Blended Family

Pippa

I got home from my trip the next day and immediately went to Elliott's room. I'd had time to calm down about the whole incident but I was still pissed. If there was one thing I hope I'd instilled in my son it was honesty. To find out he was cheating felt like I'd failed at parenting.

He was laying on his bed, earbuds in. Elliott saw me and sat up, taking out his buds.

"Mom..." he started.

"I don't want to hear it right now," I told him. "Cheating? Have you not listened to anything I've ever taught you?"

"Mom, it was just a one-time thing," he explained, standing up. "You don't have to worry about me cheating on the SATs or anything."

"Well that's comforting to know," I said, crossing my arms. "What was going through your head?"

He sighed, looking down. "I just really wanted to play," he said. "I've been working so hard and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get a B-."

"You were almost there," I countered. "You'd brought your grade up to a C+. If you'd just worked a little longer..."

"I had to get my grade up in time to play!" he reminded me.

"Well, now you won't be able to play for much longer," I told him. "If you play at all."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I'm thinking of pulling you off the team altogether," I told him, knowing it would kill him.

"Mom, no!" he protested. "Basketball is, like, the only thing keeping me sane right now."

"It seems like you can't handle the responsibility," I countered.

"Mom, I swear," his tone was desperate. "It won't happen again. I promise you."

"Make sure it doesn't," I told him sternly. "If you slip up any more, you're done with the team. Don't try me."

"Yes, ma'am," he said quietly. I opened his door and walked out, going out to the living room where Lin was finishing up a phone call. He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead as I went to the fridge for lunch. A few minutes later he finished up his call and sighed.

"Flight okay?" he asked me.

"Fine," I told him, still amped up from talking to Elliott.

"You okay?" he asked, sensing my intensity.

"I can't can't believe Elliott sometimes," I told him, shaking my head as I found ingredients for a sandwich. "He has much better sense than that."

"I know," he agreed. "Joey too. Did you just talk to him?"

"Yes," I said. "I threatened to take him off the team if he fouled up any more."

Lin nodded, his arms crossed. "I was meaning to talk to you," he said. "What do you think about Elliott staying at his dad's for a while?"

I glanced at him, surprised. "As punishment?"

"Well, for both kids," he said. "If they're using their relationship to cheat then maybe they should be apart for a while."

I sighed, thinking. Steven wasn't known for his parenting. If I sent him there as a consequence I don't know how well a grounding would be enforced.

"Steven will let him do what he wants," I told Lin.

"Well, he might not be as strict, but it would keep the kids apart more," he said. "Just an idea. We don't have to."

"Let me think about it," I told him and he nodded. He walked over to me and kissed my temple, then wrapped his arms around me.