Unsteady (COMPLETED)

FIVE

Now - Carmella

A sense of impending doom has set in my stomach and hasn't left since I exited that truck at nine this morning. I don't know if it was the kiss, or his words, but something just doesn't feel right. I find myself fidgeting with pens and bouncing my legs nervously at my desk. And my phone has been glued to me all day.

It's the strangest thing. I just know something is going to happen today and it's killing me inside. Warning bells keep going off in my head and my brain is screaming at me that something is wrong.

And as if to yell in my face 'I told you so', my phone begins to ring with the familiar tune set for Tyler's school.

"Carmella speaking," I answer after clicking accept.

"Mrs Travers? Hi, it's Mr Nichols. I'm afraid we have a situation here that needs dealing with."

I look at the time and see it's three and Mike should be there, picking up Tyler. "Did he forget again? Look, I'm sorry Mr Nichols. He's so stressed at work that-"

"No, no. That's not it." He interrupts my rambling and lies. "Mr Travers is here and ready to pick up Tyler. The problem is he is...what's the word I am looking for...intoxicated."

I pause for a second, letting the elderly Principal's words set in. "You mean he's drunk?" I ask quietly. I'm surprised he even heard me.

"I'm afraid so. We can't let Tyler go with him...in his condition and it's caused quite an uproar. It's best you get here quickly."

"I will be there as soon as I can. Thank you for calling me." I reply before hanging up the phone. I quickly close up my desk and walk over to my supervisor to tell her the situation.

"Karen, I am so sorry but there is a situation with Tyler and-"

"Say no more, Carmella. Go." She says with a smile.

"Thank you so much," I say before bolting out of the building.

The walk to the school would be fifteen minutes, on a good day. Today, however, I managed to get there in seven. As soon as I walked onto the property, I could hear the nonsense ramblings spewing from my husband's mouth.

"He's my son! You are holding him hostage!" He yells - his words slurring together, almost making them unintelligible. Luckily for me, I have heard him like this many, many times throughout my life and can understand him clearly.

"Michael?" I call out to him and he turns his head slowly in my direction. He stumbles a little as he walks towards me, placing a hand on my left shoulder.

"Ella? Love, they won't give me our son. I got here on time like you told me. I remembered! See! I got here, but they won't give him to me. They are keeping him away from me." He turns, his face getting angry. "Give me back my son, you bastards!"

"Michael, that's enough," I say firmly, trying to make my hands stop shaking. "You're drunk. They couldn't give you Tyler like this. You aren't fit-"

"Not fit? Not fit? I am capable of taking care of our son, Ella." He spits, literally, into my face.

I wipe away the saliva that runs down my chin before responding. "No, you really aren't, Michael. Go get in the truck...the passenger seat. I will be there in a minute." I order.

"Fucking woman." He mutters under his breath as he turns and stumbles towards the truck that's parked in the wheelchair parking.

Shaking my head, I walk towards Mr Nichols and his secretary, Miss Meyers.

"I am so sorry about that. He's not usually like that this early in the day." I apologize.

"Mrs Travers," Mr Nichols starts. "I know this isn't my place to say anything, but that man doesn't deserve a woman like you. I've known you since I took on this school when you were thirteen. What's that - sixteen years ago now? I know how amazing of a woman you are and how good of a mom you are.

"But that, that there I can't just let go. Him being late or forgetting to pick up Tyler is one thing. But him being completely inebriated is another." He pauses, giving me a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry to have to do this, but I am going to have to report this."

I take in a shaky breath and bring my hand to my mouth to hold back my sob. "Please, please don't do that. They will take him away from me. I promise you that this won't happen again. I promise you that I will be the one to pick him up from now on. Please, Mr Nichols. Don't do this. Please." I beg.

He sighs. "I wish I could, but I can't let this one slide. I'm sorry." He turns and opens the door to the school, revealing an embarrassed and rather upset Tyler who instantly runs into my arms when he sees me.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper into his hair as I hold him tightly in my arms. "I'm so, so sorry. That will never happen again. You have my word."

Tyler pulls away from me and looks up into my eyes. Taking one of his long, thin fingers, he wipes away the tears that have fallen from my eyes. "It's not your fault, mom." He says with an understanding that is beyond his years. "But you know that it will happen again. Don't make promises you can't keep."