Theo
SOUTH brONX CLASSICAL
Monday Afternoon
If Rochelle were still here, I probably could have roped her into coming to this meeting with me. But she was already gone.
And that was fine. My sister had to live her life. I just had to figure out a way to start living mine again.
I ran my hand over my face. My stubble felt rough against my palm, but it was a good enough distraction from having to look at Principal Rutton’s disapproving face.
The woman sat behind her too-big desk, almost glaring at Miss Fares, who was standing in the corner, nervously going over possible solutions to Kira’s bullying problem.
I sat back in my chair and let out an irritated sigh.
“I don’t care how it gets done. I just want it to stop. If Miss Walker is the only one stepping in to keep my daughter from getting harassed, then clearly there’s a problem with the way this school is run.”
I had no reason to play nice. Not with Rutton.
Miss Fares sputtered to a stop as the principal spread her hands on her desk.
“What would you have us do, Mr Hudson?” she asked, and I could hear it in her tone. The implied, your daughter wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for you. So fucking condescending.
“Expel them,” I barked.
Rutton let out a disappointed sigh, as if she knew I’d go there. “There are steps we have to follow before something like this leads to expulsion.”
“But,” Miss Fares interrupted, “we could ask Amber to leave the program.”
“No.” Kira was so quiet sitting next to me in her guest chair that her sudden outburst jolted me. “That’ll only make everything worse.”
Miss Fares gave her a soft smile. “She’s already received another warning, Kira. We’re within our rights to ask her to–”
“Do it.” All three pairs of eyes swung back to me. “If you can’t expel her, then kick her out of the program.”
Kira sat forward. “No, Dad. I don’t want that. It won’t help.”
I gave my daughter a hard glance. How could she not see that Amber wouldn’t stop until someone made her stop?
“She deserves it.”
“Mr Hudson,” Rutton cut in. “These are children. No one is being harmed here–”
“My daughter is,” I yelled. Rutton straightened in her seat. “And if you don’t fix it, I’ll do it myself.”
I didn’t need to be here anymore. This meeting was a waste of time.
I stood, rounded the chair, and left.
I was still seething as I stepped into the hallway. This fucking school. If Rutton couldn’t get her shit together, then–that was when I saw her.
And every one of my thoughts disappeared.
Mia was holding a notebook in her arms, pressed to her chest, staring at me from across the hallway. Her mouth was slightly parted, her hair slightly tousled, her eyes slightly red-rimmed.
She was the first to speak. Her voice was quiet as she said, “Why are you–oh.”
Her glance flitted behind my shoulder as Miss Fares and Kira appeared behind me.
I watched as she bobbed her head, looked away, and slowly came closer.
Kira and Miss Fares were still talking in hushed tones. Sentences about the program and Amber floated around me, but all I could focus on was her. As Mia passed by, I reached for her elbow and tugged her back.
She let out a little gasp but didn’t fight me. My grip was light, barely there. But she let me touch her. I had to hope that it counted for something.
Miss Fares and Kira were silent as I told her, “Hey. Talk to me.”
Mia’s brown eyes lifted to meet mine, and up close, I could tell she’d been crying. “You know I can’t.”
Her gaze darted to Kira, whose lips were pursed. My daughter stared at us like we were a complex math problem.
I clamped my jaw shut. When Mia eased out of my grip, I let her, because what else could I do?
She gave me one lingering look, like she wished she could stay, then turned and walked toward Rutton’s office. My chest felt like it was caving in on itself all over again.
Miss Fares shot worried glances at both of us as she twisted her fingers together. But her nerves only intensified when Kira closed the distance between her and Mia, asking, “Is it okay if we talk?”
Mia paused, and I think she was as surprised as I was confused, but she nodded anyway.
Kira turned her attention to me and Miss Fares. “I want to speak to Miss Walker alone. Please.”
Miss Fares nodded, gestured to the meeting room down the hall, and led the two women who mattered most to me inside.