Rocketship

Chapter Three: familiar

Nikki's POV:

"Gunner is late again." His teacher said when I dropped him off at his classroom. Well, no shit. I was holding Decker in one arm and Storm in the other while Gunner was holding onto my leg.

"It won't happen again." I said trying to un-grit my teeth. I was already tense from our crazy morning (the morning, I learned, was the hardest part of the day). Fortunately, I was being serious when I said that Gunner wouldn't be late again (Tommy had found a nanny for the kids, and she was coming by later that morning). I patted Gunner on the shoulder, "Remember buddy, the babysitter is picking you up from school today." Gunner gave me a thumbs up, then walked into his classroom.

The thought of trying to endure another morning alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

Gunner's teacher looked at me with a suspicious stare "Gunner has been tardy for the last 7 school days, Mr. Sixx... he's on academic probation." Academic probation? What did that even mean? He's in fucking kindergarten.

"Well, like I said, it won't happen again." That school was so uptight, and that teacher of his had a permanent stick up her ass.

And just as I thought the worst of the morning was over, when we got back to the house, Brandi's car was parked in the driveway. Shit.

I almost drove right past the house; I wasn't in the mood to deal with whatever drama she was trying start.

Let's get this shit-show over with.

I cautiously walked into the house carrying Decker and holding Storm's hand, but there was no sign of Brandi. "Brandi! What the fuck are you doing here?!" I yelled.

"I forgot a few things!" she yelled from our bedroom.

The moment Storm heard her mother's voice, she got excited. "Mommy?" she asked, looking up at me. God, this is going to be a train wreck.

A moment later, Brandi emerged from the hallway with a suitcase in hand. Storm ripped away from my hand and ran up to her while Decker fussed in my arms.

"My baby!" Brandi exclaimed as she picked up Storm and kissed her all over her face.

"Mama!" Decker cried out, reaching for Brandi.

Brandi turned her attention back to me. "God, you look like a mess," she scoffed. "It's hard, isn't it?" She glared at me. Brandi had always been a pro at kicking me when I was down — she always went for the below the belt hit whenever we fought.

"You've got your things - you can go now." I tried to keep my composure in front of the kids, but I was fuming.

"But my babies miss me," she sang in baby talk, then grabbed Decker from my arms — he immediately stopped crying.

"Oh so now you care about them? You left to them to teach me some kind of fucked up lesson, Brandi," I snapped in a whispering yell.

"And is it working?" she smugly asked. I didn't answer her. She took my silence as a yes, and her smirk turned wicked. "You know, we could try again, Nikki — we could be a family again."

I stared at her blankly — was she fucking serious? — She was completely delusional if she thought she had a chance at me taking her back after all the shit she tried to pull over the last two weeks.