To Have, To Hold, and To Leave: A Bryce Hall FanFiction «completed»

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We pulled into the driveway, and Isaiah looked at me before he opened his door. "Some kids were talking about you at school today."
"What?"
"Everyone heard the podcast, Mom. Is it true?" he asked. He looked scared, almost anxious even. 
I shook my head. "Not all of it is true, honey. There's some truth to it, but a lot of it is just stretched. You shouldn't have to worry about that. I'm gonna get it all figured out, okay?" I assured him, rubbing his arm as I unbuckled my seatbelt. "I promise that I'll get it all figured out."

We went inside, and Bryce was making dinner. "Hey, babe," I greeted him, standing on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "They convinced you to make tacos, huh?" 
He nodded. "You know that I can't say no to their cute little faces. It's like saying no to you. It's just so hard."
I laughed at him, putting my purse up onto the counter. "Are you implying that all of our children look like me?" 
"All I'm saying is that they definitely didn't get their looks from me," he joked. "Kids! Dinner's almost ready! Wash your hands, okay?" 

Isaiah left the kitchen, and I pulled myself up on the counter, sighing. "You'll never fucking guess what Isaiah said to me when he got in the car, not to mention what he said when he got out."
"What did he say when he got in the car?" Bryce asked absentmindedly as he finished cutting up taco toppings. 
"I asked him how school was, and he advocated for dropping out again."
"Is that what he wants?" he replied. 
"Okay. You are either not listening, or you have lost your mind. Our thirteen-year-old son is not dropping out of middle school. Don't even give me the 'Josh didn't graduate' speech because I've already heard it twice," I argued. 
"Sorry, if I'm being honest, I wasn't really listening. He said that he wants to drop out? What a disaster. He knows that he can't do that, right?" Bryce replied, looking up from the pan and turning to face me. 
"Oh, he's very, very aware that he is not, under any fucking circumstances, allowed to drop out. Ask him how school was at dinner. See if he has the balls to tell you the same damn thing. I swear, ever since his birthday, I have completely lost all of his respect."
"Alright, guys! To the table! Now!" he yelled. 

We sat down at the table, and Bryce looked at me before he spoke. "Why don't we go around the table and talk about how everyone's days were, huh? Evie, how was your day?"
"Good with Uncle Jaden," she said. I caressed her cheek gently. 
"How about you, Owen?" Bryce asked, taking a bite out of his taco. 
Owen shrugged. "It was fine. I made a really cool painting at school today. I can't wait to bring it home and show you guys," he said. 
"Very cool. I can't wait to see it, bud. Annalisa?" 
It was her turn to shrug. "I got an A-plus on my spelling pre-test today. My teacher said that she's going to give me harder words."
"Attagirl! Your mom and I are so proud of you," Bryce congratulated her. "Isaiah, how was school for you today?" 

Isaiah looked back and forth between the two of us as he tried to figure out whether or not this was a trap. "It was school. I told Mom that I didn't want to go."
"School's important. You need to get your high school diploma. There aren't a whole lot of things that you can do without one," Bryce told him. 
"Uncle Josh didn't graduate high school, and he's doing just fine," Isaiah argued. 
"Oh, enough!" I yelled, tired of hearing the excuse for the third time. "You keep arguing, and I'm so over it. School is important. I know that you hate it, but you cannot keep arguing this with us."
"I can't keep arguing this? That's all anyone in this damn family ever does!" Isaiah screamed at me. 
"Watch your language!" Bryce interjected. 

"Way to go, Zay," Annalisa muttered. 
"Oh, shut up!" he yelled, standing up and turning to face her now.
"Alright, enough!" Bryce yelled, slamming his hands against the table. Sit down, and shut up! We're going to have this conversation, but you need to calm down first."
Isaiah slammed himself down into his chair. "What?"
"What's the big deal about school? You used to love going to school," Bryce began, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. 
"Everyone talks about you guys!"

Bryce and I shared a look, and I clapped my hands together. "Hey, guys. If you guys are done, then you can go ahead and put your plates in the sink. Mommy and Daddy need to talk to Isaiah for a minute."
The other three kids left the table, and I looked at Bryce again before I spoke. "What do you mean when you say that everyone talks about us?" 
"All of their parents know who you guys are."
Bryce shook his head. "What do they, uh, say?" 
"They've been talking about you guys since everything started. When you guys were going to get divorced. They all had something to say when you said that you were pregnant with Everleigh. None of my friends will even talk to me anymore! Why should I even go to school still? That's a waste of my time! I'm not learning anything anyway!"
"Babe, I, um, it's all going to be okay. I promise," I tried to assure him. 

He chuckled wryly, shaking his head. "You've got to be kidding me, Mom. Cade has this new podcast, article thing, and now everyone's really losing their minds. I'm never, ever going to escape it. Sometimes, I just wish that I had a normal mom! God, I hate you!" he screamed, standing up and storming out of the room. 
None of the kids had ever told me that they hated me before. Tears filled my eyes as I looked over at Bryce. "How did I mess this all up for them? I wish that I could make this better for him."
"You cannot blame yourself. This isn't your fault. I'm gonna go talk to him, okay?" 

I had been so worried about how Cade would affect me, that I didn't even stop to consider how it would affect the kids. They don't give you an instruction manual when you have kids, but I really wished that they did.