Mr. Principal

by Summer Cooper

  “I’m going to take you to court. And you know what, Dana? I’m going to win. Look at you and look at me. I was being nice to you giving you 50/50 custody, but no more mister nice guy. You don’t deserve it. I’m not going to have you filling my daughter’s head with lies like you filled my wife’s.”

  “For the last time, I had nothing to do with Becca leaving you.” My voice was shaky. “But I don’t blame her. I wish I’d come to my senses and done the same.”

  “I wish you had too. If it weren’t for Meredith, I would easily chalk our marriage up to be the worst decision of my life.”

  My face flushed with anger and I growled, “Funny. I’m sure Becca would say the same thing about you.”

  It was his turn to turn red. He seemed ready to blow a gasket. But then Meredith peeked out the door from around me and looked up at Tom. “Daddy, what are you doing here? And why are you yelling at Mom?”

  He took a step back and composed himself. “I just missed you, sweetheart, that’s all. I just wanted to check to make sure you were okay. I’ll come get you tomorrow, okay? We’ll go to the zoo.”

  I looked down at her. “Go on back to bed. I need to speak to your father in private.”

  She looked between the two of us and then made her way back to her bedroom. I didn’t want to risk her overhearing us, so I stepped out of my drafty house in my bathrobe and faced my ex.

  “I don’t know what you think I told Becca but I assure you her decision to leave you was all hers. I’ve had nothing to do with it. Becca loves Meredith and it tore her up to make the decision to leave her.”

  Tom’s eyes narrowed. “So you did talk to her about this?”

  “Only with regards to Meredith—”

  “That’s all I needed to know. I’ll see you in court.”

  He didn’t say another word. He just walked away. My heart was racing, my palms were damp, and I was already tearing up. I took a deep breath and wiped away the tear that had escaped. I was strong. I wouldn’t let him threaten me, I told myself and then tried to muster some composure before I went back inside where I knew Meredith would be sitting eagerly waiting for me.

  I opened the door, locked it behind me and then looked into my living room. To my surprise, Meredith wasn’t there.

  She was in her room. I thought she went back to sleep, but then I could see her eyes were open and she was staring blankly at the ceiling.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Okay, if you want to talk—”

  “Is Daddy going to take me away from you because Becca left?”

  “No, honey, no,” I said, crossing over and sitting down next to her on the bed. I took her in my arms and she seemed to be shaking.

  I realized then that she was holding back tears. “Daddy is just angry. He’ll be fine. Everything will be fine, you’ll see.”

  “I don’t want him to take me away from you,” she said, her voice catching on a sob. And just like that, she started to cry, hard. Her tears ran freely, and I held her tighter and didn’t know I was crying too until my tears dampened her hair.

  I swiped at my tears and made her turn around and face me. “That’s not going to happen. Do you hear me? I’m not going to let your daddy take you away from me. I’m still going to see you every Wednesday and every other weekend.”

  She didn’t look convinced. “Daddy’s rich and powerful… we’re kind of poor and well, kind of poor—”

  It saddened me that she already knew how this world worked.

  “I’ll use every drop of money I have to be sure it never comes to that. I promise you, Meredith, your daddy will not take you away from me. Not in a million years.”

  She seemed reassured then and laid her head on my chest. I rocked her back and forth like I’d done when she was a toddler and she drifted back to sleep.

  I’d spoke with absolute certainty but now I was unsure. Was Tom bluffing or was he really going to try to ruin my life over a broken marriage that was entirely his fault?

  Two weeks later, I’d all but forgotten my confrontation with Tom. He had sent the maid out to pick Meredith up from our designated drop-off place and so I hadn’t seen him. I’d been both relieved and apprehensive. He always met me at the drop-off unless Becca volunteered.

  I told myself that I needn’t be worried. And when my weekend rolled around, I went to the drop-off station and waited intently.

  When he was ten minutes late, I picked up my phone and called him. It went straight to voicemail. By thirty minutes, I was starting to worry. I called three more times. I sat there for an hour fretting and nervous when finally he pulled up.

  I sucked in a breath of relief.

  “Where were you? You could have at least told me you planned to be late,” I said as he got out the car. Something was wrong. There was no sign of Meredith. Where was Meredith?

  I looked at him sharply. “Where’s Meredith?

  “She’s home,” he said, leaning against his car and folding his arms.

  “What do you mean she’s home? Why isn’t she here with you?’

  “Well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. I’m not dropping her off.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “You’re in violation of the court order—”

  “I’m getting the court order redone and until then Meredith will be staying with me.”

  “You can’t do that. You can’t withhold my visitation rights!” I said and noticed the tears running down my face when I felt something salty in my mouth. My breathing was uneven and it took all my inner will to not punch him in his throat.

  He must have realized that I was ready to explode because his eyes were cold and his tone was full of mockery and derision as he said, “What are you going to do? Call the cops? Take me back to court? We both know you wouldn’t call the cops and end up upsetting Meredith and you’re too broke to take me to court.”

  “Bring my daughter to me.”

  “No. I just came to tell you to keep your eye on your mail. I want the custody order revisited and I intend to fight you until that happens.”

