Best of Women

Pippa

The next day I had to run errands after I dropped the girls off at gymnastics. Rio came with me as I went to the bank and then stopped by the post office. When I came back around six to pick them up, Mia was in a mood. The coach wanted to talk with me.

The girls waited by the door as we walked to his office.

"Eva's attitude has been terrible lately," he informed me. "I told her at the end of practice that if she didn't shape up, she'd be off the team."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. Eva could be a bit of a firecracker, but she loved gymnastics. Surely she wouldn't let her frustration get in the way of her love of the sport. "I'm sorry if she's been giving you a hard time. Her father and I will talk to her."

I felt oddly parental as we finished up the conversation. He knew I wasn't her mom and wasn't with Lin, and yet he'd come to me with the issue. I walked out and met the girls at the door. Eva looked pissed.

"What did coach say?" she asked when we walked out.

"He said your attitude has been bad and you're in danger of losing your spot on the team," I told her honestly. There was no point in the beating around the bush. This was all on her. If she wanted to continue, she needed to get her attitude in check.

"He's the one who needs to change his attitude," Eva quipped.

"Hey, be respectful," I told her. "He's your coach."

"He's a douche," Eva said, kicking at some rocks.

"Quit whining," Mia told her sister.

"Shut your stupid mouth," Eva growled back.

"Make me!" she challenged. Eva shoved her sister hard, sending her towards the busy street. A car horn honked.

"Hey!" I shouted, surprised at myself. Both girls froze, knowing they'd taken it too far. "Enough with the arguing! You two are sisters!"

Neither said anything as I turned and started walking again. The girls followed behind me silently. They stayed the same way for the rest of the trip home.

Lin was making enchiladas, with Rio assisting. I'm sure Sebastian was in his room. There was hip hop music playing and they were singing along. Eva stormed straight to her room and Lin turned the volume down.

"Another rough practice?" he guessed, stirring the ground beef.

"Yeah," I said. "Coach stopped me afterwards and told me she would lose her spot if she didn't change her attitude."

He sighed, drying his hands on a towel. "That child is really pushing things lately," he commented, leaning against the counter with both hands. Lin and Rio continued to cook for a few more minutes, talking and laughing. Lin asked if I could take over so he could talk to Eva. I nodded and continued with Rio as Mia went to take a shower.

We all heard raised voices from the girls' bedroom and Lin lectured his daughter. She should know better than to argue with her father, because he didn't mess around with his kids being disrespectful. I heard the door open and close a little roughly a few minutes later. He sighed as he walked back into the kitchen.

"That was fun," he commented, grabbing a pinch of cheese from the pile I had just grated.

"What did she say?"

"In her mind, it's all her coach's fault," he said. "She thinks he's picking on her. I told her if she didn't change her attitude, I'd pull her out myself."

I nodded as I watched him sprinkle cheese over the top of the enchiladas. He guided Rio to carefully put the dish into the oven and set the timer. I found a packet of rice in the pantry.