Nita Floyd was late; twenty minutes and thirty five seconds late for a scheduled appointment. Her heels slid on the freshly polished floors and she nearly tumbled face first into the awards case at the end of the hall. When she rounded the corner, she immediately groaned, "Parent -teacher conference," Nita stared at her ex through an incredulous gaze, "Parent being the key word."

Steven Floyd didn't budge and when Nita tried to side step him and move into the reserved room, his hand quickly circled her wrist and held her in place, "Yes Nita, parent is the key word and we all know what a shitty job you've done with both of our children." She did her best not to tremble, sweat, or pass out from sheer terror. Confronting her ex husband always caused long dormant fears to surface. Her children kept her going. They urged her to leave the bed each morning, encouraged on long, sleepless nights when mini research papers were due, and her son and daughter always stirred a rare confidence from deep within her belly. At the moment she was struggling to appear cool, calm, and collected but she knew if she focused on them, she'd rise above Steven's taunts, "Suspension and fraternization with a white boy who just so happens to be a loser, epic parenting skills Ms. Floyd." He dropped her hand like a hot potato and fingers immediately stroked the tender and superficially damaged skin. Some things never changed.

Nita watched as Steven painted on his phony smile and extended his hand to the waiting teacher. She swallowed the breakfast creeping up her throat and threatening expulsion from her mouth at the sight of his poorly played father of the year display. He was an opportunistic asshole. A fact her brother called to attention the day the two first met. In her mind he was the first man to find her beautiful in spite of the extra body weight and the stigma that came with being known as the class brain. She employed little logic when she lay down, spread her legs, and willingly gave up her virginity on the night of her senior prom. She didn't cry once, when eight weeks later, Nita found herself in a cold, white, sterile room, ridding her body of the evidence of that night. She was hooked, convinced; no one else would ever have her. Now she hated everything about him. The full toothed grin that used to be her kryptonite. The unnatural ability he possessed to charm the boxers or thongs off a total stranger. The simple fact that some piece of her still believed it was her inadequacies were to blame for the demise of their relationship and her children's home. She took a deep breath and readied herself to do battle against Steven when she noticed the scrutinizing eye the waiting teacher cast in her ex husband's direction. Her eyebrow elevated and a quiet self reliance slowly bubbled to the surface of her consciousness.

Nash Henry's face softened when his gaze met hers, "Nita, it's really good to see you."

She shook his hand, returning his smile with one equally as genuine, "Wish it could have  been on better terms." She took a seat and immediately poured water from the pitcher in the center of the table and greedily devoured the glass' contents. In the last semester, monthly conferences with Langston Academy's head of the drama department had become common. Deja had been openly defiant with the Mr. Henry and her behavior had proven to be a conundrum. It was plainly obvious she admired the man but for one reason or another she refused to fall in line and adhere to the rules he had dictated. Her latest stunt had almost gotten the man fired. Today's meeting was more of an intervention than a formal hearing, "Before Deja enters I just want to go over a few key points with you," His eyes drifted to the man still standing, "And Mr. Floyd who has decided to grace us with his presence on this rare occasion."

The dig did not go unnoticed by Steven, but before he could unleash a mouthful of hate laced sentences directed at the educator, the intercom buzzed and announced that Deja was waiting in the school's office.

"I adore your child," The teacher slid a pair of readers on his face and opened the file in front of him, "She's extremely talented, ambitious, and in spite of recent events entertaining."

Steven interjected in the midst of Mr. Nash's introduction, "I think Deja should come and live with me." Nita's mouth went dry. She reached for the pitcher only to tip the container on its side and ruin the documents stretched across the meeting table, "She needs a stern disciplinarian," He stood directly behind his ex-wife's chair and placed his hands on her shoulder, "It's okay to admit you can't handle it Nita, everyone wasn't meant to be a wife or mother."

A flip switched and Nita Floyd went from demure corporate America employee to one of the stars of a reality television show about housewives who have lost their minds. She pushed his hands off her body, shot up from the chair, and leveled a finger to his face, "Where have you been for thirteen years Steven, second guessing my every move?" She snatched her purse and keys up from the chair beside her, "You didn't even want Deja or Jackson and now you sit here and drop some sorry assed bullshit about my daughter coming to live with you," His eyes stretched with her words, "That's right, my daughter, you were just the fucking sperm donor." She shook her head, "Level an empty threat like that one more time and I'll show you just how much I can handle."

A sinister grin curved the man's lips, "You can take the girl out of the ghetto," A flattened hand connecting with his check silenced the insult. Steven Floyd's rubbed the patch of skin Nita had eagerly assaulted, "Big mistake Nita."

He stormed from the room and she collapsed in her chair. It was then she realized Mr. Henry was still present and white as a ghost, "I'm sorry Mr..."

The man walked around the table, eyes full of empathy, and his hands motioning for her to be quiet, "Please call me Nash." The tears spilled on to her cheeks and the sobs started seconds later. He shoved a handful of Kleenex at her and did his best to soothe her with a few sporadic pats on the back, "I pegged the asshole the second he walked in this wrong." Her laughter was out of place but a welcome relief to the tension Steven's brief time in the room had created. Nash Henry settled in front of her chair and crossed his legs into an Indian style. His eyes were bright and expressive. His cheeks were rosy and Nita wondered if he had a certain amount of personal experience with unruly ex spouses, "Could I have his number I think he would be perfect for my ex-wife?"

Nita dabbed at the corners of her eyes, "Thank you."

He waved off her token of appreciation, "Trust me I understand," He looked around the room, "How about I get Deja excused for the rest of the day and the two of you go have a cup of coffee, maybe a little girl time, and you get to the bottom of what's really going on with her."

The residual whimpers were subsiding and Nita couldn't deny the teacher's plan had merit, "Sounds like a great idea."

"Okay, wait here and I'll get everything set in order," Mr. Henry jumped up from his spot on the floor and fervently walked towards the door. He paused and turned back to face Nita, "It was a pleasure seeing you again Ms. Floyd."

Her eyes were burning and growing puffier by the second and she was certain she was giving Rudolph a run for his money,but somehow Nita managed to muster what her brother would call the essence of a diva. She fluffed her curls and took to her feet, "You can call me Nita."