"Daddy - why does Ava have two mommies?"
I think it's another one of those - why does she get two mommies and I get stuck with a mommy and daddy type discussions. I reply that kids can have 2 mommies or 2 daddies or 1 mommy and 1 daddy or just one mommy or just one daddy among other possible combinations. She wants to know where Ava's daddy is. I honestly say I don't know. Vivian eyes light up and she says she know who Ava's daddy is. I ask. She replies:
"Pastor Scott".
I am surprised. After I recover, I tell her that Pastor Scott is certainly not Ava's daddy, and she shouldn't go around saying that. She nods. Then she goes back to my numerical example and says that Simran has only one mommy and no daddy. "Where is Simran's Daddy?"
I'm about to merge into I-35 traffic at William Cannon. I mumble that he's not with us anymore. She presses for more information. I trot out my "y'know how trees and flowers die? People die too."
Silence for 5 seconds (that almost a record for Vivian). Then
"Are you going to die Daddy?"
"Yes."
"Am I going to die?"
"Umm - yes - but it's nothing to worry about. It's the most natural thing. Let's come back to this when you are a bit older because it will make more sense then".
Fast-forward 5 days. Yesterday, we are at the Shah's. I recount the first part of this story to a dinner table crowd of 10. Vivian picks up before I reach the end. She cheerfully announces:
"Daddy is going to die."
Then she spreads her hands out and opens her palms to include everyone at the table:
"And all the Shah's are going to die".
I whisper in her ear "Honey - dying is like poop - it's normal but we don't talk about it a lot". She nods and changes the subject.
"Purple is my favorite color".
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