  I lost my temper and slammed my hand down so hard on the ceiling of his car, that I left a dent.

  He didn’t even flinch. “I’m sure the court will love to hear about how you damaged my personal property out of spite.”

  “Why are you doing this, Tom? What do you want?”

  “Primary custody with all your visitations supervised.”

  I felt as if someone had knocked the breath out of me. At that moment, I hated Tom with every fiber of my being. “You’re an asshole and I hope you burn in hell,” I growled, meaning every word.

  I received derisive laughter in response.

  “There’s no way I’m going to let you have primary custody. And there’s no way I’m doing supervised visits.”

  “Fine. Then I guess you won’t be seeing Meredith.”

  “Bring my daughter home.”

  “She is home,” he said nastily.

  “Look, Tom. You’re angry with me for whatever reason, but it doesn’t have to be this way.”

  “It doesn’t feel good, does it, Dana? When someone takes away the person you love?”

  I closed my eyes and shuddered. “I told you I didn’t have anything to do with Becca’s decision.”

  “Doesn’t matter now. I’ll tell you what,” he said with an evil chuckle. “I’m willing to drop the whole primary custody thing.”

  “What’s the catch?” I whispered. There was always a catch with Tom.

  “You stop seeing Carter.”

  “You can’t tell me who I can or cannot date.”

  “An eye for an eye. You took away my Becca and I’m going to make sure you and your dear Carter can’t be together. So those are my terms. If you don’t want me to set my lawyer on you then you do that one simple thing.” He added, “And don’t try to sneak around with him behind my back. I would find out. So what do you think of
my terms?”

  I turned away from him. I wanted to throw something, kick something, rip my hair out. I couldn’t believe he would stoop so low. He wanted primary custody, no more 50/50. And he wanted all my visits with Meredith to be supervised. He was trying to take her away from me.

  Once I was behind the wheel, all I could think of was running over Tom. I drove past him but passed just close enough for him to worry about losing his life. He jumped away and I would have smiled if I weren’t so pissed off and ready to sob.

  The tears came hard and fast then and I had to pull over because I was crying too hard to see. I was shaking, and I sat there for minutes sobbing until my throat and chest hurt. I told myself to knock it off. Now wasn’t the time for tears. It was time for action. I picked up the phone and called my lawyer. I couldn’t afford to even pay the consultation fee, I realized once I spoke to her receptionist.

  What the hell am I supposed to do to see my daughter now?

  I picked up the phone and called Carter.

  “Can you come over?”

  “I’ll be right there,” he said not even hesitating.

  My mind was on the information in front of me as I heard Carter knock on the door ten minutes later. I’d occupied myself by looking for solutions to my issue by Googling every family lawyer I could find. I was calling offices, and most were closed.

  Even though I knew what my rights were, and I knew that Tom couldn’t withhold Meredith, I was still looking on every site I could find to figure out what to do next.

  I was trying to figure out if I should call the cops to enforce the order when I heard a knock at my door.

  I got up and went towards the door. I pulled the door open and immediately broke down again. Carter didn’t say a word. He just held me as I sobbed on him.

  “Whatever it is we’re going to work it out.”

  I hoped he was right.

  He ushered me back into my house and after a minute I was able to speak. Slowly, I started telling him everything. I told him about the conversation I’d had with Becca. I told him that Becca left Tom and now Tom was using Meredith to get back at me. And finally, I told him about Tom’s ultimatum.

  “He can’t dictate who you see or what you do. As long as you’re taking care of Meredith, he has no right to make demands.”

  “I know. I just don’t know what to do.”

  “Do you have a lawyer? You know my stepmom would help you in a heartbeat.”

  “I would appreciate that. Thank you. Does she charge a lot?”

  “I’m sure she’ll work something out with you.”

  “Thanks, Carter.”

  “Of course. Do you want me to stay the night? So you don’t have to be alone?”

  I shook my head. “No. I should be fine.”

  As soon as he left, I passed by a mirror in my hall. I looked defeated and pitiful. I didn’t want to be that person any longer. I wasn’t that person any longer, so I made a game plan. I was going over to Tom’s house first thing in the morning and I wasn’t leaving without my daughter.

  Carter called me that morning shortly after I woke up. I picked up and told him what I planned to do. He tried to convince me to call the cops, but I wanted to resolve it quickly and on my own. He tried to talk me out of it but I wasn’t listening. I hung up after telling him not to come with me.

  I parked my car on the street in front of Tom’s house and made my way to the front door. I could see his car parked in the driveway. Good, he was home. I didn’t see the maid’s car and I was glad that I wouldn’t have any witnesses.

  I didn’t hesitate. I banged on the door. Hard. Not able to control my fury.

  Within seconds, he was at the door.

  “Are you nuts? What are you doing here?”

  “Give me back my daughter.”

  “Mommy?” I suddenly heard Meredith call out.

  “Meredith,” I called, trying to find her behind Tom.

  “Go upstairs, Meredith,” he ordered as he shut the door soundly behind him and stepped out to confront me.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “I’m here for my daughter,” I said, trying to get around him.

