Too Much (Sequel to Baby Pogue) // JJ Maybank

46. anger

Happy Wednesday! Hope everybody is having a good week so far :)

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Both Avie and JJ could remember each incident that lead to their wild child having these marks on her.

1. River was jumping on the coffee table. JJ saw the table beginning to tip and as River lost her balance, JJ rushed to catch but could only reach out far enough in time to grab her arm. He saved her from a worst injury that day.

2. River was, once again, running around the kitchen table in circles and slammed her shoulder into the chair. She did not even cry over this one!

3. River stuck a sticker to her cheek then instantly regretted it and made Avie rip it off like a band aid. She barely flinched.

4. River was playing with Skye on the side walk and knelt the entire time beside him. She did not even notice her knees scraping the entire hour that they played.

5. River accidentally cut herself on a piece of paper in her take-home folder but did not tell her parents about the cut until she let it get infected by not washing it or covering it. It did not even bother her.

6. River was helping Skye to stand but he grabbed her thigh to hold on and lord knows babies have a strong grip. However, River shoved him off of her when she felt his fingers digging into her thigh.

7. River was helping JJ shake up the bottle made for Skye and hit herself in the chin with it. JJ tried not to laugh but River could not help but cry over hitting herself in the face.

And number 8. River ran around the coffee table and tripped over her little brother and hit her head on the table. It was no one's fault but her own.

None of these instances were abuse.

"We only begin to keep track of bruises when they raise a concern or red flag. I understand she is a child and children get hurt often, but River comes in with significantly more bruises than any other child." Ms. Tee sounded like she regretted having to tell them the school's concern.

JJ and Avie were not sure Ms. Tee truly believed either of them would abuse their child but the staff were mandated to report suspicious markings like the ones River had.

God, Avie's stomach twisted at the thought. And the fact that they kept track of these things.  Sure, they were required to but could they really believe JJ or Avie would do such a thing? Given the look on Ms. Tee's face, it was obvious she was growing to believe this was all JJ and Avie was just covering for him.

JJ pressed his lips together as his nostrils flared. He shook his head and turned away before turning and pointing a finger at Ms. Tee, "This is bullshit and you know it!"

As Avie handed the notebook back over, Ms. Tee held it against her chest and raised her free hand in surrender, "I am not accusing you of anything, Mr. Maybank, but CPS has been notified."

"CPS!?" JJ stepped closer to her, his eyebrows growing even closer together as his anger increased. His pulse was racing and it was taking everything in him not to scream at the top of his lungs. Did they really believe JJ was hurting his little girl? Even the mere thought of the times he had accidentally hurt her while they were roughhousing or the times where she would get offended by his sarcastic comments killed him. He remembered the moments he had unintentionally hurt her and how he felt like the world's shittiest dad.

But this was not him.

"CPS?" Avie scoffed and shook her head, "Don't you think you should have spoken to us before letting your assumptions get to this point?"

"Statistics show that when parents are notified about the possibility of a CPS call they tend to ease up to make themselves look less guilty leading up to the visit." Ms. Tee informed the two.