Heptadecagon

I walk into the kitchen after dropping the girls off at school. Melina stands near the kitchen counter, her eyes brimming with tears as she fights to keep it all together. "What's the matter?" I ask her. I have to wonder what the heck could have gone wrong in the six minutes I've been gone. Right before I left, she'd been happily reading her book. "I don't like this part of my shirt." She reaches inside her T-shirt and pulls on the back of the appliqu é . "It's scratching me." "Okay, well, you can leave it like that or you can go change your shirt." I feel like spitting my words. The cat had me up early. I'm too tired to deal with a this issue today. "But I like this shirt." She blinks away a few tears. "I know, but I can't do anything about it now. Either wear it or don't. You need to get to school." I don't roll my eyes, even though I'm tempted, because I don't want Mel...