BABY GIRL

6.

Maggie

Ana trails behind the Captain and I follow, but as we walk down the hallway, the loud, grating bell signals the end of the period.

"Uh, Mathematics," Ana grumbles under her breath, stopping in her tracks. "You should head back to class, Mag. We'll catch up later."

I’m twice as curious to hear what the Captain has to say to Nate, but since Ana has indirectly dismissed me, I have no reason to tag along. I give her shoulder a gentle nudge, reminding her to stay calm no matter what happens in the principal's office.

By the time I make it to the classroom, Mr. Ron has already begun his math lecture.

Several minutes pass before Ana sneaks in through the back door, quietly ducking down to reach her desk. We exchange a brief look from across the room. I mouth a silent question to her: *What happened?*

She pulls a spiral notebook out of her bag, rips off a small corner of paper, and scribbles a quick message. She passes it to her seatmate, Bryan, who slides it across the wooden desks until it reaches my hand.

I unfold the paper.

> *Suspension. A week.*

>

Terrible. First day back to school and Nate has already earned himself a week-long suspension. Knowing how hard David tries to keep this family afloat, I don't think he's going to take the news well.

Just as I expected, David does not take the news of Nate's suspension lightly.

Back at the house that afternoon, the heavy, muffled sound of voices carries straight up through the floorboards. I can hear them arguing, David’s deep, measured voice clashing against Nate’s sharp, defensive tone, with Ana occasionally jumping in between them.

If I listen close enough, I could probably make out every word, but I refuse to pull at that thread. I have no business eavesdropping on my best friend's family matters.

To avoid the temptation altogether, I grab a towel, change into my swimsuit, and head out the back door toward the pool in the backyard.

I jump into the cool water, swimming down to the shallow end. Floating there, thoughts of my mother inevitably creep back into my head. The fact that she hasn't called me even once since we parted ways should hurt, but strangely, it doesn't annoy me as much as it used to. I’m tired of being angry. Moving forward, I just need to focus on taking care of myself.

I push off the wall and start swimming laps, steady and slow. *Stroke, breathe. Stroke, breathe.* The cold water washes over my skin, taking the edge off my restless thoughts.

I lose track of time until the sharp slam of the back door cuts through the quiet yard.

I lift my head from the edge of the pool just in time to see Nate marching down the patio steps, his jaw locked, his shoulders hunched in rage. Ana is right behind him, practically jogging to keep up.

"Nate, wait!" she calls out frantically. "Can you just stop for a second?!"

He doesn't even turn around. He yanks open the driver's side door of his father's car and climbs in. Ana throws herself into the passenger seat just as the engine roars to life. She doesn't even have time to shut her door properly before Nate throws the car into reverse and sprays gravel down the driveway.

And just like that, they're gone.

I linger in the water a little longer, floating on my back, trying to convince myself that the storm I just witnessed isn't as severe as it looks. My chest feels tight, but I don't want to go back inside the empty house just yet.

A moment later, the back door creaks open again.

I lift my chin off the concrete edge. It's David.

He steps onto the patio looking entirely dismantled. His button-down shirt is half-untucked, and his dark hair is messy, as if he’s dragged his hands through it a dozen times. He stands near the porch railing staring blankly at the empty driveway where his car used to be.

When his eyes finally shift and catch me resting at the edge of the pool, he hesitates for a second. Slowly, he walks over, dragging a patio chair toward the water's edge and easing himself down into it.

He doesn't say anything right away, and I don't force him to.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with all of this," I say softly, keeping my hands resting on the cool tile. "I... I saw them leave. Being a parent definitely isn't easy."

David exhales a long, heavy breath, as if he’s been holding it in his lungs for hours. "Yeah," he mutters, his voice low. "They're both furious with me right now."

I hesitate, careful not to push past my boundaries, but something about the hollow slump in his shoulders makes me speak up anyway. "Is... is there anything I can do to help?"

David rubs both hands over his face, resting his elbows on his knees as he stares down at the concrete floor.

"Nate’s been off his medication," he says quietly, the confession heavy in the afternoon air. "I found out today. He’s been skipping his doses for a while."

I wince slightly, but keep quiet, letting him talk.

"He told me I had no right to tell him what to do," David continues, a sharp rasp catching in his throat. "How does a father even respond to that?"

I trail my fingers through the clear water, watching the ripples spread out toward the deep end. "I'm sure he doesn't mean it the way it sounded. He's just angry."

"I know," David says quietly. "I just... I don't know how to get him back on his meds without every conversation turning into a war. He needs them, Maggie. If he stays off them, I don't know what he'll do next."

His jaw flexes tightly as he stares out toward the yard. The sheer weight of responsibility sitting on his shoulders is obvious.

I want to offer him something reassuring—something that doesn't sound completely hollow or naive.

"I know it's difficult," I tell him gently, looking up to meet his eyes. "But you'll figure it out. You're a good dad, David. I think deep down, both of them know how lucky they are to have you."

David glances down at me, and the hard, exhausted lines around his eyes soften just a fraction.

"Thank you, Maggie," he says softly. "That means more than you know."

"You're welcome, sir."

He offers a faint, tired half-smile. "You can just call me David, Maggie. Please."

I return his smile, keeping my tone light. "Alright. You're welcome, David."

I watch as he stands up, smoothing down his shirt before quietly retreating back inside the house, leaving me alone with the gentle lap of the water.