Page 20 of All In

“Oh, so you agree it sounded like bullshit?”

“I know it could’ve been explained better.”

“Could’ve been?” she scoffed. “Doc, it read like a court order.”

“You’re right,” he said. “The language was stiff, and that was my bad. I wanted you informed, not overwhelmed.” Jackie tilted her head.

“So, this breakout session isn’t just parenting class by another name?”

“Not unless you volunteer for it.”

She let out a short laugh. “You think you slick.”

“Not slick. Just transparent.” He leaned forward slightly. “I know how it feels when decisions are made about your child without you being included. That’s not how I operate.” He paused.

“You signed a lot of consent forms at your last visit, Jackie. Those are legally binding documents that give me permission to treat Max. I just wanted you informed about your son’s care.”

She shifted in her seat, quiet now because she felt salty.

Here this man is, offering you a seat at the table, and you were ready to flip it over on his ass because you didn’t understand the assignment. Great job, Jackie.She swallowed the embarrassment.

Low key, she owed this man an apology, but he wasn’t getting it today. “You are always this calm when folks come in here with an attitude?” she asked. He shrugged. “It’s not personal. Most people don’t usually come to see me on their best day,” he said, in no rush to fill the silence.

Jackie could feel some of the fight she carried in there start to ease. “I just got a lot going on,” she said finally. “I figured.” He responded, eyes meeting hers before returning to the legal pad he was writing on. She waited for him to ask more. Todig. But he didn’t. Instead, he said, “Let’s just start with Max.”

She exhaled slowly through her nose, arms still crossed. “What about him?”

Najee didn’t answer right away. He tilted his head slightly, like he was trying to find the safest way through her minefield. “Tell me who he is to you.” She frowned. “My son, duh.”

“Obviously,” he said with a faint smile. “But who is Maximus when he’s not fighting in class or shutting down during group activities? Who is Max at home?” Jackie stared at the books behind him, anywhere but his face. “He’s Fat Daddy,” she said finally. “My baby is sweet. Too sweet sometimes. He always inmy face, trying to make me laugh and asking a million questions. And when he aint doing that, he’s showing me YouTube videos of kids opening toys he already got.” She let out a small chuckle, then swallowed it down. “He likes slime. Like… a lot. That sticky-ass kind that gets in everything. His hair, the carpet, my whole damn soul. “That earned a small smile from Najee, but he didn’t interrupt.

“He even got me making it now,” she added.

“Experimenting with new colors, textures, glitter, the whole nine.”

“Wait, you know how to make slime from scratch?” he asked, one brow lifting. Jackie smirked. “Boy, I used to cook crack. I can make a lil’ slime.” Najee blinked, then laughed, quiet but genuine. “That might be the best answer I’ve heard all week.” Jackie tried not to smile but failed.

“Well, don’t put that in your notes, Dr. Nigel.”

“I’m writing it down right now,” he said, pen moving across the page.

“Mother demonstrates adaptive creativity under stress.”She rolled her eyes.

“You really gonna write that?” He looked up, amused. “You’ll never know.”

Their eyes met, just a second too long. And something in her chest shifted. Not enough to name.

And damn sure not enough totrust.But enough tofeel. Just then, the air between them soften before either of them could do anything about it. Jackie broke eye contact first.

Najee cleared his throat. “Sounds like a seven-year-old.”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “He’s a handful. But he’s not a bad kid.” Her voice dropped.

“He’s just… a little boy who misses his brother. That’s all.”

“Marcus Jr.,” Najee said. She nodded. “How long has it been since they saw each other?”

“A little over two years,” she whispered. “His father moved him down South.”