Niki

“What time is the game?” I holler to Gavin, who is prepping his famous hot wings for the football party at Spotlight today.

“It’s at one, but plan on getting there early so I can kick your ass at some foosball.” He makes some kind of motion with his hands. I’m sure it was code for you’re going down, but with the flour on his nose and sauce on his shirt, he looked kind of ridiculous.

“Well, I may be late. I got some new Christmas decorations for the classroom, and I want to go put them out before the kids come back on Monday.” I stuff the last of the candy canes in the bag.

“Do you need some help to make it go faster?”

“Nah, I think I can get in and get it done in no time. I already had some of the kids help me take down the old. I just need to replace it.” I begin to carry the tote and couple bags out to the car.

Peeking my head back in, I yell, “I’m leaving now. See you in a couple hours.”

“Wait up!” Gavin comes jogging to the door, hands covered in breading. “Kiss me!”

“Just one.” I tease.

Usually, one turns into two and then into three, and before you know it, we are stripped naked, fucking like rabbits wherever we can.

He holds up one finger. “Promise.”

Leaning over I fall into his embrace, his kiss worth every second.

“I had my fingers crossed.”

“Yeah, you did. Now, I’m running behind.”

“But the question…was I worth it?” he teases.

“Gav, you are always worth it.”

Pulling up to the school, I see that Todd, the janitor, is still here. “Hey Todd! Have a good Thanksgiving?”

“Sure did. Ate a little too much.” He pats his belly. “What are you doing here on a Sunday?”

“I’m going to put up a few Christmas decorations to surprise the kids on Monday.” I hold up the tote of stuff.

“They’ll like that.” He nods while pushing his cart to the next room over. “Your classroom is unlocked. Just cleaned it.”

“Thanks, Todd,” I call, pushing through the door.

Setting everything down on my desk, I get organized, laying out what goes where and after a couple hours, I have everything hung up and put away. I’m done.

Scanning the room, admiring my work, I take a picture to show Gavin later.

Digging my phone from my bag, I dial his number while trying to balance the door and tote at the same time.

As I stand, waiting for it to ring, the door swings open, knocking my cell out of my hand and under a desk.

Well, shit!

I drop the tote and bend down to pick up my phone, which looks like it has a busted face.

Great! Just great!

I’m about to pick it up when a black high heel sends it flying.

“What the fuck?” I quickly hop up.

“Is that how you talk to our children, Miss Niki?

Monica Wells, Tucker’s mom, is standing there looking pissed, blocking the doorway.

“What can I help you with, Mrs. Wells?” I try to say in my friendly ‘Hi! I’m a teacher’ voice, but quite frankly, her showing up here on a Sunday, during a fall vacation, is freaking me the hell out.

“It’s Miss Wells. I’m not married…not yet anyways.”

“Well, what can I help you with? If it has to do with Tucker, I can assure you that he is an amazing student who is above average in most of his lessons.”

“This isn’t just about Tucker. This is about you and Aiden Alexander.”

“Pardon me?”

“You heard me, you bitch.”

Well, this isn’t good.

“Monica, I have to say, this situation is a little unsettling.” I scan the room for anything that could be used as a weapon, but given I have a classroom full of three- to five-year-olds, all sharp objects are either banned or put up.

“You!” she seethes. “You are the one who is standing in the way of me and my happy little family.”

“I’m still not following.” My voice comes out a little higher than normal as the panic sets in.

“No wonder you teach preschool.” She shakes her head, closing the distance between us. “Not the brightest crayon in the box, are we?”

“Monica! Listen to me,” I plead. “I have no clue what you are talking about.”

“She said you would say that.” She starts to pace the room frantically, talking to herself, only turning her back for brief moments.

I try to slide out of the room when she’s not facing me, but when I do, I’m met with something more threatening than a pissed-off preschool mom.

A gun.

“Monica! What are you doing?” I ask. “This is not a place to pull out a gun. You can get in real big trouble if someone walks in right now.”

“Hahahaha! You stupid slut! Who’s going to walk in here?”

“The janitor is just two doors down. He knows I’m here.” I walk back just enough to hit the shelf causing the candy jar to come crashing to the ground. Hopefully it made enough noise to make him come check on me.

“You mean Todd? Yeah, good luck with that. It’s amazing what a man will do for a blow job in the supply closet.”

“Why?” My hope is starting to fade.

“You stole him from me.”

“Who Monica? Who did I steal from you?”

“Aiden. He was mine until you came along. Dancing your way into his heart, leaving me behind.”

So, that is what this is about. Aiden Alexander is still finding a way into my life. His issues are becoming mine.

“Monica, listen to me very closely. Aiden will never be with you.”

“You take that back! Take it back!” She brings her other hand up to secure her shaking hand, stabilizing the gun.

“He’s married, Monica,” I whisper. “He’s married.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Tears start to fall, her tough exterior breaking away.

This is my in.

“He hurt you. Didn’t he?” Trying to get closer to fight the gun away, I take a step in. “He hurt me too.” I nod. “He did…don’t you see we are both victims?” That statement has never been more true than it is right now.

“Monica…” I hold out my hand. “Give me the gun. You don’t want to do this. Please don’t do this.”

“NO! You’re lying!” She takes a step, then another, the gun now pressed against my chest.

My body begins to shake; the silent tears fall and in this moment. I know that I will never see the ones I love again. All because I fell for a man who would never be mine.

“He’s sent you flowers; he’s sent you presents—”

“Monica, he hasn’t!”

