Chapter 23 - Pippa asks whether Camilla loved her
Pippa was six when she asked.
We were driving to therapy.
“Did Camilla love me?”
I nearly answered too fast.
“Yes.”
Then stopped.
“I think she did.”
“Then why cage?”
Children create impossible verbs.
“Because loving someone doesn’t automatically make every choice safe.”
She looked out the window.
“She said I was bad.”
“You did some things adults call bad behavior.”
Her face tightened.
“Like lying.”
“Yes.”
“Was kennel because lie?”
“She chose the kennel because she was wrong about how adults should handle behavior.”
“So I didn’t make her?”
“No.”
That answer needed to be absolute.
“No, Pippa. You did not make an adult lock you outside.”
She nodded.
Then:
“I did steal lipstick.”
“I know.”
“Am I grounded?”
May you like
Six-year-old criminal conscience.
“We’ll discuss the lipstick separately.”
