"Girls can't have girlfriends," the little blond boy said.
"Yes, they can," Cat said, vehemently.
"Nuh uh," the boy argued back. "Boys have girlfriends and girls have boyfriends."
"Well Jade is my girlfriend and I don't care what you say," Cat said with finality, stomping her right foot, then grabbing Jade by the wrist and hauling her away.
Later that day, at home, Cat walked to her mom, who was sitting at the table, working on some papers. "Mom," Cat said, catching her mother's attention.
"Hmm?" her mother asked.
"Can girls have girlfriends?" Cat asked.
Mrs. Valentine chuckled. "Yes, they can," she answered.
"Cause a boy at school said they couldn't, but I said they could," Cat explained.
The woman smiled at her daughter, who was clearly, to her, a smart, persistent little girl. "Well you were right, girls can have girlfriends, boys can have boyfriends, and sometimes they can have boyfriends and girlfriends." Her mom said, then, smiling, wiggled a pointed index finger. "But not at the same time."
Cat smiled and asked, "What do they do?"
Mrs. Valentine smiled again, amused at her daughter's inquisitiveness. The redhead was a well of questions and curiosity. "Well. . . they hold hands and share special things they don't share with anyone else," she answered.
Cat beamed. "That's what Jade and I do!" Cat exclaimed happily.
Her mother chuckled. "Jade?" she asked curiously.
"Yes, she's my girlfriend," Cat answered matter-of-factly and skipped off to her room to play.
Mrs. Valentine chuckled again and shook her head, amused, wondering if Cat knew what she was talking about.