6. Kiley
CHAPTER SIX
KILEY
Iwatch the last set of parents walk out of my classroom, and once the door shuts behind them, I slowly release the breath I was holding.
The last two days have been parent/teacher conferences, and while I love meeting the parents of my new students, it’s mentally and physically exhausting.
I sink lower in my chair, close my eyes and throw my head back.
I just need a couple of minutes to decompress before I pack up my stuff and head home.
I’m in the middle of doing some breathing exercises when I hear my door open. I quickly lift myself up in case it’s my principal checking in on me, and sag in relief when I see Audrey and Lyra, another third-grade teacher, strolling in.
“Get that pretty booty up and let’s go get a drink for surviving parent/teacher conferences,” Audrey exclaims as they walk up to my desk.
“Can’t, gals. I have to go relieve Keegan of Zander duty so he can go work at the bar.”
“Boo.” Lyra gives me a thumbs down with an adorable pout. “You made sure you have Zander covered for my bachelorette party weekend, right?”
Lyra is getting married next month, and her bachelorette party is in a few weeks. She decided she wanted to have it in St. Louis, so we’ll fly out after work on a Friday and come back that Sunday evening. I’m excited to have a girls’ weekend with zero mom responsibilities.
“Yes, my mom is taking Zander and watching him the whole weekend. Trust me when I say, I’m probably more excited than you are.
” I haven’t had a weekend to myself since before Zander was born.
Not because I don’t have anyone—my parents always offer to take him so I can have alone time.
I’ve just not had the desire to be alone. I like hanging out with my kid.
“You better start preparing your liver now, because you will not be sober the entire weekend,” Audrey declares while Lyra claps in agreement.
“That’s a little extreme.” I have no desire to get plastered, because I know recovery will suck and wipe me out for when I do return to mom duty.
That doesn’t mean I can’t have a nice little buzz going though.
“Someone has to make rational decisions and keep the bride from getting molested by strange men.”
“Good point,” Lyra agrees. “Because I definitely won’t be sober.”
“Don’t you want to remember some of your bachelorette weekend?” I ask in curiosity because I know I would. The whole concept of getting so drunk that you can’t remember your whereabouts, who you’re with and what is going on, makes zero sense to me. I want to remember every experience I’m a part of.
“Nope, we’re not doing that,” Audrey chimes in, shaking her head and wagging her finger. “We are not giving our bride-to-be a guilt trip for getting black out drunk.”
“I’m not trying to give anyone a guilt trip. It’s a legitimate question.”
“One she’s not answering.” Audrey grabs Lyra’s elbow and starts dragging her to the door. “C’mon, Lyra. Don’t listen to the party pooper over there.”
“I do want to remember, Kiley,” Lyra answers while being pulled out the door. “Cut me off after six.” I hear her say before the door closes.
I shake my head in amusement. I’m assuming she means six drinks and not cutting her off at six p.m. because we probably won’t even be at dinner by then. “I would be blackout drunk by six drinks,” I mutter while stuffing folders into my tote bag so I can get the heck out of here.
Those girls can get rip-roaring drunk for all I care. I have no problem enjoying a few cocktails while also being the responsible one of the group. With that determined, I grab my bag, turn off the lights and lock my classroom door.
The only good thing about leaving school this late at night means there’s no traffic and I make it home within fifteen minutes. Zander is watching TV, his hair wet from his shower. He runs up to greet me, holding a stuffed animal I don’t recall buying for him.
“Mommy, look what I got!” He shoves the toy at me, and I hold it up for further inspection. It’s a black bird wearing a Chicago Phoenixes jersey. “I also got this.” He holds up a kid-size plastic hockey stick and starts banging it on the floor.
“Zander, stop. You’re going to break it,” my brother tells him as he comes out of his room. He grabs his keys off the dining room table and turns to me. “Leftover spaghetti is in the fridge for you. Zander is ready for bed. I’ve got to go.”
“Who gave him this?” I show him the stuffed animal, holding it with two fingers as if it’s the dirtiest thing in the world despite it being brand new.
“Jax dropped off a bag full of Chicago Phoenixes kid stuff for Zander and t-shirts for our whole staff yesterday.” He turns around and heads to the door. “I’ve got to go; I’ll see you tomorrow.”
My eyes narrow on his back. “How does he know about Zander?”
Keegan stops in his tracks and turns around to talk to me. “I don’t know, but it didn’t come from me. Maybe Dad finally caved and told him.”
“Where’s the bag? I want you to take all this stuff with you and give it back to him the next time you see him.” I look around for a bag, but before I can even move, Zander swipes the stuffie out of my hands.
“No, Mommy!” He runs into his room and slams the door.
“What’s wrong with you?” Keegan asks, looking at me as if I’ve grown two heads. “They’re gifts for Zander, and it was pretty cool of Jax to bring them.”
I put my purse down on the table and sigh in frustration. “I don’t want any gifts from that man. Don’t you think it’s weird that he’s suddenly giving out gifts?”
“No, Kiley, I don’t think it’s weird for a famous hockey player to give out his team merch to a kid of someone he feels close to.”
I rear back at that. “I’m not close to him!”
“Not you. Dad! He’s close to Dad, and Zander is Dad’s only grandchild.”
I roll my eyes. “C’mon, Keegan. He’s not that close to Dad.”
“Who do you think helped Jax when he was going through his public breakup?” My shocked expression must’ve answered his question.
