"Mathilda Grace!" Harm didn't waist any time letting Mattie know he was
upset. If she kept pissing off her English teacher, he was going to get
annoyed very quickly.
On the other side of the door, Mattie quickly looked up from the book she was reading. "Jennifer—"
"Oh no. Don't you even expect me to answer the door. I am not that dumb!" Staying put, Jenn waited for Mattie to let her guardian in.
"Please? Jenn, I promise—I'll do dishes for the next week!"
Hearing the debate from outside the door, only managed to irritate Harm more. "Would someone let me in? Coates, I'll be over your six too..."
"Two weeks and you got a deal." Seeing Mattie nod quickly, Jennifer reluctantly opened the door, avoiding eye contact with Harm.
"Thank you Coates," Harm offered half a smile in Jennifer's direction and stalked across the room to where Mattie was avoiding him.
"I got a call at work today. Again. Do I need to tell you who it was from?"
"Harm it wasn't my fault!" Adjusting herself a little higher in her chair to emphasize her point, Mattie continued. "She asked us to write a paper about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote about wanting to go into the Navy and she wrote back that I needed to set my goals higher. I do not need to set my goals higher! I know exactly what I want! She has no right to tell me whether or not I can go into the Navy!"
Harm leveled her with a look, "But you have the right to tell her to kiss you're @$$? What have I told you about watching your language, young lady?"
"I know, I know and I am sorry. But, I am not just going to sit back and let her ruin my dreams." Softening a bit, Mattie rubbed a tear away from her eye. In typical Mattie fashion, she mumbled, "Now see what you've done."
"Mattie, look at me..." Waiting for his young charge to make eye contact, Harm paused. "Mattie, she has no right to tell you what you can and can't do. However, even if she does, you don't have to listen to it. Eleanor Roosevelt said, 'No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.' When she says stuff like that, blow it off as her being a lonely woman who goes home and plays with her cats. Most likely, she has no ambitions—no dreams that she feels she can pursue."
"I know what I need to do. I just get so caught up in the moment—and then I feel like I have to give the last word. I hate losing."
Giving a typical Harm grin, he responded, "I know, kiddo. Trust me, I know." Braving a glance, Mattie questioned. "So... am I still in trouble?"
"Umm that would be an affirmative. Just because we talked about it doesn't mean there aren't still consequences. The times I wish I could have just *talked* my way out of a situation..." Harm shook his head, trying to avoid the memories. His cell phone ringing broke him out of his reverie. However, before he answered it, he managed to respond, pointing at Mattie, "Brig ti—I mean, grounded. Two weeks." With one last fly-boy smile he added, "on top of those dishes you owe Coates!"
Taking his phone down to his apartment, Harm took care of business still shocked at the similarities between his and Mattie's personalities.
On the other side of the door, Mattie quickly looked up from the book she was reading. "Jennifer—"
"Oh no. Don't you even expect me to answer the door. I am not that dumb!" Staying put, Jenn waited for Mattie to let her guardian in.
"Please? Jenn, I promise—I'll do dishes for the next week!"
Hearing the debate from outside the door, only managed to irritate Harm more. "Would someone let me in? Coates, I'll be over your six too..."
"Two weeks and you got a deal." Seeing Mattie nod quickly, Jennifer reluctantly opened the door, avoiding eye contact with Harm.
"Thank you Coates," Harm offered half a smile in Jennifer's direction and stalked across the room to where Mattie was avoiding him.
"I got a call at work today. Again. Do I need to tell you who it was from?"
"Harm it wasn't my fault!" Adjusting herself a little higher in her chair to emphasize her point, Mattie continued. "She asked us to write a paper about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote about wanting to go into the Navy and she wrote back that I needed to set my goals higher. I do not need to set my goals higher! I know exactly what I want! She has no right to tell me whether or not I can go into the Navy!"
Harm leveled her with a look, "But you have the right to tell her to kiss you're @$$? What have I told you about watching your language, young lady?"
"I know, I know and I am sorry. But, I am not just going to sit back and let her ruin my dreams." Softening a bit, Mattie rubbed a tear away from her eye. In typical Mattie fashion, she mumbled, "Now see what you've done."
"Mattie, look at me..." Waiting for his young charge to make eye contact, Harm paused. "Mattie, she has no right to tell you what you can and can't do. However, even if she does, you don't have to listen to it. Eleanor Roosevelt said, 'No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.' When she says stuff like that, blow it off as her being a lonely woman who goes home and plays with her cats. Most likely, she has no ambitions—no dreams that she feels she can pursue."
"I know what I need to do. I just get so caught up in the moment—and then I feel like I have to give the last word. I hate losing."
Giving a typical Harm grin, he responded, "I know, kiddo. Trust me, I know." Braving a glance, Mattie questioned. "So... am I still in trouble?"
"Umm that would be an affirmative. Just because we talked about it doesn't mean there aren't still consequences. The times I wish I could have just *talked* my way out of a situation..." Harm shook his head, trying to avoid the memories. His cell phone ringing broke him out of his reverie. However, before he answered it, he managed to respond, pointing at Mattie, "Brig ti—I mean, grounded. Two weeks." With one last fly-boy smile he added, "on top of those dishes you owe Coates!"
Taking his phone down to his apartment, Harm took care of business still shocked at the similarities between his and Mattie's personalities.