Almost Easy

Of course, Sydney was ecstatic when she saw Bumblebee sitting outside the school. She jumped from my arms and ran down, hugging the door. I rolled my eyes and unlocked the door for her from my key ring. Gotta love the clickers! Sydney hopped into the car and buckled her seatbelt. Wow, school actually taught her something, cause she sure as hell didn't learn that from me or Jimmy. I got in the car and started it up, revving the engine a bit for her. Sydney smiled and clapped her hands happily. I pressed a button on the radio and the Bumblebee song from the soundtrack came blaring from the speakers. "Mommy! Bumblebee said hi!" She gasped in surprise. I just nodded my head and turned it down as we started to drive back home. I was still wondering how Jimmy and Phoenix were holding up. Hopefully Jimmy hadn't let him off too easy. He had a real problem with that. "Mommy?" Sydney asked softly.

"Yes, Sydney?" She sighed and placed her hands in her lap.

"Mommy, Am I in big trouble?" I smiled slyly and nodded my head. "So you're gonna ground me?!" She asked, a bit too happy to be getting grounded. I shook my head no. "What?! I dyed Phoenix's hair red and blue! Why don't I get punished for it? Mrs. St. Margaret"

"Is a crack head." I interrupted. "You won't have to worry about her ever again. You'll never have to listen to her again either. Mommy is going to put you into public school. You'll get to wear whatever you want, not be punished for doing something to your brother and you can have fun there!" Sydney looked out the back window to where the private school was slowly shrinking into the distance.

"You mean, I won't ever see my friends again?" She asked sadly. I smiled sympathetically and shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm not sure baby. I promise that we'll try though, ok?" She nodded and sat back down in her seat. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. What had I done? Jimmy adored these kids going to that school. He paid a lot for them to get in. He was going to be so mad

"So mom, What is my punishment?" I smiled lightly and placed my free hand on her thigh.

"You my dear, are going to sharing a room with your brother until you two can learn to get along." Her little jaw dropped. "And that's not all!" I said in a talk-show host voice. "Along with sharing a room with Phoenix, You'll be restricted from going into your room until further notice!" Sydney huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. I smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Guess you'll think clearer next time you decide to dye your brother's hair." She ignored me, which I knew she would do. I stayed content with my punishment all the way home. Oh joy, this should be fun for Phoenix. I pulled up to our house and saw that Jordan's Red and Black Mini Coop was next to Jimmy's truck. I rolled my eyes and pulled up next to it.

"Aunt Jordan!" Sydney screamed. She hopped out of the car and ran into the house. I took my time by locking up the car and then walking in. Jordan stood behind Phoenix who was on one of the bar stools in front of her. Sydney had clung to Jordan's legs, making her wobble a bit. Her blue eyes shot to me desperately.

"Raychel! Welcome home my dear wife." I smiled and went up to kiss her cheek. She was about a good 5 inches or so taller than me, so I had to stand up on my tip-toes to reach her. Luckily, she was nice and bent down a bit. "Do you mind taking this dear child off my legs while I have scissors in my hands?" I pried Sydney off her and held her on my hip.

"Why do I not like the picture of my son in front of my wife while she has a pair of scissors in her hands?" Jordan laughed and shrugged.

"Aunt Jordan says that Sydney used a permanent dye that she got from her shop the other day. She says that the only way my hair will ever be it's normal color again is if we cut it all off." I put Sydney down and took the scissors from Jordan.

"Are you nuts?! No way am I letting you cut his hair!" Jordan sighed and placed her hands on her hips.

"Why not? I've been doing it ever since he was little. I'm the only one who cuts his hair." I shook my head no and put the scissors down.

"But mom, If I don't fix my hair then they'll never let me back in school." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers.

"Mommy told Mrs. St. Margaret that she's putting us in public school." I heard Sydney say from down the hall. I turned my head to see Jimmy walking out of hallway, holding Sydney with Brian right behind them. Jimmy's eyes were focused on mine intently. I could tell he was pissed off.

"Raychel, Can I talk to you for a minute?" I shrugged and looked down at my hands.

"I dunno, Can you?" I said, correcting his grammar. He groaned and put Sydney down. She quickly ran over to Brian who picked her up. He walked over to the couch and they both hid behind it. Wish I could've hid

"Raychel. Now." He demanded. I sighed and nodded my head, following Jimmy up to our bedroom. Once I was in, he slammed the door shut. I sat on the bed, still looking down at my hands. Jimmy paced in front of me a couple times and I just watched him. He finally stopped and got down on his knees in front of me. He rubbed up and down my thighs gently before looking up into my eyes. "I love you. You know that right?" I nodded my head. "And you love me, Right?"

"With all my heart Jimmy." He nodded and stood back up, pacing again.

"Then why do you do this to me?" He asked, not looking at me.

"Do what?" He stopped and stared into my eyes deeply, rage pouring out of them.

"Don't play stupid with me! You took them out of the private school." I nodded my head. "Why would you go and do something as stupid as that?!" I stood up, trying to face off against him.

"Because Jimmy, they hate it there! I hate it there! I don't see why you put them in that prison in the first place! We never went to Private school, We were fine in public school! Why the fuck would you do that to them?" I yelled. He sighed and shook his head. "Hell! You were the guy who loved to beat up those private school preps! So why did you want to turn your kids into one of them?"

"You want them to turn out like us? Getting into trouble with drugs and alcohol, having sex everyday, being a smartass with an attitude problem?!" I stood back, astonished. This is what he really thought of me? He could tell that what he said came out wrong. He sighed and stepped towards me, his hands out. "Raychel, I didn't mean it like that."

"Of course you did. If you didn't then you wouldn't have said it. You don't want our kids to be a fuck up like me!" He shook his head no. "Yes you do! You don't want them to do what I did when I was in school!" Jimmy shook his head no again and came towards me with open arms. I shook my head no and stepped away from him. "No Jimmy! You don't get it! I've changed from what I was back then. I married you when I got pregnant with Phoenix. I had to take care of him. Then I had to take care of him AND Sydney when she was born. I had to do all of this by myself while you went out on tour. For fuck sakes Jimmy, You weren't there for the birth's of your children! Do you think that spoiling them the way you do is gonna change that?!" He groaned and nodded his head.

"Yes! I honestly think it will, Alright? Is that what you wanted to hear Raychel? Did you want me to tell you how horrible a father I am to my own kids? Fine! I'm the worst father in the world, I don't deserve you and frankly I don't give a fuck anymore! So there Raychel, I hope that your fan-fucking-tactically happy." I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room. I knew this fight wasn't anywhere close to being done, but I needed to get away. I stormed down the stairs where Brian, Jordan, Phoenix, And Sydney all stared at me with wide eyes. I grabbed my car keys to my Aston Martin and opened the door. Right when I did, Zacky was walking up the stairs. At first he smiled happily at me, until he saw the angry tears threatening to spill from my eyes. He quickly turned concerned and tried to stop me.

"Zacky, I would let me go If I was you." He shook his head no.

"Not until you tell me everything that's wrong." I laughed lightly and shook my head before looking deep into his eyes again.

"Life, Zacky. Life is what's wrong." With that, I left him on the stairs. I got into my car and drove off to nowhere.