  He grabbed my hand and slapped it off the doorknob. “Get the hell off my property or I’ll call the cops.”

  I called his bluff. “So call them. I want you to.”

  I reached for the doorknob again and this time I found myself suddenly in the air and then unceremoniously dumped in the bushes next to this front porch.

  Now I was furious. I struggled to get up, cursing and swearing when I tried to get my footing.

  He looked at me and laughed. I finally found my footing, only to fall back down into the bushes again. Now I was even more pissed off.

  I was so angry and determined to get up that I didn’t even notice when Carter pulled up. I was still pulling myself up and cursing loudly when Carter strode up to the porch. He looked angrier than I was.

  “Oh, here comes the cavalry,” Tom said, turning towards Carter. “Get off my property, you little sh—”

  He never got the other word fully out as Carter decked him once in the face. And before I knew it they were embroiled in a fight. With every punch, you could practically feel the hatred each man held for the other.

  I screamed for them to stop and finally found my footing when Carter slammed Tom into his door, sending the door flying open and Tom and Carter crashing into the wall in the foyer.

  They were a tangle of arms and legs. And then Carter was on top of Tom. He punched him over and over, his face showing no emotion, his punches almost robotic as they made contact with Tom’s flesh.

  I pulled at Carter’s shirt, begging for him to stop, but it was like he didn’t even hear me.

  “Carter, stop, Carter!” I said, pulling at his shoulder as Tom tried to cover his face and dodge the blows that came one after another.

  “Principal K,” came Meredith’s voice, and I instantly let go of Carter and ran to Meredith to gather her in my arms.

  She buried her face in my shoulders and cried, “Please don’t let him hurt Daddy.”

  I turned around and saw Carter climbing off Tom and Tom angrily trying to sit up while holding his face. His nose was bleeding, saliva dribbling from his swollen lip. He was a mess.

  Carter backed away looking enraged. He reached for me and I stepped away from his hand, still holding on to Meredith who looked from Carter to Tom, her eyes large and confused.

  “Meredith—” Tom started to say, and Carter glared at him and he quickly shut his mouth.

  “I’m taking my daughter home,” I growled and walked around him.

  He didn’t try to stop me, and I turned around sharply when I heard footsteps behind me. It was Carter.

  I didn’t know I was crying then until he reached up to wipe a tear from my cheek.

  “Do you want me to drive you?”

  I shook my head, feeling anger, probably misplaced, towards him. I’d made a promise to Meredith to protect her and I’d been unable to do that. Her father had taken her from me. I’d failed her, and I was so angry, so disappointed in myself.

  And I turned all that anger and disappointment towards Carter. “I don’t want you to drive me anywhere.”

  He grabbed my shoulder and I shook it off.

  I quickly walked with Meredith in my arms to my car and buckled her up. Carter followed me and said, “Look, I’m sorry. I was just trying to help—”

  I turned on him then. “Help? By beating her dad into a pulp in front of her?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know she was standing there—”

  “Well, she was!”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. Let me apologize to her—”

  “Stay away from us,” I said coldly, getting into the car. I could see Meredith crying softly in the back seat and it tore at my soul. Infuriated, I growled at Carter, “I don’t care if I don’t ever see you or Tom again.

  He looked taken aba
ck. “You don’t mean that.”

  I rolled up my window and didn’t bother to respond as I pulled away and drove in the direction of home.

  As soon as I got home, I sent Meredith to take a bath and waited, chewing my lips for the cops to show up. I didn’t know what Tom would tell them. That I attacked him? That I’d tried to force my way into his home?

  But as one minute led to an hour, and an hour led to a day, I figured if he had called the cops on me, they would already have come.

  I’d missed at least ten calls from Carter. But I didn’t want to talk to him. My emotions were everywhere. I didn’t know if I should have felt grateful to Carter for beating Tom to a pulp because I’d been a minute from trying to do the same. Or if I hated him for letting Meredith be witness to that type of violence directed at someone she loved. I knew she loved her father even if he was deserving of every punch to the face he’d received.

  She hadn’t said anything about it. Nothing at all. And I hadn’t put her back into school. I was too shaken. She had missed at least three days and I knew I couldn’t keep her out indefinitely.

  I didn’t know what to do. And of course, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse. I received a letter. I was going to court. Tom had made good on his threat.

  The next weekend, Becca said that Tom had contacted her and asked her to take Meredith. He said it was neutral ground. I agreed, not knowing what else to do. I knew withholding Meredith would put me in contempt with the court and I didn’t want Tom to have any ammo on me even though he had withheld visitation himself.

  I knew I could trust Becca and so I’d let her have Meredith for the weekend. She promised that she wouldn’t let her out of her sight and assured me she wouldn’t let Tom go anywhere without her.

  Meredith had also seemed a little frightened, but I’d assured her that Tom wouldn’t dare try it again.

  “Or Principal K will punch him in the face again?”

  I’d looked at her in surprise and apologized for Carter.

  She had shrugged. “He was just trying to protect me. And you. I love Daddy but he shouldn’t have done what he did.”