The Girl

Chapter 11

When I set my backpack down my the stairs on my way to the kitchen, I hear my dad humming quietly most likely trying to make one of his concoctions for supper.  He and my mom have an agreement that he cooks supper every Tuesday and Thursday due to his shorter hours on those specific days.  I have to give it to my mom for finding a loophole and getting him to do as much around the house as possible because of it.

He notices me as soon as I open the kitchen door.  He gives me his signature smile and follows with his routine hello.

“How was your day at school?” he asks.

“Same old, same old,” I answer before continuing, “Um, just wondering, but why were you in the office today at school?”

He stiffens only slightly at the mention of this knowing that I had seen him there earlier.

     “Well,” he says while turning around to face me, “you know my line of work Phoebe.”

     “Yea you’re a lawyer, so what are you saying here?” I ask getting curious of how he being at school and his work relate.

     “Well I know you have heard about everything that has been going on with Ms. Kollmann your principal,” he says cautiously.

     “Yes… but I still don’t see where you’re going with this,” I answer honestly confused

     “Well the school board has started to investigate into her relationship she had with this student and they are saying they have reason to believe that she has done this more than once with more than one student.” He says this as if explaining math to a six year old, “And she hired me as her lawyer for the investigation that is going on,” he says finally getting to the point.

     “Wait, no!  You can’t defend her!” I say quickly getting angry

     “It’s my job Phoebe. I can’t help it at this point,” he argues

     “But why fight it when everyone knows she did this?” I say

     “Because she has the right to an attorney just like everyone else in America,” he says, half mocking me which I don’t tolerate one bit.  “I’m sorry Phoebe but sometimes this can happen and there isn’t much that we can do about it.  It’s my job and I’m sorry that it upsets you so much,” he says as he returns to make our supper.

     I get up from the chair that I hadn’t realized I sat down in and leave the kitchen without another word.  I didn’t really know how to react to this so I plop down on our couch and do my homework in complete silence until my mom gets home.

     I hear my mom’s car engine cut out and just a minute later she walks through the door with an especially cheery disposition.  This might be a blessing considering the encounter my dad and I had not even an hour ago. 

     “Hey Phoebe, how’s my darling little girl?” she asks happily.

     My mom works at the maternity ward in the local hospital and they definitely must have had an abundance of cute babies born today.  That would usually be the reason if she would ever come home like this.

     “How many were born today mom?” I ask.

     “Twelve. It was a very busy day, but a very adorable day,” she says while still hugging me.

     “Well I’m sorry I had to go and grow up on you mom, but I would love to have my mobility back, please and thank you,” I say while still being suffocated by her tight hold on me.

     “Fine.  Just remember that you will be my baby no matter how old or big you get,” she says after releasing me from her grasp letting me take a breath.