Page 72 of The Family Man

“Why did you bring her, this is between us.” Emily wheezed.

“I am trying with you.” I close my eyes and pull at the roots of my hair. She is driving me crazy.

“Why her?” she cries, and her hand trembles as she points at Sage.

“WHERE ARE MY FUCKING KIDS!”

“Daddy?” My heart stops, Poppy comes flying down the stairs with tears running down her face.

As she passes by Emily she is snatched by the hair. Emily pulls her back to her body. Emily opens the side table and pulls out a gun.

She puts it to my daughter’s head, and I see red.

“Why the fuck would you bring her? Why not me?” she cries and her hands tremble. My daughter is crying, her littles are pleading with me for help.

“Bitch—”

“Because he wanted me to understand what he had with you.” Sage steps in front of me and Emily calms down.

* * *

SAGE

She is crazy as hell and a crazy woman with a gun is not a good formula for success.

“I wish you had told me, Em. I thought we were friends.” I try to sound hurt and disappointed when I really want to beat the living stuffing out of her.

Her shoulders drop. “I didn’t want to be your friend. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want Zac.”

I look around at Zac. My eyes plead with him to play along, his nostrils flare like he smells something rotting. He closes his eyes and looks back at Emily.

“I told her that we were over, because of you. Em, this was not the way it was supposed to go.”

Her tears creep down her face, her yellow concealer leaves long scary streaks behind.

“I just wanted us to be a family.” As she is about to lower her gun, “Poppy says she found a ring. Is it for me?”

A ring? Poppy becomes impatient and bites down hard on her arm.

Emily releases her. “You little disgusting brat.” She points the gun down at Poppy. Zac reacts on instinct, he pushes Emily’s hand away and throws himself over Poppy in the process the gun falls and slides over the porcelain tiles.

I run and grab it.

Poppy moans. “Daddy?”

Zac rolls over. “I am fine, sweetheart.”

He sits up and pulls Poppy into his body.

He sneers at Emily. “Where is my son?”

She says nothing. Zac puts Poppy behind him and walks up to Emily. He drags her like a ragdoll off the floor.

“Don’t make me hurt you. Where is he?”

The police sirens can be heard in the background, the blue lights are flashing through the glass windows.

“He left. He ran outside.” Zac lets her go and takes Poppy into his arms.

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