“How’s Maddie taking all of this?” Erin can read my mind.
“I don’t know. It’s like this is all normal to her. She was talking to me about all the shit they do there in the club. She was talking about sex like it was no big deal and that women in the club were basically treated like whores. Oh, and cocaine and drinking. It’s like this is what every 10 year old lives through. She has no concept that this isn’t okay.”
Erin looks at me and places a hand upon my shoulder. I’m in over my head, and she can sense that. I always care too much about my students, but this is different. This student actually needs me, and I need to know she’s okay. After reviewing everything she has said to me, I just want to go back there and kidnap her.
“But what about her dad? I mean, you said you thought he was a good father, that he cared about her and her schoolwork. He may live in a crappy home, but at least he’s watching out for her.”
Erin has a point, a point I have wrestled with since day one. But today’s events have got me thinking about it in a whole new light. “That’s the thing, Erin. I thought he was a good father, but when I asked Maddie about food, she said he never cooks for her. They go out for takeout all the time. Even today, he was doing a run or a route or something at that repair shop off the highway and he brought her some fried chicken crap…”
Erin has totally fazed me out about half way through. She stands, grabbing her phone. I watch as she scrolls quickly through it before turning back to me, “What repair shop, Michelle?”
“Uh, I think it’s called Chris’ Repair Shop or something like that. It’s that beat up old place off of Exit 48. It’s like a drug supplier or something. I don’t know…Why?”
She hands me her phone where she has pulled up our local newspaper. In the middle of the screen is an image of a mess of fire, smoke, and wood crumbling towards the ground. I press play on a video to see the place crumbling to the ground, sending a ball of fire in the air as it lands on a row of cars. Paramedics are on the scene treating a firefighter and later, it cuts to more bodies being wheeled out on stretchers.
A serious female voice begins the news report, “Just this in at Cable 3 News: a large fire burned down one of Washington City’s oldest businesses. Outside the building, four men requiring medical assistance were taken to area trauma centers with non-burn related injuries and two firefighters suffered smoke inhalation and were treated on sight. Police and fire crews worked for several hours but have managed to contain the flames, which are believed to have been started by a fuel tank leak and a lighter. Fire investigative teams are on the scene and are looking to speak with the owner of the building who is reported missing from his home outside Washington City.”
I put the phone down slowly and place my head in my hands. Erin shakes me back to life, “Michelle, if Cal did this, we have to tell someone! We have to call the police!”
I look at her frantic, upset face. She has no idea what she is saying, “Erin, we can’t do that. If we rat on them, we’re as good as dead. And we have no way of knowing or proving that this had anything to do with Cal.”
“Fine, but you can’t let that little girl stay there with those -- those -- those arsonists!” She’s pacing back and forth on the carpet, ranting. “We have to call the police about that. We have to.”
“No, I won’t.” I place my arms across my chest defiantly. “I can’t do it, Erin. Maddie is safer there than she is anywhere else. I know you don’t understand, but it’s of no use.”
Erin picks up her phone and begins typing away. When she is done, she hands me back the phone with a list of numbers and addresses. “Michelle, that girl cannot be in that home. If you don’t call and have them taken away, I will. The best thing you can do for her is be the one who reports it so you can be sure she is safe and taken care of.”
I bite my lip, unsure of how to proceed. We’re walking on such a fine line. What she’s suggesting is having a daughter snatched away from her father. I’ve seen it happen countless times as a teacher, and I know that something like this will destroy a girl like Maddie. She’d be bounced around from house to house, from system to system while Cal tries to prove he’s a good guy with a stable home. It’ll be years before this clears up and who knows what kind of life either of them will lead during that time.