The Magpie's Death

Bitter and Obvious (1)

"You're back already?" Jade asked, standing with her brother behind the desk. "I feel like I just saw you. You remember. The biting?"

Sam groaned. That boy and his bitten hand was the last thing on his mind right now and he wasn't in the mood to argue again.

"Can we not do this? I've had a... strange afternoon."

Strange wasn't the right word for it, but Jade was nosy and chatty and a simple explanation would never be enough for her.

He set Ellie on her feet and she scrambled over to Jack, who lifted her into his arms. Playing with her hair and smoothing her dress, he ignored the conversation between Sam and his sister. With a sigh, Sam ran a hand through his hair. At this point, Ellie was the only person around him he understood. Relationships were so complicated.

"I spoke with his mother, by the way," Jade continued. She wasn't angry anymore, but she also wasn't going to let him off easy. "You're welcome." Then she eyed him, examining him for any reaction. Instead, she saw something else and gasped. "Is that lipstick?"

He was barely listening, his attention focused on Jack and Ellie. "What?"

"On your lips. It's lipstick! I knew it was going well between you two." She paused, then frowned, raising an eyebrow at him. "Wait, then why are you back so early? It's Friday. I thought you would be staying out later."

"What are you talking about? What does the day have to do with anything?"

He was tired and annoyed. Wiping at his mouth with the back of a hand, pink smeared across the skin. He groaned again. This day needed to end.

"Tomorrow is Saturday and Michelle doesn't have to work." Jade said it as if the answer was obvious and he was the only one confused. Which might have been irritating if it wasn't usually true. "I know you both have little kids, but you should still make time for dating."

"What? Make time for what?"

Sam's eyes darted to Jack, bouncing his daughter in his arms and avoiding his gaze. He sort of understood the glares and scowls and the bitter sarcasm now. But why would he believe such a thing? A sudden panic seized him and his brain screamed at him to fix this.

"That's ridiculous," he spit out. "I'm not dating anyone. Especially not her."

Jade's brow lifted again and she leaned over the desk to look closer. "But she told me you were. And you go over there so often. And the lipstick."

Seriously, that woman... Becca or not, he should have known better. He should have kept his distance.

"I'm not interested and never have been. I go there to learn how to be a better parent and so Ellie can play with Becca. I would rather not spend time with that woman, but her daughter is my daughter's only friend. I don't have a choice." He stepped up to the counter, wiping his pink lips again. "And this-" His fingers extended out to her so she could clearly see. "-was not mutual. She was completely trashed when I showed up and she attacked me. That's why I'm back early."

"Danger," Ellie said, pointing at his face. He nodded in agreement.

"Wait, what?" It was the first thing he had heard Jack say in almost two days, choked out as he stared at the girl in his arms.

Not moving her hand, she repeated, "Dada danger."

She was firm, as if Michelle's attack really was dangerous. Sam huffed a small laugh.

"After she bit that boy-"

"She bit someone?" Jack's surprise grew, his pitch a bit higher now.

Ignoring the interruption, Sam looked at Jade. "After she bit that boy, I explained to her that we only use violence when there's danger and only when the other person is being violent." Jade's frown told him she didn't agree, but she let him continue. "Michelle cut me off at the door while I was leaving and tried to kiss me again, so Ellie slapped her in the face."

Jack snorted out a laugh, exactly the same one he'd had in the moment, then put a hand over his mouth. Turning to his sister, his eyes squinted as an apology.

"So... you're really not dating?" The disappointment in that question was heavy and Jade slumped against the desk. "That's too bad. It would be nice if Ellie had a mother."

Growling under his breath, Sam walked over and took his daughter from Jack's arms.

"Why do people keep saying that?" he asked, clutching tight to her in his frustration. "Children don't need specific sets of parents. They only need people who care. She has that, and having that makes her lucky."

He set her down and handed her the small backpack. "Bring that up to the room and put your things away. I'll be up soon."

Ellie nodded and scurried up the stairs. He turned to face Jack, who was still smiling after hearing about the slap, and pointed to the kitchen.

"We need to talk."