She looked past me toward the reception.
“Why did Dad say nobody would date you?”
I crouched so we were closer to eye level.
“He was being unkind, sweetheart.”
“Why did Dad say nobody would date you?”
She thought about that.
“Edward isn’t your boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Then why did you say he was?”
There are moments when lying to your child would be much easier.
I couldn’t do it.
“Edward isn’t your boyfriend?”
“Because I wanted your dad to think somebody wanted me.”
She frowned.
“But we wanted you here.”
I didn’t answer.
There wasn’t anything to add without making it smaller.
She hugged me.
“But we wanted you here.”
Then somebody called her from the reception, and she ran back.
I stayed crouched for another second.
