Short Stories

My Ex Still controls My Body

I waited in my car for my son to come out of school. I checked the time and it's getting late because I had to go back to the office after dropping him off at home. I sighed and climbed out of my car. I looked left and right but my son was nowhere to be seen. I walked up to a nearby group of kids, talking and laughing. I asked them about Jacob.

Everyone looked at me, then I told them I was Jacob's mom and came to pick him up. One of the kids pointed at the school. "I saw him with Coach Johnson."

I asked. "Inside, where exactly?"

The kid responded. "In his office."

I smiled and nodded. I was supposed to meet Jacob's coach but didn't find time as my husband mostly picks up Jacob from school. I entered the school and asked around about the office of Coach Johnson.

My son is really fond of his coach. Jacob told me he has helped him a lot to hone his skills in football and he was going to be on the list for selecting a new captain for the team. I had no idea, while navigating through the school corridor, what I was about to walk into.

I had no idea everything was starting to crumble in my life and, most importantly, my peace. When I reached the office, I knocked on the door. When I heard the permission, I opened the door with a smile on my face. The moment my eyes met Cooch Johnson, my smile vanished and was replaced with agony in my face.

My son was sitting across from his favorite coach and his ideal coach was my toxic ex. My painful flashbacks started to run through my mind. I can't believe I ran into my past like this. My son was sitting in a way where he was facing the coach and the coach's face was towards me.

The time seemed still and he was also looking at me with his rigid face. I was wondering if he knew Jacob was my son. I was afraid he would ruin my son's happiness because of me. My son didn't know anything about his coach's cruel nature. My son had no idea how much his coach could be indifferent when he wanted to.

I cleared my throat and called my son. "Jacob."

My ex squinted and Jacob turned around. While standing up. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

My ex stood up and asked Jacob, pointing at me. "Is she your mom?"

Jacob nodded and looked at me. I blew my nose. "I am getting late for my office and I waited for you but you didn't come out so I had to come in to take you home."

I was talking to my son but he kept looking at my toxic ex. My son was in the middle of introducing his coach to me but I walked up to him and grabbed his arm. My son was shocked but I walked out of the office and stopped in front of my car. Jacob protested but I furiously pointed him to sit in a car.

I knew from the looks on my ex's face that he was still remembering that I had secretly married my husband while I was still in a relationship with him, so despite the fact that my son was surprised by my action, I had no choice. I tried to end things between us, but we always ended up sweating in his bed. While we were lying in our sweaty puddle, he would make a promise to change, and then after two days, he would go back to being his normal self, which was a narcissist. I did not have the courage to tell him that I wanted to end things with him because he had bad temper issues and also because he was so manipulative.

When we were on our way home, my son looked at me and asked. "Why did you do that?"

I didn't respond, then he again asked by calling my name. "Mom, why did you do that? You need to explain your actions."

I was quiet because I had no strength to answer my son because I was worried about the upcoming storm. I know my ex won't sit quietly and spare my son and me. I will go to every limit to ruin my life and my peace.