Sophie considered this possibility seriously before nodding. Okay. Apparently satisfied, she wandered toward the table. Her eyes landed on the folder. What's that?
Nobody answered immediately. Sophie looked up. Secret grown-up stuff. Jake smiled despite himself. Something like that.
Oh. She immediately lost interest. Karen watched the entire exchange with growing confusion. I'm leaving now, she announced. But tomorrow you're explaining everything.
Jake nodded. Karen pointed directly at him. Everything. Then she looked at Laura. And maybe you, too.
Laura actually looked nervous. Karen seemed pleased by this. Moments later, the front door closed behind her. Silence returned. Sophie climbed into a chair beside Laura and pulled the blanket around herself.
Her eyelids drooped with exhaustion. Daddy? Yeah. Can I have crackers? Of course.
Jake stood and moved toward the pantry. Behind him, he could hear Sophie speaking quietly to Laura. Do you work with my dad? I do. Is he good at his job?
Jake froze. Laura glanced toward him. He's very good at his job. Sophie smiled proudly. I know.
The simple certainty in her voice hit Jake harder than he expected. Children rarely doubted the people they loved. Adults learned that habit later. He returned with crackers and handed them over. Sophie accepted them gratefully.
For several minutes she ate in silence. Then completely out of nowhere she turned toward Laura. My mom used to make crackers taste better. The room immediately grew still. Jake felt the familiar ache.
Three years later and some wounds remained exactly where they had always been. Laura answered carefully. How did she do that? Sophie smiled faintly. She pretended they were fancy restaurant food.
Did it work? Sometimes. Laura nodded. Sounds like she was pretty smart. Cheerio.
Sophie's smile grew. She was. Then came the question. The one that changed everything. Sophie looked at Laura with complete innocence.
Can I ask you something? Sure. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be? Jake almost interrupted. Adults knew questions like that were dangerous.
Children didn't. Laura became very still. For several seconds she simply stared at the table. Then she answered. I think her voice softened.