Page 70 of The Family Man

“Sup?”

“Tell me Sage has your kids!” He is breathing heavily.

“Sage what? No? Why?” I feel my blood beginning to drain from me.

“I think the school fucked up. The principal just told me your girlfriend picked them up?” Daire answers

“WHAT FUCKING GIRLFRIEND? WHERE THE HELL ARE MY KIDS?” I scream over the phone.

At the same time, Sage’s car pulls into her yard. I burst through my door and run across to her.

“Babe, tell me that you have Poppy and Nik.” I beg.

Anise gets out of the car looking at me as puzzled as Sage.

“No, why?” She closes her car door and comes to my side.

My breathing is cut short “Someone took my kids.”

Four hours pass. I made a report to the police, and I called my dad. Daire is as delirious as I am. Sage is at my side.

“I’m sorry for everything, Sage.” I sit next to her on my porch swing.

“Now is not the time.” She comforts me and rubs my back.

Her sister and Daire are inside, talking on the phone with friends and family.

“I am going back out to look for them. I can’t sit here.” I want my kids in my house now.

“I’ll go with you,” She replies.

I grab my car keys and we drive down the streets of Charleswood.

“Daire said your girlfriend took the kids. Who is that?” Sage asks, she pulls at the seatbelt.

“Who is my girlfriend other than you? I haven’t had a serious girl since college.”

Sage’s eyebrows frown “What about a crazy woman?”

I pause then it hits me “I have a girl I sleep with on and off. This was before you. She is crazy.”

“Describe her.”

“Blonde, small, blues eyes, rich—”

“Oh my god. Emily Montcroix,” she whispers.

“You know Em?”

“Right after our date, she hired me to redo her closet, and—OH GOD! CALL THE POLICE. I know who has your children.”

I pick my phone up and it begins to ring from a private number.

“Hello?”

“Now darling, don’t be mad.” Her voice has my blood boiling. “Bitch, where are my kids?"

“Safe and sound. Come to my house, baby, we need to talk.”

---