Q & A 8
"Auntie Dawn, does mommy have a job?" She stood next to the computer, where her aunt was struggling with copious notes and a deadlined assignment.
"Yes, honey. Mommy has a job. She goes out every night. You know that." She rifled through her note cards.
"Does daddy have a job?"
"Daddy helps mommy. That's why they go out together. They work for some people in England, who finally pay your mommy, now that daddy and Uncle Giles had a nice talk with them."
"What does mommy do?"
She put down the notes. "I told you before, Meredith. Mommy is sort of like a police man. She helps people."
"Oh, yeah." She tried to climb onto her aunt's lap.
"Honey, I know I'm supposed to be watching you, but I have a big assignment due tomorrow. Want me to put on your Elmo tape?"
"No. I want to be with you." She put her arms around an exasperated Dawn's neck. "Will you be with us always and forever?"
"Aw, sweetie." She hugged her little niece. "I can't do that. I'm living here 'til I finish school. But then I have to go out and find my way in the big world."
Meredith started to cry. "But who will look after me when mommy's working? I want you to stay."
"Shhhh, sweetie. It's okay. I'm not going anywhere yet. And you have other people who watch you now, don't you? You have your babysitters, and sometimes Auntie Willow."
Meredith perked up at the name. "I like Auntie Willow. She's funny. She makes pretty lights for me." She hopped down onto the floor. "Oops. She said not to tell."
"Lights? What do you mean by lights? Meredith?"
But the little girl pursed her lips tight and shook her head.
"Sweetie, grownups shouldn't tell you not to tell. You can always tell your mommy or daddy anything."
The child was confused. "But daddy said not to tell mommy he said 'bloody hell'."
Dawn stroked Meredith's hair. "I think as long as you don't say 'bloody hell', mommy won't mind. But tell me more about Auntie Willow's lights."
"I want to watch Elmo now. You work."
"Okay, sweetie. I'll put on Elmo." She hit 'save' and walked away from the computer. 'Lights'? What did she mean by 'lights'?
"Auntie Dawn, does mommy have a job?" She stood next to the computer, where her aunt was struggling with copious notes and a deadlined assignment.
"Yes, honey. Mommy has a job. She goes out every night. You know that." She rifled through her note cards.
"Does daddy have a job?"
"Daddy helps mommy. That's why they go out together. They work for some people in England, who finally pay your mommy, now that daddy and Uncle Giles had a nice talk with them."
"What does mommy do?"
She put down the notes. "I told you before, Meredith. Mommy is sort of like a police man. She helps people."
"Oh, yeah." She tried to climb onto her aunt's lap.
"Honey, I know I'm supposed to be watching you, but I have a big assignment due tomorrow. Want me to put on your Elmo tape?"
"No. I want to be with you." She put her arms around an exasperated Dawn's neck. "Will you be with us always and forever?"
"Aw, sweetie." She hugged her little niece. "I can't do that. I'm living here 'til I finish school. But then I have to go out and find my way in the big world."
Meredith started to cry. "But who will look after me when mommy's working? I want you to stay."
"Shhhh, sweetie. It's okay. I'm not going anywhere yet. And you have other people who watch you now, don't you? You have your babysitters, and sometimes Auntie Willow."
Meredith perked up at the name. "I like Auntie Willow. She's funny. She makes pretty lights for me." She hopped down onto the floor. "Oops. She said not to tell."
"Lights? What do you mean by lights? Meredith?"
But the little girl pursed her lips tight and shook her head.
"Sweetie, grownups shouldn't tell you not to tell. You can always tell your mommy or daddy anything."
The child was confused. "But daddy said not to tell mommy he said 'bloody hell'."
Dawn stroked Meredith's hair. "I think as long as you don't say 'bloody hell', mommy won't mind. But tell me more about Auntie Willow's lights."
"I want to watch Elmo now. You work."
"Okay, sweetie. I'll put on Elmo." She hit 'save' and walked away from the computer. 'Lights'? What did she mean by 'lights'?