CHAPTER 2
...
It was already 1:45. She was going to be late to pick up the kids. She obviously spent a little too long in the shower.
She turned on her phone as she picked up her bag. She usually turns it off when she goes to the gym or has a spa day. There was 7 missed calls and a text from Ryan. She almost scoffed at her phone. Why was he trying to reach her all of a sudden?
Well it didn't matter now. Amelia would deal with Ryan later. Right now, ice cream day is in danger; she's running late.
She rushed out of her apartment to the elevator at the end of the hall that led to the garage. Her Buick really needed a wash but it'll be after she gets her kids.
She got in and sped out into the busy street.
...
"What do you mean someone already picked them?"
Amelia was filled with righteous fury. Someone else had picked her kids from school and she didn't know who.
"It was a man in a nice suit, really nice SUV too. He said he was their father and they confirmed it too."
RYAN, Amelia thought. At this point she was inclined to grab the teacher by the scruff of her neck.
"So that's it huh? Anyone in a nice car can walk in here and take any kid he wants... Like this is an orphanage or something?"
"Ma'am you're making a scene. Please calm down."
She was indeed making a scene outside the Middle school. People were staring.
" calm down. Are you serious?"
Just then the principal came running in. She was a pretty lean woman that was probably older than she looked, well refined and posh but Amelia wasn't having any of it. Not today at least. She didn't even let the principal speak.
" If anything happens to my kids, I can assure you I'll make much more than a scene. I'll sue you all into oblivion."
With that she stormed out back to her car and called up her ex husband.
Before long she was driving off to the ice cream parlor 6 blocks away.
Through the windows, she could see them; Joey and June were halfway through their ice cream sundae and Danny's spoon was on the floor and the ice cream was all over his face.
The sight calmed her really quickly and she almost forgot exactly why she was angry. Thankfully she didn't, since the cause of the anger was sitting across from her kids in a nice brown pin striped suit.
She walked into the ice cream parlor quite gracefully as the kids ran to her.
"Mummy"
"Daddy is joining us for ice cream day again."
"Yeah he is, isn't he?"
Amelia looked over at Ryan with a bit of fire in her eyes. Ryan stared back all calm and resolute with a bit of a smile on his lips. His light brown eyes and blonde hair were as captivating as ever.
"Uhmm kids, mummy needs to talk to daddy outside for a minute. Just finish your ice cream and when we get back I'd get you all another."
The kids squealed in unison in approval as Amelia stepped out of the parlor. Ryan followed.
Immediately they rounded the corner out of the sight of the kids, Amelia let loose.
" You have no right to go pick up the kids without informing me. You have no right. The world doesn't revolve around you Ryan. This isn't the girls that flock around you, this isn't the press, this isn't your business. These are kids, our kids and you can't go on doing anything you like with them without my express permission..."
Amelia kept ranting and letting off steam while Ryan was still, hands in his pocket and mostly expressionless the whole time. He just stood there and stared at her with the same little smile on his face he had.
" Aren't u gonna say something, anything? Or has your head been inflated too much to allow for speech?"
"What day is it Amelia?"
"What?", the question took her aback for a bit but didn't help her anger.
"I asked what day it is?"
"What has that got to do with anything?"
"It's Friday, 19th June and as per our agreement, I'm sure you remember, the kids are supposed to spend the weekend with me."
The anger took a couple steps back in Amelia's chest.
"Still, you have no right to get them without informing me or reaching out in any way..."
"I thought I'd meet up with you at the school since you don't pick my calls or reply my texts. But then you were late. I called you seven times and sent you a text, you didn't call back or reply, no surprise there. The kids were hungry so I got them ice cream."
At this point, the anger in Amelia's chest had lost all it's fuel but the soft smile Ryan kept wielding unnerved her and kept her just a little bit agitated.
She stormed off back into the ice cream parlor and ordered for another round of ice cream sundaes for the kids before she sat with them.
Ryan came back in after her.
"Would dad keep joining us for ice cream day now?"
Joey's question threw Amelia off a bit. She just smiled in response.
"They have pistachio, is that still your favorite? It may help with your... Mood."
Ryan's banter did not help either.
...
The kids hopped into the back of Ryan's SUV as the parents talked outside.
"If it were upto me you won't be taking them anywhere with you."
"Yeah but it isn't up to you now, is it?"
Ryan had lost the little smile on his lips at this point.
"Do not get them involved with your parties and your fan girls or the brewery or the media nor the illegal activities you seem to have been..."
"Enough Amelia!" The air around the two of them immediately changed. Ryan wasn't harsh, did not shout but was firm.
"I do not care what exactly you think of me but I'm sure you know that I'm not an idiot. I know how to take care of MY kids, alright? They are my kids too. Stop acting like you're the only one concerned about their welfare."
With that he went around the SUV to the driver's seat. Amelia just stood there, her conscience a bit prickled.
" You know, you can come with us for the weekend. It's supposed to be fun."
Amelia turned her face away from him in response. He heaved a sigh and put on his sunglasses. He raised the tinted windows of the passenger seat and joined the eastbound traffic.
Amelia stood there and watched the black SUV disappear from sight.
She heaved her sigh and started to try to recall where she parked her car.