Family meeting

"Can we talk?" Karina asks, looking between you and her mother. Mia stands awkwardly by, waiting.

"Of course, dear," Nadia says, and motions to the kitchen.

The four of you take a seat at the kitchen table. It reminds you of last week when you ate breakfast together. How much has changed since then. You share a look with Nadia. What will your daughter say? What is she plotting? Her tears are gone, and she seems calm. Either a good or truly bad sign, you know.

"Mia's mom is kicking her out. Can she live with us?"

The words are a total surprise - you look at her in confusion. She isn't mentioning what happened earlier? You glance at Nadia, who is equally surprised.

"I - um," you start, but Mia interrupts, saying, "Please, I understand if you don't want me here. But my mom said if I don't give her more money then I can't live with her anymore. I can't do it. She's just using it to buy **** - if I can't stay here, I'll go somewhere. I'll pay rent. Whatever you need me to do." Her voice is pleading, and you wonder how she had remained so calm this morning, having this weighing on her conscious. Maybe that was how she stayed calm. Your relationship problems are nothing compared to her real, life-shattering issues.

"How long do you need somewhere to live?" Nadia asks.

"Only until I go to school in the fall. So a couple of months. No more."

Nadia shares a look with you. Your eyes meet. A faint, barely perceptible nod. You agree - after everything you've already done for Mia, you can't abandon her now.

"Of course, dear. You can stay here with us. We're glad to have you," you say.

Mia's anxious face twists into happiness, and she nearly knocks her chair over as she rushes around the table to wrap you in a hug.

"Thank you, thank you!" She darts to Nadia next, wrapping her in a hug. Karina is smiling, her face happy; a far cry from what felt like moments ago. "Thank you, Daddy," she says, while Mia assaults your wife.

"I'll bring my things over today if that's okay?"

"I'll help her," your daughter says.

"Of course, Mia. I can help too, if you need it," Nadia agrees.

You check the time on the stove - almost noon. You need to go to work. You'd love to stay here with the girls, but you do have to leave.

"Okay, well I need to go to work then. I -" you begin, standing from the table.

Karina rises across from you, causing you to pause. "Wait, I'm not done." Okay, here it comes.

"Earlier... when I saw you." Her eyes dart to yours. "I was surprised. And I overreacted." That's probably the closest you're getting to an apology; not that you deserve one. You step around the table and you wrap her in an embrace. She breaths into your chest, before looking up at you. Mia is talking to Nadia in the background. "It was a little weird, but I can't be a hypocrite. By the way, I've missed you this week. Don't forget about me," she whispers so that only you can hear. You gulp.

She breaks away and looks at Nadia, saying: "You're lucky, Mom. You know that, right?"

"More than anything," your wife answers back.

And then Karina and Mia are gone, gone to pack up Mia's meager belongings and bring them to your already crowded home. You sigh. If your dream is to come true, you won't be able to live here much longer. Your thoughts drift to new houses, moving, and other options that are opening before you with the recent changes in your life.