Blended Family

Lin

I never expected to get a call from Joey's school telling me she'd kick another kid in the balls.  I was horrified.  I knew Joey was a force to be reckoned with but I'd taught her better than to solve problems with violence.  On the way to her school on the subway, I had to keep stifling my laughter, though.  The kid must have said something pretty raunchy for Joey to kick him in the balls.  Though I was horrified, I was also kind of proud of my kid.  I couldn't let on that I found it hilarious, though.  I didn't want to encourage this kind of behavior.

The secretary showed me into the principal's office where Joey sat upright, not looking at all sorry.  I shot her a warning look as I sat down next to her.  She pursed her lips together, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Miranda," the principal told me.  "As you heard, Josephine was involved in an incident earlier where she kneed a male students in his...private area."

"Yes, I was very disappointed to hear this," I told the principal, glancing at my daughter.  "Josephine, why would you do such a thing?"

"He called me a slut," she said, crossing her arms.

"And you, a starring member of the debate team and mock trial, couldn't think of any words?" I asked her.  She shrank a little in her seat, looking away.

"Not for something like this," she said.

"I don't care what he said," I told her.  "You don't respond with violence.  I've raised you better than that."

Though she seemed confident when I came in, she was less so now.  If she thought I was going to back her up on this, she was sorely mistaken.  I would back her up til the end if she'd used words, but she didn't.

"Is she suspended?" I asked the principal.

"Yes, sir," he responded.  "Three days.  She can make up all the work, but she can't be involved in extracurricular activities during the suspension, which includes the weekend."

Joey gaped and sat up.  "I can't compete in mock trial?!"

"No, you may not," he told her.  Joey collapsed into her chair, her hand going to her face.  "Your suspension will be over Tuesday.  You can come back to school Wednesday."

We wrapped up the meeting and I was free to take my daughter home.  I waited in the office as she went to her locker to get her things.  Her face was fixed in a frown, eyes on the ground as she walked back.  We silently rode the subway, Joey with her headphones in.  When we got home, I was still too angry to talk to her.

"Go to your room," I told her and she seemed to gladly go, slamming her door.  I got out a soda from the fridge and popped it open, then reclined on the couch.  I'd made a deal with myself early in life never to try talking to Joey when I was still angry.  I definitely needed some time to cool down.

After a good half hour I finally felt like I was calmed down enough to talk to her.  I knocked on the door and walked in.  She was crying.  I sighed as I closed the door.

"Why are you crying?" I asked her, crossing my arms.

"I'm pissed that because of that asshole I have to miss mock trial," she told me.  "I've been working my ass off on that."

"It didn't have to be that way," I lectured her.  "You could've come up with some smart mouth response like you're so good at and it would've been over.  You would've served him."

"You've never been called a slut," she told me, wiping under her eyes.

"No, but I've been called other things and I've never once punched someone or kicked them in the balls," I said.  "That's unacceptable."