Spark Into a Flame

Lin

I watched my daughter closely, not only because she'd had a couple health scares last weekend but because she was an emotional wreck today.  She and Elliott had broken up the night before and I sensed that it was Elliott who had initiated it.  I'm sure it was hard to date someone in high school once you were away at college.  I understood his need for freedom, but I wish it wasn't at my own daughter's expense.  Our family had very unique dynamics since Pip and I were engaged and our kids had been dating.  I had to be careful about what I said.

Joey had been lethargic on the way to the game, zoning out on her phone.  I thought she was probably going to have a crappy game, but it happened to everybody.  I figured she'd be dragging and not hustling at all, but to my surprise she seemed to channel her frustration into her game.  She was really going after the ball and being aggressive.

A little too aggressive.

I watched as Joey deliberately tripped a member of the other team and she went tumbling.  Joey turned her back, walking away as the whistle was blown and the ref held up a yellow card.  She'd only ever gotten a yellow card two other times during her high school career.  She wasn't an unfair player.  I yelled at her to keep her head in the game but she didn't hear me or ignored me.  The play continued and I could sense from her movements that she was still volatile.  Another player elbowed her but the ref didn't see it.  That pissed Joey off so she shoved the player hard, off the field.  The ref saw that and blew the whistle again.  This time it was a red card.

Joey rushed up to the ref and began arguing, which was a big no-no from her coach and from me as well.  There was a time and place to argue your point, and to do it in a respectful way.  Her body language was disrespectful but the ref kept his cool.  I asked another parent to watch Alex as I rushed over.

A couple of her teammates were pulling her away, telling her to cool it as I approached.  I heard Joey growl and snatch her arms away from her teammates as she stormed away.  I hustled to catch up to her, calling her name.  She ignored me.

"Josephine!" I called louder, reaching out to grab her arm.  She turned and snatched it away.

"Back off!" she told me.  Joey had a fire in her eyes I'd rarely seen.  She was hurt and it was all compounding into frustration.  I knew she was in no place to talk so I let her walk, following behind her.  She grabbed her duffle bag out of the locker room and I quickly grabbed Alex.  When she came out she glared at me and took a long drink from her bottle.  I followed beside her with Alex in my arms and we just walked.  Fast.

I didn't bother asking what she wanted to do.  She hopped on the A train and I just followed along.  She wanted to go home.  When we arrived she swung the door closed hard before I had even reached the front door.  I sighed and opened it again, walking into a crying Jack.  She'd scared him.  Pippa looked over at me, confused.

"Joey's mad," Alex reported.  "She got ejected from the game."

"Jeeez," Pippa commented as she picked up Jack to soothe him.  I set Alex down and she scurried off to get a snack.

"She needs some space," I told Pippa.  "I've never seen her that upset.  I'm pretty sure it has to do with Elliott."

Pippa nodded as she rocked Jack.  I helped Alex get a drink and set her up at the table with a snack.  I heard Joey get into the shower.  She stayed in for a long time and then holed back up in her bedroom.  Jack had since calmed down and was happy with some Teddy Grahams on the couch with PJ Masks.

After about an hour had passed I decided to brave going to Joey's room.  She was laying on her bed, sketching in a notebook, something I didn't see her do very often.  I pulled out her desk chair and sat in it backwards, resting my arms on the back.