Stellaride Forever

Grief

For days, Kelly wore himself thin, grieving his father and trying to plan his funeral. During this time, he became agitated and picked arguments with everyone, especially his wife.

Stella thought it would end after the funeral, so she hung in there and just let it go. But a week had gone by since the funeral and he was no easier to live with. She decided that, one more fight, and she was out.

"Mom, am I done being grounded now? I've been back in school for four days now and I haven't been in trouble since." Mason told Stella as he helped her cook dinner on a Thursday night.

"Oh, yeah, sorry honey. We've been busy, yeah, you're not grounded anymore." She told him, stirring a pot of spaghetti.

"Okay, cool, so do I get my phone back now? I've done everything you guys have asked me, including cleaning the gutters with a toothbrush, like Dad said."

Stella sighed. Besides herself, Mason had also taken the brunt of Kelly's grief-induced rage. "I'll talk to him later and get your phone back."

"I need this permission slip signed and $10 by tomorrow for a field trip to the zoo. Oh, and a brown bag lunch tomorrow." Caleb said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Can I go with Sophia to a Cubs game next week? The tickets are only $30." Liv asked, following Caleb into the kitchen.

"Uh, sure, you can go, Liv. Just be careful." Stella said as the door slammed and Kelly stomped into the kitchen.

"Kel, where've you been?" Stella asked him as he stood against the kitchen table.

"Out." He said bitterly.

"Will you give Mason back his phone now? He's been back in school almost a week."

"I'll give it back when I want to. I took it, I decide when to return it." He said, voice raising in frustration.

"God, you sound like a child. In case you forgot, I'm also his parent and I say he can have it back."

"Know what? I can live without it." Mason said, trying to diffuse the oncoming fight.

"See? He's fine. He doesn't need it back right now." 

"Hey! I am his mother! I said he gets it back, now give it back to him." Stella said, her voice gone cold.

"I said no!"

"You know what? I get that you're struggling and don't know how to get through this, but you don't need to take it out on me or the kids!"

"Don't even go there!"

"Go where? The truth?"

"We aren't doing this right now!"

"Fine!" Stella said, turning off the stove and dumping the pot of pasta down the drain. "When you get your act together, then we'll talk. I'm leaving until then."

"Not if I go first." He spat before leaving and slamming the door.

Stella, believing he would be back and the kids wouldn't be left all alone, left as well, getting in her car and going to Matt and Gabby's house.

Mason looked at his siblings and saw Liv looking annoyed and scared while Caleb looked on the verge of tears.

"They'll be back, it's okay. Here, Buck, gimme that permission slip." He said, taking it from his little brother and forging his father's signature before giving it back with a ten dollar bill from his wallet. "I'll make you a lunch in the morning, have fun on your field trip and don't worry about Mom and Dad. They always work things out after a fight, you both know that. Now, who wants to order a pizza?"