Janey had to admit she was relieved to know that wasn't her daughter's blood on her fist. It meant her hand wasn't broken and that she'd given those boys a hell of a beating. There was something like pride welling up inside her. She couldn't tell her that though. She didn't want Valerie fighting and potentially getting hurt. Her hands gently cupped her daughter's face as her eyes developed that motherly look, the one that suggested she was looking over her baby for the slightest bruise or cut that wasn't there before this all happened.
"I believe you, baby girl," Janey said and kissed Valerie's forehead. "But I don't want you fighting anymore." She tucked some loose strands of Valerie's hair behind her ears. She was so much like Toni in spirit sometimes that it scared her half to death. She may have been the spitting image of her mother, but it was her father whom she took after always. "Stay here, okay? I'm gonna go talk to Mrs. Sullivan." And hopefully beg her not to suspend her or at the very least have her serve detention in Janey's class.