I never expected to get a call from Joey's school telling me she'd kick another kid in the balls.  I was horrified.  I knew Joey was a force to be reckoned with but I'd taught her better than to solve problems with violence.  On the way to her school on the subway, I had to keep stifling my laughter, though.  The kid must have said something pretty raunchy for Joey to kick him in the balls.  Though I was horrified, I was also kind of proud of my kid.  I couldn't let on that I found it hilarious, though.  I didn't want to encourage this kind of behavior.

The secretary showed me into the principal's office where Joey sat upright, not looking at all sorry.  I shot her a warning look as I sat down next to her.  She pursed her lips together, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Miranda," the principal told me.  "As you heard, Josephine was involved in an incident earlier where she kneed a male students in his...private area."

"Yes, I was very disappointed to hear this," I told the principal, glancing at my daughter.  "Josephine, why would you do such a thing?"

"He called me a slut," she said, crossing her arms.

"And you, a starring member of the debate team and mock trial, couldn't think of any words?" I asked her.  She shrank a little in her seat, looking away.

"Not for something like this," she said.

"I don't care what he said," I told her.  "You don't respond with violence.  I've raised you better than that."

Though she seemed confident when I came in, she was less so now.  If she thought I was going to back her up on this, she was sorely mistaken.  I would back her up til the end if she'd used words, but she didn't.

"Is she suspended?" I asked the principal.

"Yes, sir," he responded.  "Three days.  She can make up all the work, but she can't be involved in extracurricular activities during the suspension, which includes the weekend."

Joey gaped and sat up.  "I can't compete in mock trial?!"

"No, you may not," he told her.  Joey collapsed into her chair, her hand going to her face.  "Your suspension will be over Tuesday.  You can come back to school Wednesday."

We wrapped up the meeting and I was free to take my daughter home.  I waited in the office as she went to her locker to get her things.  Her face was fixed in a frown, eyes on the ground as she walked back.  We silently rode the subway, Joey with her headphones in.  When we got home, I was still too angry to talk to her.

"Go to your room," I told her and she seemed to gladly go, slamming her door.  I got out a soda from the fridge and popped it open, then reclined on the couch.  I'd made a deal with myself early in life never to try talking to Joey when I was still angry.  I definitely needed some time to cool down.

After a good half hour I finally felt like I was calmed down enough to talk to her.  I knocked on the door and walked in.  She was crying.  I sighed as I closed the door.

"Why are you crying?" I asked her, crossing my arms.

"I'm pissed that because of that asshole I have to miss mock trial," she told me.  "I've been working my ass off on that."

"It didn't have to be that way," I lectured her.  "You could've come up with some smart mouth response like you're so good at and it would've been over.  You would've served him."

"You've never been called a slut," she told me, wiping under her eyes.

"No, but I've been called other things and I've never once punched someone or kicked them in the balls," I said.  "That's unacceptable."

"He deserved it," she said, unwilling to back down.

"What's the whole story?" I asked her.  My daughter wasn't a violent kid and I was sure there was more to what I'd heard at school.

"Elliott and I have been telling people we're together and these two douchebags from the football team said it's basically incest.  That we're stepsiblings and that makes it's nasty that we're together.  They're so ignorant."

"And by responding with violence you sunk to their level," I told my daughter.  "You could've come out on top with your integrity still intact, but you saw red and didn't think."

She rolled her eyes and collapsed onto her back.  "Fine.  I was wrong.  Happy?"

She let out a choked sob.  She'd gotten into spats with people before, but she'd never gotten this upset.  Joey was a pretty level-headed kid and she didn't let much get to her.  I crossed the room and sat on her bed, changing my tone.

"Hey," I said gently.  "You seem pretty upset.  Is it because he called you that word?"

She nodded as more tears fell.  I gently grasped her wrists and pulled her back up to seated, then enveloped her in a hug.  Even though I was disappointed in her, she obviously needed some love right now.  I let her cry into my shoulder as I rubbed at her back.

"You're certainly not that word," I told her, not wanting to repeat it.  "You're a smart, beautiful, vivacious young woman, and I'm proud to be your dad."

She seemed to be getting ahold of herself, and she pulled back, wiping at her eyes more. 

"I'm glad you defended yourself, but do it with words next time, okay?" I told her, and she nodded.  I leaned forward and kissed her forehead.  "Alright.  You're grounded while you're suspended.  I'll tell your mom since you're with her starting Sunday."

"Can't I stay here?" she asked me as I stood up.

"Sweetheart, your mom needs time with you," I reminded her.  "I think some time away from Elliott would be good."

She collapsed onto her bed again, not liking the answer.  I left her to sulk and went back to the living room to get my laptop.

I'm sure Elliott heard what happened because when he got home an hour or so later, he rushed to Joey's room.  I yelled at him to keep the door open.  I didn't think they'd try anything after getting caught so recently, but I walked by the door several times.  He was talking to her gently, consoling her.  I heard them laughing and they hugged.

Pippa and I wouldn't be around Friday the whole day to supervise Joey during her suspension but she was honestly pretty trustworthy.  She was such a nerd that she'd use the days to get ahead on schoolwork most likely.  I checked in with her before I left around 10:00 and she was already hard at work.

On Saturday Joey sulked as her other mock trial teammates went to competition and she had to stay home.  On Sunday afternoon she reluctantly got her school things together to go to her mother's.  I hated that I had to almost force her to go, but she needed time with her mother as well.  I gave her a hug goodbye and told her to call me if she needed me.

Elliott moped the rest of the day.  Before dinner, he wandered into the kitchen where Pippa and I were both preparing dinner.

"Can I go over to Joey's Mom's house?" he asked us.  I looked at him, confused.

"No.  Why?" Pippa answered.

