Janine

Hank's only child: Janine. His "pride and joy," exploring life in many ways. An intelligent first grader attending the San Frasnsico Friends School. The stereotype of a child this age is mean, ignorant, and spoiled by parents. No, Janine was never like that. She is still innocently ignorant and spoiled by her father but never mean to other children. She was not a talker but rather quiet and subtle. She did raiser her hand when a question was being directed to the class. She did have a good amount of aqcuaintences and friends among her colleagues, but still quiet and subtle. Hank has always been proud of the qualities in his daughter but what father wouldn't be.

Janine always had the chance to visit her cousins, aunt, and grandparents. They were all very devistated about the late Sophia, her mother, and do not talk about her around Janine. They thought that it would confuse her and hurt her feelings. In class, the children around her would talk about their mothers and how pretty or weird they were. They would talk about what their mothers got them for Christmas or what they cooked for Thanksgiving. Janine would tell her father about these stories during dinner.

" They always talk about them, Daddy. I don't understand what is so great about a 'mother.'" She woiuld say. Hank would only respond with a smile and say, " It is a complicated feeling to understand." It would kill him inside. The only thing he is afraid of is telling his daughter about her mother, that she once had one why she is not here with them. She might already feel left out but she doesn't understand it, yet. He comprehends the necessity of having a mother figure in the family but without one, he did a pretty good job of raising her on his own with the help of Delilah, her aunt.

Hank picked her up from school on a Friday and kept looking at her rear view mirror. She hadn't noticed that he was looking at her while she was looking out the window.

" Are excited about the weekend, darling?"

" I guess, Daddy."

" How about we go attend a movie?"

" I dont want to, daddy. Not this weekend."

" And what is it that you think that you will be doing this weekend, young lady?"

" Nothing. I just don't feel like a movie."

" Is something bothering you? Did anything happen to you in school?"

" I dont wanna talk about ot."

" You know you can always talk to me, don't you?" Hank said while looking at the road.

" Are you going to yell at me if i tell you?"

Hank pulled over the car to the side just before entering the express way.

" Of course, Janine."

" Honest?"

" Yes. Now what happened?"

" It was after lunch and we were playing on the playground. My friends and me-"

" My friends and I, Janine."

" My friends and i sere jumping rope and Jacob ran over and ruined my jump and I almost fell and got a big scratch. Then i called him stupid and then he called you a big blue monster and i pushed him really hard."

" Janine, it is never okay to push, kick, or hit people no matter what they say to you. You ignore them, walk away, or tell the person in charge."

" im sorry daddy. That made me angry and sad. then he went to tell Mrs. Truffis on me and I told her that he started it and he got in trouble."

" I hope that you have learned a valuable lesson. You might have not gotten caught But don't do it again, okay my little muffin?"

" So you arent mad at me?"

" No, I am not."

hank then pulled off and onto the express way while Janine had quickly fallen asleep.