Right With Me - Stacey Lewis Page 0,12

karma is proving just what a bitch she can sometimes be.

Tabitha is in the hall with Ben and Evie, paying more attention to whatever is on her phone screen than what Evie is telling her about her new teacher. That’s probably a good thing because if Tabitha knew Hailey was the teacher, she’d probably explode. Tabitha blames Hailey for being the reason I finally decided I was done with her shit and called the bluff of her taking my kids to California if I left.

She’s not altogether wrong. Meeting Hailey was what finally made me grow a pair and tell her I was done. I knew there was no way Hailey would get involved with me if I was still married and I never would’ve asked her to do that either.

I reach the three of them just as the door to Hailey’s classroom shuts, the sound probably not as loud in reality as it sounds in my head considering there are still kids running up and down the halls and parents discussing their children with the teachers who will be spending all day with them this year.

Personally, I’m grateful Hailey shut the door because if she hadn’t, Tabitha might have decided to go in and try to intimidate her the way she always has Ben’s teachers in the past. If she had her way, Ben would be the mini version of her entitled asshole brother, and that’ll happen over my damn dead body.

It’s the beginning of Tabitha’s week with the kids, and I’m eager to get the handoff over with so I can go find Hailey and convince her to let me explain.

Evie instantly transfers her attention from her mom to me as soon as I’m within reach, and as much as I’d like to ignore her mother, I try not to be a total dick when they’re around. Not that it stops her.

“Mitchell.”

Tabitha sneers my name like I’ve done something terrible to her, and I know it’s a way to get me to react. I refuse to give her the fight she’s looking to start and just nod my head in acknowledgment before turning my attention to Ben.

“What did you think of your teachers, Ben?”

He looks down at his shoes and shrugs. This is the big downside to the divorce. At thirteen, Ben blames me for his mom being the way she is and she does everything she can to stoke his anger. Unless I want to tell him what a bitch his mom truly is, I’m stuck bearing the brunt of his unhappiness, and unlike Tabitha, I’m not putting either of my kids in the middle of our issues. They were there for way too long already.

Knowing it’s pointless to try to get him to say more, I turn my attention to Evie and hug her since I know she’ll accept it gladly. At least one of my kids still wants to be around me. “Have fun with your mom this week. I love you.” Having our “week” start on Wednesday is a pain in the ass sometimes, but at least we both get equal time with the kids.

My shoulders tense when Tabitha sighs. Before she speaks I know she’s about to piss me off and disappoint the kids.

“Actually,” she starts, sounding like I’m the one changing things at the last minute instead of her. “I need you to keep the kids until Friday.”

I love the way she says it like it’s no big deal. She doesn’t bother to ask if she’s inconveniencing me because she doesn’t give a shit if she is or not, she never has. Plus, she knows I won’t refuse because she’ll make it out like I don’t want Ben and Evie around and that’s the opposite of the truth.

“Fine.” Part of me wants to ask why, but I know that’s what she wants so I refrain. She watches me for a few minutes, eyes narrowing when I don't rise to the bait and I can tell it’s killing her that I’m not asking questions.

Telling them goodbye and leaving without looking back is something she’s able to do so easily. I don’t understand it, but I don’t have time right now to think about it either. Now that I have them for an extra two days, I need to get them home and figure out what to feed them.

I keep trying to get Ben to talk about his teachers and the classes he’s taking in seventh grade, but all I get from him on