A few weeks had passed and Eddie was finishing the washing up when his mobile rang, he looked at the ID to see it was his ex-wife. She rarely called, usually if there was a problem with Michaels custody arrangement, or after Parents night to give Eddie an update. Michael stayed with his Father every 2nd weekend and every second summer and Christmas, however he was 15 now and now and then he had plans with his friends at the weekend so their plans would change.
"Hi Allison" Eddied said as he put the phone under his ear with one hand and put the dish towel down with the other.
"He did what?" Eddie said as Rachel walked in, Eddie mouthed it was Allison and they both sat at the dining room table.
"Allison calm down, let me talk to him?" Eddie said. Allison explained he wasn't there as he had run off, but she needed to go to a meeting at Waterloo Road the next day and would really appreciate if Eddie was there.
"What's going on?" Rachel asked as Eddie said goodbye and put the phone down
"The lad is going to get a size 10 up the backside when I see him" Eddie said, "Rachel I need to go to Waterloo Road tomorrow for a meeting with the head teacher, Michael was caught fighting today, and then when they searched him, he had a knife in his pocket"
"That doesn't sound like him?" Rachel said
"No, well Allison says he's been acting out the past couple of weeks"
"OK, look why don't we both go, the term finishes tomorrow here so we can just drive down in the morning"
"No, the girls would miss their last day of primary school, I'll go first think in the morning just in case there is traffic and meet with Allison first and you can come down after school its an early finish tomorrow anyway."
The next morning Eddie left early in the morning to head down to Rochdale, and Rachel and the girls had packed their car up to join them. The schools broke up at 12 and their meeting with the head wasn't until 3:30pm
Eddie arrived at Allison's he couldn't check into their hotel till the afternoon so he was going there after the meeting at waterloo road, he had hoped Rachel would make it back down on time.
"Where is he" Eddie said after Allison answered the door
"At School, they agreed to put him on an in-school suspension" Allison said
"Come in, I want to ask you something, I hoped Rachel would be with you"
"She is coming down later, it's the girls last day at primary school and it's a half day finish so they should be here about 3.
"OK, I was just hoping that maybe you would take Michael with you to Scotland"
"You know I would in a heartbeat, but his friends are here, he won't want to"
"Exactly Eddie, his friends who are in are a bad influence, Eddie the past month has been awful, he swears at me, goes out all the time, drinks, smokes and I just can't control him, you and Rachel are much better at that than me, and this could be a fresh start for him, he can make new friends"
"Allison why didn't you tell me, I could have been down earlier, or talked to him when he was at ours a couple of weeks ago"
"I don't know, I thought I could cope, but this really was the last straw"
Eddie called Rachel and explained, she had agreed that Michael spending a term or longer with them in Scotland could help and distance Michael from the kids who were a bad influence.
The girls had a great but tearful day at school, they came out with their school shirts all signed by their friends
"So how was your last day?" Rachel asked as the 2 of them climbed into the back of her car
"Good Mum we had such a good time, and I am so ready for the summer holidays" Zara said
"Me too" Rachel said smiling.
"Before we start driving does anyone need to go to the toilet, if so, run back into the school, it will be a couple of hours till we get there"
"I'm fine" Both girls said as they clicked their seatbelt in
"Mum, Jodie is having a party today for end of school, can't we go and stay there tonight" Zara asked
"Oh, please Mum, that would be good"
"Sorry girls, we need to go to Rochdale and see your brothers' teachers"
"What did Michael do that was so bad?" Katie asked
"Never you mind" Rachel said not wanting to get into it.
A few hours later, the girls were getting bored, but finally they pulled into the car park of waterloo road. Rachel felt strange it had been 11 years since she left, but the school didn't look like it had changed.
"Mum" Katie shouted she had been calling her name for a couple of seconds but Rachel was in a world of her own
"Sorry honey, I was just thinking about old times, did Dad and I tell you that we met at this school, this is where I was Head Teacher and your Dad was deputy head"
"Aww I didn't know" the girls said as they climbed out of their car and ran to their Dad who was standing at the door.
"You OK Rach?" Eddie said
"Yes, just feels surreal being back here" she said as she slipped her hand into Eddies and walked up to the head's office. They arrived at the door to see a familiar name on the door "Tom Clarkson Head Teacher"
"This is going to be weird" Rachel whispered to Eddie
"Rachel, Eddie" Tom said as he opened the door, "How are you both, you haven't changed, it's been what 11 years" he said
"We are great, how are you, and the kids?"
"We are great, Mika is just had her third child, she and Brett are doing fab, Chlo works here now, and is expecting her second baby and Josh had moved to London, he is going great, what about your baby?" he asked
"That's our two, Katie and Zara" Rachel said pointing to the girls who were both still in their shirts which has been signed by their class.
