Eric didn't know what to do. The desire to help Andie was intense, but he had no idea where to start. Should he sit with her and help her with her studies? He shook his head at his own suggestion. She wouldn't need his help, she's probably smarter than him. She's just being lazy. So, he would just sit there and make sure she was studying. That sounded awful to him. And he didn't have the time.

Perhaps if he spoke with her, and directly explained that she couldn't do this to herself, to her future; remind her how important it was to her mother that she succeed in her education and go on to do great things.

It was a conversation that would likely end with both of them in tears as they considered everything their parents would have wanted for them, and how disappointed in them they would be if they could see them right now. Andie was doing poorly in school and Eric was screwing up Andie.

Pulling into the driveway and shutting the car off, his eyes wandered up through the windshield and into the big blue sky above.

What would you do, dad, Eric wondered? His father was direct, but gentle in his deliveries. Could Eric do the same?

Lacking all faith in himself required to approach Andie on the matter of her grades and the secrets she kept, he fished his phone from the pocket of jeans and called the only person he thought could help.

After three rings, John's voice sounded through.

"If you're calling to ask me if I would like a home made lunch, the answer is yes."

"Sorry to disappoint, I haven't been to the store since last Thursday and I'm lacking meals as well."

"Christ, bud. I was kidding. Go to the store and feed that kid in your house."

"Yeah, about that kid..." Eric fell into the explanation of the phone call he received, the voicemail left behind, and the conversation with the counselor. "I'm trying to think of what my dad might do in this position, but I honestly can't recall having ever fucked up badly enough in school to receive any reprimand from him," Eric went on to explain. "And while Andie hasn't exactly fucked up that badly, she's basically on her way if she keeps up this weird behavior... I dunno, man," Eric sighed. "I'm worried about her. I'm afraid I did this."

"Listen, it's tough keeping up with homework, isn't it?"

"For sure."

"So just help her carve out the time. Maybe you could study with her? You've got your own work I'm sure, so why not suggest that she sit with you at the table and then hammer out some studies together?"

"That's actually a very good idea, John."

"Now, about the secret-keeping..."

"Yeah, I don't even know where to begin with that one. I walked into the school looking like a total ass all because Andie didn't feel inclined to tell me that I was needed for anything. I thought that maybe it was my fault, that perhaps I wasn't very approachable, but I'm just so frustrated with her right now that I'm having a hard time taking all the blame."

"You may be difficult to approach, but I agree, man. She had school requirements that needed your attention, and now she's put you and herself on the radar for concern because she didn't share the requirements with you."

"Maybe she just forgot..."

"C'mon, Andie doesn't forget anything."

"I guess you're right. She seems very determined in everything she does, as if she's thought it out thoroughly ahead of time. So, I have no right to be frustrated with her if all of this was due to her inability to approach me because I repelled her for so long," Eric sighed. "God, I feel like an ass."

"Look, regardless of the reason why, she can't do it anymore, right?"

"Right."

"Right—she's got to keep you in the loop. So, communicate that with her, and then I'm sure it won't happen again. She doesn't want to disappoint, so you're not going to see any argument or resentment from her when you bring it up."

"Fair enough. Hey, thanks again."

"You bet."

The call ended, and Eric exited his car, feeling more confident than before. He would approach Andie on the subject as soon as she came home, and he would discuss the problem of her grades gently, expressing his concerns, and then they could brainstorm together methods to keep this from happening again. Once that was out of the way, he will just as gently tell her how imperative it is that she keep him involved in her school requirements.

Feeling good about his plan and looking forward to talking and connecting with Andie, Eric made a grocery list and headed back out to collect all the ingredients necessary for the meal he had in mind tonight.

Tonight things would start to improve for them, Eric thought to himself. Tonight he would make sure Andie knew that he cared about her; something that was new to him, but true nonetheless, and he hoped she would believe him when he showed her all of his efforts.

When Andie came through the door, she looked tired. Not in a lack-of-sleep sense of tired, but a deep and emotional tired that said she had unearthed a whole lot of problems with the school's counselor and didn't have any solution for any of them.

Eric knew the feeling. He didn't understand why some people attended therapy. You're just dragging every godawful thing in your life to the surface of your emotions, after working so hard to keep them pressed way the fuck down so you didn't have to feel them, all for the possibility that someone might just say the right things to bring it all into persective.

He shook his head just thinking about Andie having to explain how tragically miserable she was at home because her parents were dead and her step-brother hated her.

Pushing aside the self-hate that loathed at him for his behavior, Eric gave Andie a smile when she looked up and spotted him in the kitchen. She didn't say anything as the backpack slipped off her shoulder and landed unceremoniously on the couch.

