Daddy's Love

"Why did you do that Carol?"

"Because I was mad at you and daddy!" She's crying and Ana's asleep in my arms.

"Is that the way to behave when you are mad at someone?" I ask her.

"But wh... "

"But nothing Carol. You could have burnt the house down. You could have killed yourself and all of us. Ana was in the same room as you, and you didn't even once think about her. How could you want to hurt us all so bad?"

She looks like she is about to cry, all the rebellion seeping out of her pores.

"Yes, we forced you to take the shot because we did not want you to fall sick. You remember how Zach was admitted in the hospital last year, because of the flu? We didn't want that for you or Ana. We understand you didn't want the shot and that you were upset about getting it- You were supposed to. You are our little baby and we don't expect you to understand all this but trying to set the place on fire? Really?"

She burst out in tears.

of it... Not like that. I just

I don't even know what

so... Sorry." She

Jay and me. We did not punish you for that, did we? But what you did here was so extreme. You disappoint

don't know what

were just trying to take

don't want you to!" She snaps again

big girl and take care of yourself? You do that. Let's see

at

"You don't mean it."

Every

to

word. You be the big girl you want to be and take care

want and I don't have to eat veggies? And I can watch TV for as long as I