Disciplinary Action/Disciplinary Office/First Quarter/Janne/Yes+/Begin
“So,” you say, breaking the nervous silence in the room, “your… uhh… ‘mother?’” you look over to the older woman, getting a nod, “yeah, your mother tells me you had something you wanted to talk about? What’s going on?”
Diya immediately goes beat red and folds her hands in front of her, shrinking back a few steps in shame.
“Diya,” her “mother” beside you says, “we talked about this. You’re going to have to be confident and talk to Mr. Gardner about this. Don’t be afraid.”
The 12 year old, still dressed in her school uniform, nods and seem to swallow hard before taking a step forward, after which she puts on a smile and makes herself look you directly in the eye if only for a second before her eyes dart off to the side again. “Umm…” she halts, immediately seeming to lose her nerve, increasing your curiosity in what it could be that she’s trying to say which would create this much hesitation.
“It’s Ok dear,” her “mom,” the younger woman, Janne, standing beside her says as she places a supporting hand between Diya’s shoulders. Despite them both being women, it is quite clear that Mariette is very much taking on the role of the father in this situation where as Janne seems to be the more traditional mother. The combination of roles seems to do its job too as Diya seems to pull encouragement from her “mom” in order to more effectively do what she was told by her “mother.”
“So… umm…” Diya begins, not really looking you in the eyes this time but still looking a little more confident. “You said when you made me wear pajamas last week that it was because I was being punished for something Luana did, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And… uhh… you made her give you her underwear for her part of the punishment, right?”
“Yes,” you confirm for her again and starting to have a good inkling as to what direction this conversation may be going.
“So… umm… would… If I gave you my underwear, would Luana be able to wear pajamas instead?” She asks.
Thought so. But, unfortunately, the rules don’t actually work that way. Or rather, that’s not how it’s written in the guidelines.