The next day I got home from work to an argument. My shift had ended slightly early, and I was glad when I approached the house and could hear raised voices from easily half a block away.

One of them was Kanesha’s. I quickened my pace. The other voice was a male voice, one I wasn’t familiar with.

I didn’t bother to disguise my approach, but I made note of the car that was parked outside. It was unfamiliar, but I stopped to write down the number before hurrying inside.

“No. You are coming with me.”

“Who says?” I called up the stairs. The man turned. He was dark, older, and…

…I could see it immediately. He was Kanesha’s father, whom I’d thought was gone from her life. Actually, I thought he was in jail.
“She’s my girl. She’s coming back with me, and no white chick is going to have anything to say about it.”

“You aren’t even supposed to be here.”

“I got out, didn’t I?”

He didn’t seem, to me, to be all that threatening. I couldn’t remember what he was in prison for.

“You may be out, but you don’t have custody.” Her voice was softer now. “Please. Leave. I will call the police.”

“The day a girl calls the police on her own father…” He tailed off, then glared at me. “You. Get out of my sight.”

I hit 911 on the phone in my pocket, left the line open. “This is my home and her home. You’re trespassing, sir. We aren’t supposed to even have men in here.”

“She’s coming with me. Get out of my way.” At that point, he grabbed Kanesha.

A moment later, he was flat on the ground. “You might have warned him first.”

She grinned. “I did.”

“I have a line open to 911.” I was going to be a frequent flyer again.

“Good. Maybe they can come collect the trash.” She smiled. “He was told he was never getting custody back, even if he did get out before I was eighteen.”

“What did he do, anyway?” I tugged out the phone. “Sorry. We have somebody here who shouldn’t be here. Trespassing. Assault.” I rattled off the address. Maybe he’d run before they got here, although he would find that hard right now.

Kanesha had one high heel on him in the classic wrestling defeat pose.