My daughter was "going to school" every morning... then her teacher called me to tell me that she had skipped classes for a whole week, so I followed her the next morning.

"You gave him the space he needed to breathe."

I felt the corner of my mouth tighten upwards. "Team problem-solving. Let's start there."

Emily turned away, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Are you done negotiating my life?"

Mark laughed and raised his hands. "For today, little one. For today."

She rolled her eyes, but as she got into my car to go home and rest before the "fallout" started, I saw a genuine smile brush across her face.

"Have you finished negotiating my life?"

***

By the end of the week, things weren't perfect, but they were better. The counselor had changed Emily's schedule so she wasn't in the same English or gym classes as the main group of girls. Formal warnings were given.

Most importantly, the three of us started communicating more openly.

We realized that even if the world was in chaos, we didn't all have to be. We simply had to make sure we were all on the same side.