I'm Yours (Sequel to "You're mine")

Chapter 154: You need to talk to me

Leah's POV

I was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for my family.
Cooking helped me to relax, to let go of problems, just for a bit.

I loved preparing meals, baking desserts... For T, for Emil, for Jin. Just to see them enjoy what I made, what I had put my heart into. It was amazing.

Today's dinner wouldn't be amazing. After Jin's outburst at school, I had taken him home. He had to calm down, he needed time for himself.
I also had called T. She didn't react the way I had hoped for, so I quickly hung up the phone. I expect her to complain when she'll get home.
And then there's Emil... He'll try to keep everyone happy, to keep the balance. But can we really expect him to do that?

I sighed as I looked at the time. They would be coming home soon. What was going to happen? What did T tell Emil? What about Jin?

At moments like these, I often try to imagine my characters. Especially the ones with some attitude. In my mind, I'd ask them what to do. Though their replies, unfortunately, are my thoughts.

I was taken back by the front door opening. I gulped but made no attempt to go see T and Emil. Honestly, I just didn't want to deal with everything.

I heard footsteps coming closer, I knew it was a matter of time before T would be here, complaining.

I already took everything off the stove, preparing myself for an extensive talk.

And in she came. Despite the fact I thought she'd fire words at me, she actually didn't. She simply looked at me.

I gulped once more before looking at her.

Here we were, just looking each other in the eyes. I wondered whether I should talk first. I mean, did I want to talk?

Then in came Emil. He looked at us before looking at me. "Where is Jin?"

T looked from Emil to me, clearly happy Emil asked the question.

I looked from her to Emil. "He needs to rest." I simply stated.

Emil shook his head. "Is he in his room?"

I sighed. "Tiger, Jin really needs to rest. Let's leave him be, for now"

He shook his head again. "I'm going upstairs." And he turned around, ready to go upstairs.

"No," I wanted to take him, stop him from going to Jin, but T blocked the way. "T, I need to -"

"You need to talk to me."

I sighed. I didn't have time for this. I needed to keep Jin at peace. "T, not now, I - "

"You will talk to me," She blocked my path completly by standing in the door opening. "This..." She sighed. "Today..." She seemed to be looking for the right words. She let out a breath. "It's not normal."

I gasped. "Jin was - "

"I'm not talking about Jin." She looked me dead in the eyes. Her stare was stern, not once looking away, barely blinking.

I gulped. I opened my mouth to talk but nothing came out.

She stepped closer to me. "Today I arrived at work. Heather was teasing me about my wife, who rather talks to her than me," She stepped closer. "Then I had a parent complaining about what their son had to do for homework, that lasted for nearly 30 minutes," She stepped closer. "Then I had two students who simply didn't care about basic respect towards me as they insulted me in front of the whole class," She stepped closer. "Then I got called by your school, asking me why you weren't at your job, leaving me wondering where the hell you could be," She stepped closer. "Then you call me to inform me that our son had an outburst at school, which had me thinking and worrying all day what could have caused it this time," She stepped a bit closer, standing right in front of me, her face just a few inches from mine. She let out a breath as she frowned. "And all of this happened before 10 am," She paused. "So yes, you need to talk to me."

I gulped and looked down. "When I dropped Jin off at school this morning," I shook my head, remembering the feeling I had. "I could just tell something was off. I could feel it."

T didn't say anything. She simply looked at me.

"So I decided to stay for a bit. And then some more," I looked down. "And some more..."

T took my chin, making me look at her. "You have a responsibility, you can't just wait around."

"What could I have done? I couldn't go with him to class, could I?"

She chuckled unamused. "Not Jin, Leah," She shook her head. "You're a teacher, you were expected at school, you - "

"I'm also a mom, and I - "

"So am I," She glared at me. "But I wasn't waiting around at his school for hours."

"Clearly, otherwise you would've been there for him for once!" I shouted.

She glared more. "Excuse me?!" She came closer, slowly pushing me backwards. "I'm always here for him."

I huffed. "When it's not too much trouble, yes. Otherwise it's all for me."

"It's not my fault he only talks about certain things with you and Emil."

I chuckled unamused. "Even he seems to know he can't count on you."

At this, she gulped. She looked down. She nodded slowly before walking away.

"What? You running away again?" I said, my voice raised as I walked after her.

She took her jacket and keys before walking to the door.

"Yeah, sure," I followed her. "Run away, leave us again!"

And she was gone, smashing the door on her way out.