#10 :: Brotherhood

27. Ethan

It was the last week of school and I couldn't have been happier. I had a holiday away with my sons and I really couldn't wait. I had Aaron's wedding which I was looking forward to. As well as that I was looking forward to spending time with Michaela.

We had agreed to go out a few times over the holidays. She still says it's just friends and that she just enjoys my company but I know she's just saying that because she's stuck in her ways.

"Bye bye da da!" Elijah said.

"Bye son."

"Bye daddy..." Zaria said seductively.

I laugh.

"Bye Zee." I said.

Yeah I know I know. But hey, it's easier to sleep with Zee than to sleep with someone else who will want and expect more. Zee knows that things will never be what they used to be and she respects that. But we all have needs.

On the way to work I did my usual and called my mum.

"Hello son."

"Hey mum. I'm coming after work for some dinner."

"Who said I'm cooking?"

"Whilst you have that spoilt sister of mine living with you; you'll always cook." I said.

She kissed her teeth.

"So the holidays are coming up, will you be having the boys?"

"You know I will. We're even going on holiday."

"Oh really? So where was my invite?"

"No women allowed! Even Zaria offered to come. I'm able to take care of my boys on my own."

"Zaria?"

Uh oh.

"Yes mum..."

"Why would she offer to come? You lot ain't together no more."

"I know mum, but she helps out. Unlike the other two!"

"She helps out because she still wants to be with you."

"Not this again mum."

"Yes. Again. You still sleeping with her?"

"MUM!!"

"Don't mum me nothing, I gave birth to you I can ask you whatever I want!"

"I'm not answering mum."

"No need, if you wasn't you would have said no. You don't have no sense do you?"

"Argh mum, please. Let's talk about something else."

"No! Another thing, there's no food here for you. Now get off my phone!" My mum said before hanging up.

I laughed.

Typical mum!

My mum didn't particularly like any of my sons mothers. She just put up with them because of her grandsons. She loved Tamara because that was the girl I brought home and she was very respectful. My mum even stopped talking to me when I left Tamara. She hated Whitney just like I did. She liked Zaria then when she cheated; mum lost respect for her.

Truth be told she never cheated. Well she did but not at the time everyone thinks she did. She was raped. By her ex. But I had warned her. I said that he doesn't seem right. But you see Zaria, she has a good heart. She likes to see the good in people. He had no family and apparently her and her family was all he had. When she finally told him that she wasn't going to be able to be there for him like he wanted he got angry and raped her. She never told me straight away. When she was pregnant she was so upset and sad. Whenever I asked her she would say she's fine. Until one day I caught her crying. It was then she said she was crying because she wasn't sure if it was my baby or not. I was absolutely shocked. She made me believe this until she gave birth. When she gave birth and found out it was mine she cried tears of joy. She then said that she was happy the baby was mine and not a product of her rapist ex. That grabbed my attention simply because I had always said this man never seemed sane. She then told me. She admitted sleeping with him once before when we had just started dating and that he made her feel like he owned her.

I was angry, but as I said. Around those times I knew something wasn't right I just chose to ignore it. When she told me everything. I did feel bad for her, but I couldn't trust her. She begged me not to tell anyone that she was raped and she would rather be looked at as a cheating whore than a rape victim. So that's the story we stuck to. Seeing as she had me think that for the majority of her pregnancy it wasn't hard.

But this is why it's hard for me to ever look at her the same. Not because she got raped. But she lied and she did actually cheat at the beginning. It's a very complicated relationship we have.

Those thoughts never lasted long as I had arrived at school and was happy to put my personal life on hold for the moment.

"Hey Mr Francis!!" A female voice shouted.

"Miss Norris..." I said smiling as I turned around.

"How did you know it was me?" She said when she caught up with me.

"How could I not know my favourite girls voice."

"Favourite girl?" She questioned.

"Yeah."

"Oh whatever." She laughed. "Rock climbing race today. You ready to lose?"

"Lose? I never lose."

"Oh you will today."

"Nuh uh. I never lose. Everything I do I win, everything I want, I get." I said just before we went our separate ways.

"Bye Mr Francis." She said as she walked off.

I smirked as I went into my classroom...