“Liar!” she screams at the top of her lungs while raising her hand. She brings the gun down on my shoulder, narrowly missing my face.

“Fuck!” My hand flies to my shoulder. “Monica, I haven’t seen Aiden in months.”

“She told me! She told me about the receipts, about the flowers and trips.”

“Who, Monica? Who told you about these things?” I beg, trying to find something, anything that will help me understand where this is coming from. Something to explain how my life is being held in crazy bitches’ hands.

“Well, well, well.” Carmen walks through the door, clapping her hands. “I have to say, this has been pretty interesting to watch.” She nods towards the cameras.

“Cee Cee, I tried to get her to confess, but you were right. She won’t own up to it.”

“Carmen! Tell her the truth. Tell her I haven’t been with your husband since L.A. when I found out myself he was married.”

“Hmmm…” Carmen taps her chin. “I’m not so sure I want to do that.” She lifts her shoulders. Thinking. Planning.

“Cee Cee, tell me what to do. How can I get Aiden back?” Monica turns to Carmen, the gun following with her.

I should lunge for it, fight to get it away, but now it’s two against one, and if I want to make it out of here, I have to play their game.

“Monica, you stupid little girl. The gun!” Carmen, shaking her head, walks over to Monica and places both hands on the gun so it’s now pointed at Carmen.

Thank God!

“Carmen, be careful, please.”

Both of them turn to look at me. One crazed, the other amused, both laughing hysterically.

“What the fuck?”

Carmen, her hands covering Monica’s, directs the gun back at me. “You see my dear, the trouble is you were different, and Monica has a problem with that.”

Looking between the two, I have no idea who to address. Who to talk down from this situation.

“Monica, can’t you see that we both were played? That he used us, made us believe that we were special.”

“I am special!” she shouts back.

“He doesn’t care about you. He only cares about himself and his precious pharmaceutical company.”

“Carmen, is that true?”

Rolling her head back, Carmen snaps, “Oh, for fuck’s sake! We had a deal, Monica!”

“What deal?” I ask.

“I-I-I don’t know, Cee Cee. I think she is telling the truth.” Monica is talking some sense now.

“Get your shit together, Monica. We had a deal. I will let you have Aiden, but I get the boy.”

The boy?

“Tucker? Why would you get Tucker?”

“He’s Aiden’s, Niki,” Monica confesses. “And he loves his Aunt Cee Cee. If it wasn’t for her, I would have never been able to keep him. I would have had to abort him like Aiden wanted, and I didn’t want to do that.”

“Shut up! You stupid whore!” Carmen yells. “You are telling her too much.”

“She just wants the truth,” Monica pleads.

Taking the gun from Monica, she points it at me. “Do I have to do everything myself?”

“Carrrrrmen! No!” Aiden comes barreling through the door.

He tackles her to the ground. “Noooooo!” I jump out of the way as Aiden goes flying with Carmen in his arms.

Screams and cries echo throughout the room, and a single gunshot rings in my ears.

It all happens so fast, I’m not sure where to look.

“Niki? Oh my God…are you okay?” Gavin comes running toward me, picking me up in his arms. Two policemen follow him in, yelling for him to stay back.

“I heard everything…I thought something happened to you.” He buries his face in my neck, breathing in my scent.

“How?”

“You called me. I heard the whole thing, and once I figured out you were in danger, I called the police.”

He sets me down, hands roaming, making sure I’m unharmed.

“Gavin…”

“Shhh…it’s going to be okay.” I’m back in his arms. His whispered words are the only ones I need to hear in a sea of madness.

“I thought I would never see you again.” I begin to cry, letting the emotions of what happened weigh me down. This would have never happened if I wouldn’t have been so careless. If I wouldn’t have been blinded by temptation.

“Never going to happen.” He puts his arm around me, shielding me from the accident.

“Who?” I ask, not sure I want to know the answer.

“Your student’s mother.”

“Is she dead?” I keep looking forward, letting Gavin guide the way.

“I’m not sure.” He shakes his head.

“Where’s Carmen?” He looks over his shoulder as we walk out the door.

“She’s in handcuffs.”

“Really?” A smile splays across my face. Her being bound and helpless is something I must see. Turning around, I yell, “Checkmate, bitch!” I flip the bird as we walk out the door.

A detective stops us. “Ma’am, I’m afraid we need to ask you some questions.”

“Can’t she come in tomorrow?” Gavin tries to make a deal. “I have the whole conversation recorded from her phone call. I’ll forward it to you, now, if I can take her home tonight.”

The detective turns his attention on me. “I need you to come down first thing in the morning. Do not stop…don’t pass go. Straight to the station, you hear me?”

“What about coffee?”

“We have coffee at the station.”

“Hot coffee as in, McDonald’s burn-your-lap-lawsuit-hot coffee?” I reply with a straight face. Serious as hell.

“If it’s not, we have a microwave.”

“Deal.” I reach out to shake his hand.

“Deal.”

“Kid, let’s get out of here.” Gavin wraps his arm around me, pulling me in. The only place I have ever needed to be.

“Niki! Wait…” Aiden is at a squad car, answering questions.

“Excuse me?” Gavin swings around. “You fucking asshole. I should have—”

“Gavin, no! He’s not worth it.” I reach for his hand, pulling him back to me.

“Niki! For what it’s worth, I loved you.” Aiden stands there, hands in pockets…alone and unhappy. His eyes make a silent plea to believe him, and honestly, I do.

Love divided. The decision should be easy, and it is.

“Gavin, let’s go home.”