The Coach's Daughter

Chapter 29

As the new week began, my father went back to work as a counselor at the high school. He still couldn't fully coach the team yet, so I was still helping out with practices and games.

The boys had another game on Friday I coached. My father sat in the bleachers again, wanting to see me coach again. The team won the game just like their first.

Weeks started going by; school was becoming more routine, it was the middle of the boys' soccer season, my father was finally feeling better, I had become really good friends with Haley, who Alex still had yet to ask out, and Charlie and my writing project was almost due.

Charlie and I dating has stayed a secret, but it's becoming harder. We're growing closer, and I know Charlie is anxious to tell everyone. It's not making it any easier for him that random boys at school keep flirting with me. He can barely hold his anger in when that happens.

So my dad wouldn't get suspicious about Charlie and I hanging out so much, we used our English project as an excuse. We mostly worked at his house, where I got closer to his family. Especially Dani. She had started talking to me more, sharing things with me that had happened during the day.

It was Saturday, and I was over at Charlie's house, "working on our English project." Charlie was outside with Jasper, while I stayed inside with Dani. Mr. and Mrs. Baker had to work today, so we were babysitting them.

Dani and I were playing Candy Land on the floor in the living room. Dani was reaching for her piece when I saw a dark shape on the underside of her arm.

"Dani, can I see your arm?" I questioned.

She held her arm out for me, and I gently took her wrist in my hand, and turned her arm over. There was a dark bruise. I gasped when I saw the bruise in the shape of fingers.

"Dani, how did you get these?" I asked softly.

Dani was looking down, staring at the game board. "I-I accidentally broke Mommy's vase and she was holding my arm and yelling at me," she whispered.

"Does- does that happen a lot?"

"Sometimes," she nodded. My heart broke. She wasn't even in school yet, and she was already getting bullied. And by her mother.

"Does anybody else know this happens?" I asked her.

Dani shook her head, "No."

I could feel my eyes watering. "Dani, do you wanna go outside and play with Charlie and Jasper?"

"Yeah," she replied, nodding eagerly.

"Okay," I smiled. "Go out there and I'll clean the game up."

"Okay. Thanks Anna!" She said, running out of the house.

Once she was outside, I buried my face in my hands and cried. She was being abused. A little 5 year old girl.

I finished crying and put the game away. I went into the bathroom and splashed water on my face. I dried my face and stared at myself in the mirror.

What am I gonna do? I thought, Do I tell Charlie? No, not yet, I decided. I need to let this sink in first. I walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. It was about lunchtime, and the twins needed to eat. I looked inside the cabinets, and found a box of macaroni and cheese. I started to boil a pan of water on the stove, adding the noodles and cheese when necessary.

Once the macaroni and cheese was done, I pulled out four bowls and forks, filling the bowls with the macaroni. I set it on the table, along with napkins.

I opened the back door, and saw Jasper and Dani tackling Charlie to the ground.

"Hey," I called out, "You guys hungry? I made mac and cheese."