Son of a Rambler.

Chapter 1.

 I let out a loud sigh before taking a drag of the cigarette, "I've really gotta go in there and talk to them, eh?" I ask my mom and she chuckles, inhaling the nicotine from her own dart.

Nodding, she blows the smoke out, "It's part of being a dad, you know. Your dad hated it, but he still came around for those parent teacher meetings to check up on you, and to make sure you're not being a punk." She gives me a smirk and tosses her cigarette to the ground, stomping on it with her heel, "Ready, kiddo?"

We walk into the large brick school and head down the hallway to the kindergarten room. I keep my eyes on the door of Abel's classroom, doing my best to ignore the glares and widened eyes from the parents around me. Gemma takes the door and opens it, stepping into the colorful and chaotic classroom.

I see a few women sitting down at the tables, talking to parents one-on-one. I chuckle, "This seems so wonderful." I tease my mom and she gives me a playful shove before signalling to the main desk.

"You better claim your spot before someone comes along and takes it." She grins and takes a seat at the large wooden desk. I look around at the parents, a mixture of fear, hatred and shock in their eyes. Mom looks around before staring up at me, "Doesn't look like you'll have that issue, eh?"

I shake my head and take a seat, relaxing into the wooden chair and crossing my leg over the other, "Where is this chi-"

"Holy mother of god, Al Trager!" Gemma exclaims as she stands up and gives the familiar woman a tight squeeze, "What are you doing here? Does Tig know you're in town?"

I follow Gemma's lead and stand up, walking over to the light auburn hair woman and giving her a hug, "Good seeing ya', Al." I kiss her cheek and she gives me a grin.

"I knew this day was coming," she lets out a laugh and I raise my eyebrow, watching her walk over to the other side of the desk and taking a seat, "I'm temping over here for the rest of the year, maybe more. Abel's teacher, Ms. Green is on mat leave, so I got asked to come over and take her place until she returns."

Al and I had this forbidden love for each other back in high-school, and Tig always told me, 'You touch my daughter and I'll remove the only thing you love from your body.'. Truthfully, she's out of my league and always has been. I knew better than to come along and screw with her, especially then when the only thing she thought about was school. You wouldn't think that she was Tig's daughter.

I can't help but stare at the auburn-haired woman. The only thing that resembled Tig was her eyes, and how her hair was naturally a curly disaster. Right now, it's curled, but with an iron. Gemma looks at the woman, "So, Tig doesn't know?"

Al just shrugged, "I've only been here for a few weeks... I didn't want to say anything until my contract was confirmed." Gemma gives her a 'bullshit' look and the teacher sighs, "Fine. I don't want the parents of my students to relate me to my dad. God knows what he's been doing, and I don't want my reputation ruined because he wants to run around and sling drugs and guns."

Surprised by her remark, I feel a small sting in my heart, is she embarrassed by what we do? Al shakes her head and pulls a file out from her desk, slapping it on the desk. "I love my dad more than anything, and I wish I was here when Dawn passed... I just, I had my own stuff going on and didn't talk to dad about it because he had his own stuff going on with her and all." She gives the both of us a reassuring, warm smile, "I'm proud of my roots, but I've worked too hard to get here to have it ripped from under me."

Gemma just nods before reaching for Al's hands and taking them in her own, "I get it, sweetheart. Just, maybe you should let your dad know soon. I'm sure he would love to see his little girl."