The Struggle •Unedited•

Chapter 5

"Dad?", a small voice spoke out from what seemed to be in front of me.

I began to come to my senses and my eyes opened slowly. There stood my son looking at me with red tinted eyes. He's been crying. I sat up from my slouched state and rubbed the back of my neck. Fuck, I knew I shouldn't have slept like this.

"What's the matter, kiddo?"

Mason climbed onto the couch and sat his tiny body next to my full grown one. I snaked an arm around him and nudged him towards me. I wanted to show him that I wasn't angry anymore. It worked. His blue eyes looked up at me.

"Is Kelsey going to be my new mom?"

His question took me by surprise. What in the world? I looked at my pride and joy who still gazed at me and waited for me to give him an answer.

My head shook, "What? Mas, why would you even ask?"

The slightly panicked expression that was plastered on his small facial features relaxed and his miniature arms wrapped around my lower torso. With all the strength he had, he gave me a tight hug.

"I - I dunno."

Okay, something was up. My kid is terrified of this woman and I don't know why. Digging my phone out of my sweats, and with the press of a small button, my screen flashed on it's lock screen. The time read 7:58 p.m. and I had one unread text message from an unrecognizable number.

**Louis? It's Elisabeth. Is this the right number?**

Oh shit! I had forgotten that I have given the journalist my number. Mason still clung to my side and I wiggled my arm from under his body weight and began to type my reply.

**Yeah. It's Louis.**

Not even a minute passing, the phone violently vibrated with a new message.

**Just checking. I've been given a few "wrong" numbers a few times before. Ha. Well, I'll see you soon! xx (:**

A few times? So this girl has been stood up times before?? Harsh. She's nice and friendly - clumsy, yes - but she isn't horrible. Plus, she's even quite fit.

"Do I have to go to school tomorrow?", Mason asked half wittedly.

His dumb question made me chuckle slightly. "Of course! Why would you even ask?"

The pouty expression he had plastered on his face showed that he was being serious.

"Kelsey won't pick me up, right?"

Again, with the Kelsey thing. I'm starting to get worried. That was my original plan, but maybe if I could get Niall to cover the rest of my shift , I can go pick him up myself. Even if I don't get the chance to find someone, I will still make every effort to go and pick him up. The last thing I want is for my child to be scared. Of what? Who knows, but it worries me that he's so afraid of our friendly neighbor.

I look back down at him with assurance. "No. I'll be sure to pick you up myself."

He nuzzled his face deeper into my white t-shirt and his embrace got tighter. I will find out what is wrong with him and soon. He's really starting to worry me.

The next day, I dropped Mason off at school and went straight to my regular shift at the store. Thankfully, my car was working and didn't give me any type of problems. When I stepped inside the shop, I found Niall and the manager exchanging conversation. Unfortunately, he stuck us in the back taking the monthly inventory and had an extra hand out in front taking charge of the register. A couple of hours passed by and Niall was sitting on the middle step of a ladder with a clipboard on his lap, while I stood on another a few feet away from him as I counted what we had in stock.