"It was their last day at primary school today, they start Calderbrae next term"
"Well, shall we get going to discuss Michael"
"Girls, I want you both to wait here, and we will be back out soon" Rachel said pointing to the couch in the outer office "And be on your best behaviour"
Rachel, Eddie, Allison and Michael walked into Tom's office, it was strange sitting at the other side of the desk.
"So, I guess we all know why we are here, Michael, we just need to discuss your behaviour over the past month, is there anything you have to say for yourself"
Michael just shrugged
"Mr Clackson just asked you a question, answer him" Eddie said harshly
"I did nuttin wrong!"
"No, well that's where I disagree, you beat up a year 8, and then were caught carrying a knife"
"So, didn't mean I was going to use it"
"It's illegal, I should be calling the police, the only reason I haven't is out of respect to your parents, and that is the only favour I will be doing for you" Tom said
"I'm sorry Mr Clarkson, I have spoke to Eddie this morning and we think it would be best for Michael to move to Scotland for next term"
"No way, its shit there, it's boring and I don't know anyone"
"Michael, I'm afraid this isn't up for negotiation" Rachel said gently, she could see Allison was exasperated and Eddie would be heavy handed, she and Michael usually got on well.
"You can't tell me what to do,"
"Well, I'm afraid that is where you are wrong young man, whilst you live in my house you will show me respect, and as soon as we get the transfer papers sorted you will be a pupil at Calderbrae high school"
"so, you guys will be my head teacher and deputy head?" Michael asked
"yes, and we will not tolerate violence or you carrying weapons do I make myself clear?" Rachel said
"Yes" he said not looking up. "But what about my GCSE's?"
"You will be sitting Nat 5's next year, the Scottish Equivalent, the curriculum is not much different" Eddie explained. "We are going to go home and you will pack what you need. Rachel and the girls will drive home tomorrow in one car and you and I in the other."
"Mum, please don't send me to away?" Michael pleaded
"I'm sorry, but brought this all on yourself" Allison said
"Right, so first thing you apologise to Mr Clarkson, and your Mother then you and I will go and clear your locker" Eddie said
"I'm sorry" he said to them both before going off with his father
"I'm sorry about this Rachel, I know you have the girls to look after, I just can't cope with him and your so good with him"
"It's OK, don't worry I promise I will do everything to get him back on the straight and narrow, he isn't the first wayward teenager I've had to deal with and anytime you want to come and visit, or you want him home with you let us know"
"I think it's best if he makes a clean break from here, I'm going to look and see if I can transfer to the Glasgow office, that way we can find somewhere close by, I think he needs us all in his life now"
Rachel smiled, it would be lovely to have them all close again.
Rachel and the girls were in the car heading to the hotel for the night.
"Mum, can I ask a question?" Katie asked
"Course you can sweetie"
"Well I'm a wee bit confused, there is only 9 months between Zara and I, does that mean you got pregnant straight away"
"Honey, we spoke about this before, you were a wee bit premature"
"But, when we met Mr Clarkson, he said how was your baby, not babies"
"Because we left Rochdale before you were born"
"But Mr Clarkson said it had been 11 years since you left so I would have been born"
"Mr Clarkson just got a wee bit confused" Rachel said worriedly she knew she was going to have to tell the girls the truth soon.
"OK, we are going to check in and then go out for dinner, just the 3 of us, Dad is going with Michael to pack his things"
"Is he coming for the weekend?" Zara asked
"not quiet, Michael is going to move to Scotland for this term of school"
"Why?" Katie asked
"Because your Dad wants to spend time with him"
"He must really be in trouble, what did he do?
"Never mind nosey" Rachel said
Eddie was having a cup of team with Allison as Michael was upstairs packing
"Thanks for doing this Eddie" Allison said
"It's OK, he is my son, you should have told me earlier"
"Its just been the past month, but really the past couple of weeks"
Michael had packed his bag, but he wasn't going with Eddie, he had text one of the lads to pick him up, he grabbed his bag, opened the window and jumped onto the garage roof before shimmying down the pipe to the ground and into his mate's car.
"What is taking him so long?" Eddie said walking upstairs and opening his sons' room, he was shocked he wasn't there and checked the other rooms. "Allison, he has only flaming gone"
"This is what I need to put up with, from him"
"Any idea where he will be and ill drive around"
"He has been hanging around down at the spar"
"OK, wait here" Eddie said as he got into his car. He drove to the spot Allison had mentioned and he found Michael with some older lads
"Get in" he said as she pulled up to his son
"Make me" Michael said as his mates laughed.
Eddie stopped the car, grabbed his son by the arm and physically dragged him to the car, Michael tried to open the door to get out, but it was no use, Eddie had thought this might have happened and had put the child lock on. He got into the front, called Allison, and then Rachel who had just come back to the hotel and agreed to come around to Allison's, they were going to drive home tonight instead to get Michael out of Rochdale quicker.
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