"I need her help with some homework," he told his mother.

"Or do you want to make out with her?" Pippa asked, giving him a knowing look.

He smirked.  "Maybe both."

"Joey needs to be with her mother," Pippa said.  "Besides, you two need a break."

He sighed, looking like the saddest kid on earth.

"Your dad's back from his trip, right?" I asked him.  Elliott nodded.  Suddenly his face changed with an idea.

"And no, you're not going to your father's and asking him to go to Clarita's," Pippa quickly nipped his idea in the bud.  He slunk back down and started to walk away.

"He's like a lovesick puppy," Pippa mumbled as we worked.  Jack screamed from where he was on the floor in the living room.  Alex immediately had a guilty look on her face.  I rushed over and picked Jack up, trying to soothe him.

"Alex, what happened?" I asked her.

"Uhhh...he feww?" she said unconvincingly.

"Did you push him?" I asked, giving her a don't lie to me look.

"I dunnoooo..." she said, hands clasped behind her back.

"Alexandra, tell the truth," I told her as I bounced her brother.

"Yes," she said quietly, looking down.

"Time out," I told her, pointing to the corner of the dining room.  That was the designated time-out spot.  Alex sulked as she trudged herself over and plopped down.  I fished out my phone and set a timer for five minutes.  She cried quietly as she sat.  When five minutes were up, Jack was calmed back down so I set him back on the floor.  I pulled out a kitchen chair and called Alex over to sit on my lap.

"Why did you push your brother?" I asked her gently.

"He wouldn't give me Woody," she said, referring to her Toy Story doll.

"That's his toy," I reminded her.  "Did you ask him nicely?"

"Yeeeees," she nodded.

"Then if he's still not sharing you need to come find me or Pippa.  Got it?" I asked her.  She nodded and I kissed her forehead.  "Go apologize to Jack."

She toddled over and told her brother sorry and all was right with the world again.  Earlier in the day, we'd moved Jack's crib into my old room and had new furniture delivered.  Hopefully Alex would be able to sleep through the night better now.

After we'd put the kids down for the night we heard crying from down the hall.  I walked to Alex's room and found her sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes.  I sat on her bed and pulled her into my lap.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" I asked her.

"I miss Jack!" she sobbed to me, curling her body towards mine.  I rested my chin on her head.

"Awww, I'm sorry," I told her.  "But he's right next door.  You'll see him in the morning."

"Can I go see him?" she asked and I chuckled.

"As long as you don't wake him up," I said, and she slipped off my lap.  We walked next door to Jack's room and crept in quietly.  Alex walked up to his crib, peering in through the wooden bars.  He was fast asleep, breathing slowly.

"Hi, Jack," she whispered.  "See you in the morning."

It was pretty sweet and adorable.  After a minute or so, I gently steered her away and took her back to her room.  I tucked the three year old for the second time that night.  Afterwards I walked out to the living room where Pippa was reading, her feet propped up on the coffee table.  I laid down on my back and rested my head in her lap.  Her fingers played with my hair.

"Alex okay?" she asked.

"Mmmmhmm," I said, closing my eyes.  "She missed Jack."

Pippa chuckled.  "I guess it must be weird all of a sudden being on your own."

"Yeah," I agreed.  "She'll get used to it.  But now we get to share a room.  I get to wake up next to you every day."

I couldn't think of a better way to start the day.  My love, Pippa, next to me sleeping peacefully.  I could wake her up with kisses.

My phone buzzed in my pocket so I pulled it out.  It was Joey.  I groaned a little.  She'd been with her mother for two hours.

"Hey," I answered, scrubbing a hand over my face.

"Daddy, can I come home?" she asked me tearfully.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" I asked, preparing myself for drama.

"Mom's trying to take my phone!" she complained.

"Then you need to give it to her," I told her firmly.

"But Dad!" she protested.  "You already grounded me.  Why's she trying to take my phone?"

"That's her choice," I told her.  "You're at her house now."

"I don't want to be here if she's gonna be like this," she said.  I heard Clarita's voice in the background, terse and annoyed.

"Well even if you came back here, which you're not, I'd take your phone to back her up," I explained.  Clarita and I always backed each other up when it came to parenting and discipline.  I didn't exactly agree with taking Joey's phone on top of being grounded, but Clarita had every right to if that's what she decided.

"Gooooooddd!" she said in annoyance.  "This sucks."

"Put your mother on please," I asked her.  I wanted to talk to her, plus it would put Joey's phone in her hands.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey," I said.  "Sorry she's being argumentative.  Everything okay?"

"Fine, she just has an attitude as usual," my ex told me.

"Surprising," I said sarcastically.  "Did she tell you the whole story about what happened?"

"Yes," she replied.  "She and Elliott are together now?"

"Yeah," I said.  "Pippa and I are keeping an eye on them while they're here.  Doors open."

"Good," she said.  "He won't be allowed over here if I'm not home."

We wrapped up the conversation and I told her to call if Joey was giving her problems.  Not that she didn't listen to her mother, but since we seemed to have a better relationship at the moment, she seemed to listen to me better.

"I have a feeling her mother will end up grounding her longer for having an attitude," I told Pippa after I hung up.  That's usually what got her in trouble with Clarita.

"She's not happy about being away from Elliott," Pippa said, still playing with my hair.  Suddenly, she spurted with laughter. 

"What?" I smiled.

"Just thinking about Joey kicking that kid in the balls," she pursed her lips together.  "Good for her."

I rolled my eyes.  I had to admit I was a little proud myself.  My daughter didn't take shit from anybody.  "She can't be kicking people in the balls."

"Not always, but I'm glad she stuck up for herself," she said.

We hung out for a while, then made our way to bed, side by side.  I could get used to this.