Second day down.
Third day: in progress.
"I see that Ms. Jadelyn's the only one in character?" Sikowitz commented.
Mia was babbling happily on the floor, doodling on Tori's unreturned notebook.
I don't know why she likes it on the floor so much.
People could step on her.
But I wouldn't let that happen.
I'd snap that person's neck before they could even think of hovering their foot over Mia's spine.
"That's good. Ms. Jadelyn, I presume you're going to continue this until Friday?" Sikowitz asked.
I nodded.
"That's good to know. And did you tell the tiny little human that the floor she's recently lying down on is dirty?"
I did not think that through.
"Up you go," I exclaimed as I picked her up from the floor.
She squirmed on my lap.
"Mia, hold still," I lightly reprimanded her.
She didn't stop squirming.
"Let me test something," Sikowitz piped up. "You and the little human, up front."
I set her down on the floor, holding her hand as we went on the platform.
"Can she act?"
"I don't know."
Sikowitz grinned.
Demon.
"Let's see," He said. "Beck, up front."
"Yes, sir," He made his way over to me, kissing me lightly on the lips.
"No PDA in front of the little human."
He grimaced.
I smirked.
Mia made her way in front of Beck.
She raised her arms up.
Grinning, he picked her up, blowing a raspberry on her cheek.
He saw me doing that to her yesterday.
She squealed.
The rest of the class was grinning like fools.
"We're going to do good parent, bad parent."
You did not just go there, Sikowitz.
She doesn't understand all of this yet.
"Ms. Jadelyn, you'll be playing the bad parent. Beck, good parent."
I did not want to do this.
I had to explain to her that this was all pretend.
"Someone suggest a scene!" Sikowitz called out.
Mia was oblivious to everything.
She was playing with Beck's promise ring hanging around his neck.
"She could be having a nightmare." Robbie suggested.
"Something simpler, please? Little human's only . . . what, like three, four years old?"
Thank you, Sikowitz.
"She fell down the monkey bars." Eli said from the back.
"Alright. I'll give you two some moments to explain everything to little human there," Sikowitz said.
He slurped loudly from the coconut.
Beck and I huddled by the corner.
Mia was still in his arms.
"Mia, we're going to play a game." I told her.
She smiled hugely.
"You're going to pretend that you fell down the monkey bars," Beck explained.
She nodded her head as she took it in.
"Do I has to cry?"
She cocked her head to the side.
"If you want to. I'm going to be mean, but it's only for pretend, okay?" I clarified.
I did not want her holding a grudge against me.
"Okay."
Tori, Andre, Cat and Eli were doing another improv skit to kill time while we're discussing.
"And I'm going to pretend to be your dad. I'll be really good to you." Beck said.
He bounced her lightly.
"I call you daddy?" She asked him.
I answered for him.
"Just for now. So are you ready?"
Smiling hugely, she nodded her head.
Beck put her down.
"Go over to the other side of the stage, Mia. We'll come over to you when you call us, okay? And remember, this is all pretend. I'm not really angry or mean to you."
I couldn't help but remind her again and again.
Paranoid.
Mia went to the edge of the platform, by the window.
Beck and I were sitting down on the edge.
His arm was around me.
I wish I could tell him now.
"Action!"
Mia fell to her knees.
Her face was dejected.
Tears were starting to well up in her eyes.
You're doing so well, baby girl.
"Hey, do you know that—" Beck tried talking to me.
And then I heard her.
My God.
This was a bad idea.
I can't be bad parent now.
"Mommy, daddy," She whimpered, clutching her knee.
Beck shot me a worried glance.
My expression was blank.
"She's calling us. She fell!" Beck told me.
Mia was still crying.
"She'll get up eventually," My voice held no emotion. "Kids bounce back fast."
"We have to help her," Beck said, tugging my hand.
He was making me stand up.
I was paralyzed.
I can't do this.
Beck made his way to Mia.
He genuflected, and then sat Mia on his knee.
I shot Sikowitz a dirty look.
Please stop the scene.
Please.
"Daddy, I fell," She buried his face in his neck.
"Honey, come here," Beck motioned for me to come near him.
I did.
For a moment, he caught my apprehension.
"Do you have a first aid kit?"
He was inspecting her knee.
"Do I look like a hospital to you?" I tried hiding my flinch. "It's just a scrape, it'll heal fast."
Mia looked at me.
She looked genuinely hurt.
Baby, it's just pretend.
"Come on, sweetheart, breathe through it," Beck told Mia, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and patting it over her knee.
Stop the scene.
Please.
"I want mommy," She whimpered, clutching at Beck's collar.
Beck looked up at me.
"She wants you," He repeated her request.
Stop the scene.
"She's going to have to suck it up if she wants to get through life."
Flinch.
"It's going to be okay now," Beck said, kissing her knee.
He set Mia on the floor before standing up.
He looked angry.
"She's just a child!" He all but yelled. "It doesn't hurt to show her a little compassion once in a while!"
Stop the scene.
Please.
"I don't care! I told you, she'll be fine!"
My voice almost cracked.
Mia looked at me again.
I could tell.
She thought I wasn't pretending anymore.
"And scene," Sikowitz said, standing up from his chair. "Very good. Even little human."
I moved over to Mia to pick her up.
Hurt.
"Mia, you were really goo—" I was cut off.
She shook her head as she hid behind Beck.
Horror.
Tears continued to stream down her face.
"Mia . . ."
I tried to pry her off of Beck's jeans.
Iron grip.
I will not cry.
I stood up from my crouching position.
"I have to go,"
I was headed for the door.
I put my hand over my mouth to stop my sobs from spilling.
I slammed the door behind me.
And then I ran.
Just so you know, Beck's point of view is coming up next chapter. Even though this is a Jade centered story, it helps telling the story if seen in another person's point of view.
Please do tell me what you think. God bless!