"Hey," Eric greeted her as she approached.

"Hey," Andie replied with little emotion. She pulled one of the barstools out from beneath the counter and slid into it. Her elbows immediately landed on the surface top and her chin dropped to her hands.

"How was school?"

She shrugged. "The same as usual."

"Boring?"

"Pretty much."

"I thought you liked school?"

"I thought I did too."

"What changed?"

"My parents died."

Her blunt response had Eric frowning. Andie wasn't usually this... depressed.

"You've been talking to your school counselor," Eric said as he started prepping a cutting board with a knife and some vegetables. Andie lifted her chin, clearly taken off guard by how her step-brother knew of her conversation with Scott Graham. "He called me today," Eric went on to explain. "Your teachers have been worried about you... supposedly you've been less focused in class?"

He hadn't meant to come off so commanding and...adult. But a pretty blush bloomed across her cheeks in response.

"What's got you so distracted?"

Andie's blush deepened.

"Your counselor informed me that there were several affairs amongst your school that I was meant to attend. He also showed me your latest scores..."

Eric truly didn't find himself so parental in that moment, yet Andie squirmed in her seat as if he were scolding her until his breath ran out.

"Can you tell me what's going on, Andie?"

She shrugged, nervously this time.

"Andie," Eric sighed, putting down his knife, pushing aside the cutting board, and leaning his elbows onto the counter. "What should I do here? You're not doing well in school, you're not trying to do well in school, and you're keeping things from me. What was the point in any of that anyway? What was the point in keeping me from attending your school registration? Or signing your field trip slips? Do you want to look neglected? Because that's what everyone at your school thinks right now."

Andie shook her head in response to his question, but didn't speak up about anything else. Eric focused on sighing again and calming his elevating emotions that still felt frustrated from before.

"Listen, I know I haven't been doing a very good job around here. I'm going to do doing better, Andie. But I need you to meet me half way. Can you do that?" He gentled his tone significantly and that seemed to help Andie's anxieties because she stopped squirming in her seat and made eye contact as she nodded with him. "Here's what we're going to do," he continued. "I have homework just like you do. So every day, either before or after dinner, you and I will sit down together and bang out our assignments until they're complete. Does that sound fair?"

Andie nodded again, and feeling significantly lighter in his chest, Eric sighed in relief before concealing it with a firm nod.

"Good. Now, why don't you sit down at the table and get started. These veggies have to sit in some seasoning for awhile, so I'll come over and study with you until you're all finished. Do you have much today?"

"No, just a little."

Eric nodded again. "Okay."

He returned to chopping the vegetables, watching as Andie slipped from the bar stool and immediately retrieved her backpack and relocated to the table. From the kitchen he could see her, and he studied her as she prepped her notebooks and books.

He couldn't help but smile to himself; shaking his head ever-so-slightly as he was once again reminded of what a good girl Andie was. She could have argued or gotten defensive when he addressed her, but she didn't.

She was a good girl.

...for a little while at least.

It was a Wednesday when he received another call from Andie's school. This time it was in regards to incomplete assignments. Without thinking, he argued with the teacher, informing her that he was keeping well-track of his ward's assignments, sitting with her every evening as she did her homework.

"Well, she isn't doing all of it," the teacher had replied with a venom that made Eric's blood boil.

No, this was all wrong, he told himself. Andie was a good girl, she wasn't lying to him, there was a mistake. He told the teacher, but when his defenses got him nowhere, he hung up the phone and immediately started chewing on his nails.

Things between him and Andie had been good lately. They spent more time together, they ate meals together; there was a bond growing between them. Andie seemed happier. There was no way she had only been doing part of her assignments.

"Andie," Eric addressed her the second she got home. "You've been lying to me about your homework assignments?"

When she had come through the front door, Eric told her that they needed to speak. So, they were seating in the living room; her on one couch, him on the other. She looked nervous immediately and Eric wondered if the teacher had communicated with Andie that her guardian would be notified of her incomplete homework.

Andie offered a small shrug in reply to Eric's question, but he shook his head at her. "No more shrugs, I want a verbal response from you, and 'I don't know' doesn't count. Have you or have you not been skipping out on some of your assignments?"

"A little bit..."

"Andie," Eric sighed, burying his face in his hands. "Why?"

"I don't know."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? How do we combat this? And how will I ever know that you're telling me the truth?"

"I'm sorry..." Andie responded softly, her voice truly guilt-ridden as if she hated having disappointed him.

"I just..." Eric lifted his head, shaking his head, absolutely baffled. "I don't know what to do here, Andie. What should I do? Ground you? I don't know."

Andie frowned at the floor for a long moment, squirming in her seat ever-so-slightly before gently responding.

"You could spank me."