."

Cassie nodded as she said, "Good. Now, onto the matter of Ethan's scholarship. I want you to personally talk to the school and get it back. Ethan did not start these fights, he was a victim of many hate crimes." That word got the Superintendent and Gardner to perk up and start defending the school's "honor code".

"Yeah, I don't give a fuck," Cassie said, making both of them stop talking. "Ethan said he started them, so of course those boys went with it. You cannot prove that Ethan started them, can you? Especially after he revokes it? He has been targeted by his teammates for being gay."

"You cannot prove that," Gardner quickly defended. Cassie smiled as she said, "No, but I have a feeling one person in this room can." She looked to Richter. He hated her. Even before this, he couldn't stand her. He didn't like that she knew more about the game, was a very involved parent and he especially didn't like her for this.

The Superintendent and Gardner turned to face Richter. "Do you know anything, Adam?" The Superintendent asked. "Now is not the time to protect your players. Your job is already on the line." Richter glared at Cassie.

"Fine," he said, "every fight I've seen, Ethan's never started it. Happy?" That's when Joel stood up and said, "You son of a bitch! You let my son take the fall for those assholes?" Richter said, "Hey, I can't survive without those assholes! Our team would be done if it weren't for them!"

Joel continued, "Ethan is the best on the team!" Cassie shushed Joel and he immediately went silent. Cynthia pulled him back down to his chair. "This," Cassie said to Richter, "could be a major lawsuit. Not just for him, by the way."

The Superintendent crossed her arms and asked, "On what grounds?" Ben stood up and fixed his blazer. "Well, my client has been instructed to take the blame for numerous hate crimes from a staff member you hired. We can also argue that the investigations were not thoroughly executed by Principal Gardner here. This is a very serious matter that I would have great pleasure in pursuing. Would get myself quite famous in the process. The press loves to eat up a good story about a teenager who's been discriminated by his school. Florida State would have no problem giving his scholarship back then because they're smart. So, this can be done the easy way...or you can go down the path of no return. Which will it be?"

After the meeting, the four of them went out to get some celebratory brunch. Cassie never thought she'd be sitting down at a table with her ex-husband, her current husband and her ex-husband's wife. However, this was a special occasion and something to celebrate.

"Hey, Ben," Joel said, raising his glass to him, "thank you. Truly, I mean it." Ben clinked his mimosa with Joel's water, then took a sip. "It's my pleasure, Joel. Ethan may not be my biological son, but he is like a son to me. I can't stand to see him go through this, especially without some sort of repercussion."

Cassie hugged his arm and kissed his shoulder. In return, he kissed her head, and then her lips. Thankfully, things weren't as awkward as they used to be between the four of them. Yes, there were still some scars to be mended, but overall it was fine now.

About an hour into brunch, Cynthia reminded Joel that their son had a half day today, so they had to go pick him up. Joel left a substantial amount of money on the table to cover the check. Ben had the waitress take it, but then start a new tab so he and Cassie could keep drinking their three dollar mimosas.

"You're my hero, you know that?' Cassie asked, now five three dollar mimosas deep. Ben was on his third, but feeling the champagne course through him. "Oh yeah?" He asked. "How's that?" He finished his mimosa and asked their passing waitress for another one.

"You're just...goddammit, you've saved me so many times. I mean not just me, but Ethan as well. Seeing you stand up for him like that today, caring for him like you have since New York, it's not only turned me on, but it's made me so happy and so proud to be your wife."

Ben blinked back his tears as he told her, "Wow, um...really, Cass, I don't know what to say to that. I wake up every morning thankful to have you both in my life. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but here I am getting drunk at eleven thirty in the morning with my amazing wife and she's telling me I'm her hero? God, it doesn't get any better than that. I would do anything to keep you feeling this way, to keep you loving me. Doing this for Ethan is the least I could possibly ever do. I love you, I love him, I love our whole damn family. I mean, do I question if Brooks is mine on occasion? Yes."

That got Cassie to bust up laughing. "You and me both," she giggled. "He's just such an opposite character compared to Ethan, Cill, and Maddison!" Ben gasped as he told her, "Thank you! Honestly, did he get switched at the hospital? Bloody hell, that boy has convinced me there isn't a God."

"He's the reason I don't want anymore kids," Cassie admitted, her giggles taking over. Ben, who had just gotten his new mimosa, spit out his first sip from laughing so hard.