She was disappointed. "I guess you told me more than I expected. I can wait."
She let me give her a strong hug. "Look, Karen. I have to apologize. I'm being selfish. I have no business dumping this stuff on you, pushing you toward adulthood when I should let you be a girl."
"I'm the one who asked," she said.
"Yes, you did. Maybe I need a friendly ear as much as you do." This time it was I who quickly left the room.
The next couple of weeks were filled with hectic fun as we grew more and more comfortable with each other's company. There were trips to the beach, bike rides, picnics and games galore. Paul was around most of the time evenings and weekends, and I was spending more time at the toy store. Karen was beginning to spread her almost-teenage wings.
"How was school?" I asked as her summer term was coming to an end. She was far too advanced for it, but the class served its purpose by getting her out and letting her meet girls her own age.
"It sucks and it's boring." She was already on the stairs before her father's command stopped her.
"Karen!"
"What?" She answered in an indifferent voice.
"We don't use that type of language around here, young lady."
A deep sigh. "So, make me stay in my room. I don't have anywhere to go anyway." She continued up the stairs. Paul just rolled his eyes as if to say, 'what can I do with her', but I wasn't about to let her attitude go.
"Karen, report to my room, please." She looked down at me. "Now!" I commanded.
Paul looked at me questioningly but I said nothing as I climbed the stairs after his daughter. When I reached my bedroom, Karen was standing in the middle of the room, her arms folded, trying to look even more bored. "In the chair," I instructed as I pulled the drapes against the August afternoon sun and closed the door. "Move over," I said as I squeezed in beside her.
She started to rise. "I don't want to sit here with you."
I tugged her back down. "You don't have a choice. This is your punishment. Thirty minutes in this chair talking to me."
"I don't want to talk. I don't have anything to say. And it's too dark in here to tell when thirty minutes is up."
"You can just listen. I'll guess about the time. Why does school suck?"
"How come you can say suck and I can't?"
"I didn't say you couldn't; your father did. You have to understand fathers, they all think their daughters are little princesses so if they use language unbecoming an angle it spoils the image. Besides, school probably does suck. You're far ahead of this class. Wait until September. The principal promised he'd find challenges for you."