“Yeah, it was our father. Every time Jax would get drunk at the bar, Dad would make sure he would get home safely if the players didn’t.
When Jax would come in looking all down and defeated, Dad was the one who would talk to him and give him advice.
They talk outside of the bar, you know?”
This is all news to me. “Dad never said anything.”
“Of course Dad isn’t going to say anything. You know how he feels about gossiping.”
Yes, our father is very good at keeping secrets and not talking about other people’s personal life. Sometimes it’s quite annoying when I want to hear some bar gossip and he won’t give me any. “Still, I don’t want him giving Zander anything. He doesn’t need it.”
He tilts his head and gives me a questioning look. “What’s your beef with Jax? He’s always been nice to you and everyone else at the bar. You’re always so rude to him when he comes in.”
I walk closer to him, just in case Zander is eavesdropping on our conversation. “He takes advantage of Dad’s generosity.”
“How so?”
Now it’s my turn to look at my brother as if he’s crazy because he knows damn well those players don’t pay for anything. “By never paying when he’s at the bar.”
“That’s not true, Kiley. First off, it’s not the players’ fault Dad refuses to take money from them.
All he asks is that they keep coming back and bringing their friends, which they do.
Secondly, most of them—including Jax — leave huge tips that would not only cover their tab but would also leave our staff over twenty percent extra, sometimes even more.
Jax gave a hundred-dollar bill to Gina last week, and he only had one drink.
Told her to keep the change. I know for a fact that he does that all the time, so your argument that he pays for nothing holds no truth. ”
I swallow my astonishment and try to come up with another reason. “Well, good, I’m glad to hear this, but it doesn’t excuse his behavior of being the Casanova of O’Shea’s Pub.”
Keegan narrows his eyes at me. “Who cares? Obviously not the women who agree to go home with him. He’s a single man and can do whatever he wants.”
I cross my arms over my chest, and I tilt my chin up. “It’s disgusting.”
He scoffs. “You sound like a jealous ex-girlfriend.” He stops and blinks at me. “Wait a minute, are you jealous?”
I drop my arms and wrinkle my nose. “Eww, hell no.”
He gives me a skeptical look. “Not sure if I believe you.” He then thinks for a moment. “You guys kind of would make sense, both being single parents and all.”
I roll my eyes. “That isn’t a reason to date someone.”
“Sure it is. It’s a great reason. But seriously, Ki, stopping acting like a—”he glances at Zander’s door before lowering his voice. “—a bitch to Jax. He’s done nothing wrong.”
I gasp, and my blood immediately simmers. He knows I can’t stand when people, especially men, call women a bitch for no good reason other than they aren’t kissing their assess or agreeing with them.
Keegan holds up his hands in his defense. “I didn’t say you are one, but that you act like one. Only to Jax, to everyone else you are just mildly rude.”
“Go to work, Keegan,” I tell him coldly and spin on my heel, not even bothering to respond to his ridiculous comment.
“You know I’m right. You aren’t the kind of girl who gives off the warm fuzzies, and that’s okay! I still love you despite your cold heart.” I run to the couch, grab a throw pillow and chuck it at the door, but he’s already gone.
“Ugh!” I growl out in frustration. Even as an adult, Keegan is annoying and knows how to push my buttons.
I tilt my head back and look up at the ceiling, mentally telling myself to calm down.
I give myself a minute before I walk over to the front door to lock it, pick up the throw pillow and place it back on the couch. Now it’s time to talk to Zander.
I knock on his door before entering and I find him already in bed, playing with his new stuffed animal. He hugs it to his chest while watching me walk to him.
“Why do I have to give up my new toy, Mommy?”
I sit down on the edge of his bed and give him a reassuring smile.
“You don’t have to, buddy. You get to keep it.
Mommy is just tired and not making good decisions.
” When Zander acts out due to being tired, we talk about making good and bad decisions and agree that most of the time when we are tired, we tend to make bad decisions.
“I’m sorry for being so grumpy. Do you forgive me? ”
He nods and sits up to give me a hug. “You’ve been grumpy a lot lately,” he mumbles, his face plastered into my chest.
I close my eyes and sigh. He’s right, I have been.
This has been an exhausting week, and it’s only Tuesday.
I still have to work at the bar for the next three nights.
Regardless of how tired I am, my dislike for Jax shouldn’t affect Zander.
Even though I hate to admit it, Keegan’s right.
Jax’s personal life is none of my business.
I shouldn’t treat him poorly just because I don’t agree with his lifestyle.
It does make me feel better knowing he leaves large tips to cover his costs.
I owe him an apology for how I handled myself the last time I saw him.
I pull out of my hug with Zander and look him in the eye. “You’re right, I have been grumpy, and I’m sorry. I will work on not being so grumpy. Deal?” I put my hand out for him to shake so he knows I’m being serious.
He looks at it and then smiles. “Deal,” he says and shakes my hand.
I glance at my watch and notice it’s now way past his bedtime. “We don’t have time for a story tonight, buddy.”
“Will you lie with me and Birdie, Mommy?” He gives me those dang puppy dog eyes that I have a hard time saying no to.
“Sure, but only until you fall asleep. Mommy still needs to eat her dinner.” I get up to shut off his main light and then crawl under the covers with him. He tucks his new stuffie underneath his left arm and grabs my hand with his right.
I close my eyes, and before I know it, I’m fast asleep.