Morning Chaos
Keith and Lena two people that know each other for since teenagers. They met through Lena father. Lena and Keith would occasionally mess around from time to time but was in a serious relationship. But things took a turn when Lena father passed away. That’s when they decided to take their relationship seriously. One morning Lena was to tired to take her daughter to school that morning so Keith volunteered to take her. The first day of Head Start.
"First day of school, kiddo," Keith said, ruffling Emma's hair. "You excited?"
Emma nodded, her eyes wide. "Yeah!"
As they approached the entrance, Lena's grip tightened. She'd been nervous about leaving Emma in someone else's care, but Keith had reassured her. "She'll be fine," he'd said. "And it's just a few hours."
But as they reached the door, chaos erupted. A woman stormed across the pavement, her slippers clicking like angry castanets. Keith's ex-girlfriend, Lisa—fiery, unpredictable, and still carrying a torch for Keith.
Lisa reached Keith's car, her face twisted with rage. She kicked the door, leaving a dent. Parents and children turned to stare.
Keith stepped out of the car, his jaw clenched. "Lisa, what the hell?"
"You think you can just move on?" Lisa's voice was a whip-crack. "Leave me behind like garbage?"
Lisa's finger jabbed Keith's chest. "You promised we'd be together forever."
"That was years ago," Keith said, his voice low. "We've both moved on."
"But not far enough." Lisa's eyes blazed. "I see you dropping your girlfriend child off at school, Keith. You think I don't know what’s going on?"
The argument escalated, words flying like arrows. Parents ushered their children inside the school, casting disapproving glances. Keith's face reddened.
The gossip spread like wildfire. Parents whispered behind cupped hands and COVID masks, casting judgmental glances at Keith. Emma's teacher, Mrs. Rodriguez, pulled Lena aside one morning.
"Is everything okay at home?" Mrs. Rodriguez asked. "Emma mentioned a fight."
Lena's cheeks reddened. "It's complicated. Keith's ex—"
Mrs. Rodriguez patted her shoulder. "We all have our battles, Lena. Just remember, try to shield Emma from all that negativity."
But Lena knew something has to be done about Keith’s ex. She was a tangle of resentment and obsession, and Lena feared what lengths she would go to next.
That evening, Keith returned home, exhaustion written all over his face. Lena confronted Keith. "Lisa’s toxic nature and it’s slowly seeping into our lives."
Lena's anger flared. "It's embarrassing, Keith. Emma's teacher saw the whole damn thing."
"She did." He rubbed his head. "I'll talk to Lisa. Make her understand."
Lena leaned against him. "We're a family now, Keith. We can't let her unravel us."