Maribel acts like she ain't seen me in a month when I come in the door, all runnin' from across the classroom to hug me, and when I ask her about it she kinda shrugs and says, "I dunno, guess I was just happy t' see you."
She's been actin' like this for a while, kinda listless and clnging onto me. I thought at first maybe she was just gettin' older and as such changin' in her personality, but now I ain't so sure. Maybe she's just in a mood. That happens to girls, don't it? So I smile at her in the car seat next to me and tell her,
"I think we're gonna stop and get ice cream. You want some?"
She kinda nods, lookin' out the window. Finally, she says,
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?" I reply.
"I don't wanna go to daycare no more." Ah, so that's it. Probably some kid's bein' mean to her, or she's goin' through a phase where she thinks it's babyish to go to a daycare with kids as young as two-month-old babies. I was scared for a moment, thinkin' of what I think about Antonio bein' a bad sorta person, but I 'spose it's just the daycare she don't like.
"Well you gotta, 'cuz six ain't old enough fer you to be at home alone. I know I wasn't left alone ever when I was that little." I tell Maribel. I glance over at her, sulkin' against the window, and ask, "Anyway, why don't you wanna go? Don't'cha wanna play with yer friends every day?"
"I jus' don't." She says, "And 'sides, I ain't allowed to say why even if I was gonna."
That makes my blood run cold. Why wouldn't Maribel be able to tell me why she don't wanna go to daycare? Maybe the bullies are bigger kids who threatened her real bad. I resolve to ask for a conference with Antonio to make sure she ain't bein' bullied no more.
Antonio is sittin' at the table with me and Nat, smilin' in his usual way. Lovino, his assistant, is sittin' there too, holdin' a sleepin' baby.
"So, J.G.," Antonio starts, "why did you want to come see me about?"
I cross my arms. "I think Maribel's bein' bullied. Prob'ly by bigger kids." Antonio looks concerned, as does Lovino, but I think that might be 'cuz the baby just woke and started whimperin' in the way of a kid who's gonna cry. Lovino leaves the table, mutterin' sorry, he's kinda pissy when he just woke up as he does.
"Really? What did she say?" Antonio asks.
"She'd been actin' kinda out of it so I asked her what was wrong. She said she don't wanna go to the daycare no more, and when I asked why she said she ain't gonna tell me and ain't allowed to even if she was." I lean forward on the table, "So I think some bigger kid was bein' terrible to her and told her to not tell or else."
"I'll keep an eye on her, and the bigger kids too, okay?" Antonio agrees. "On that note, since it's nearly summertime again, would Maribel like to be in the summer daycamp this year?"
Antonio hosts this daycamp for girls five to ten durin' the summer. It's a lot more wholesome than the stupid Girl Scouts Maribel and her friends go to now. They let a lil' boy in just 'cuz he said he felt more like a girl and the Boy Scouts were bein' mean. I ain't never heard of such a thing, a lil' kid just decidin' they don't like what they were born as so becomin' somethin' else. 'Sides, what does he know about who he is, bein' all of seven?
"Yes, Maribel'll go to the camp." I tell him.
"Does she want to be in mine or Lovi's group?" I don't really trust Lovino, mostly 'cuz he's I-talian and as such probably in the mafia. I bet he's even a mob boss. I don't want my kid around that, so I just say,
"Yours, of course."
"Alright. I'll put her on the records. And I'll keep an eye on her. Maribel's very cute and smart, and she certainly doesn't deserve to be treated badly!"
Good. Hopefully Maribel's opinion on daycare will improve if she ain't bein' bullied.
