Pea had been delightful yesterday, pretty much all day. She had done something awesome — out-argued me, out-scienced me, and made me very proud — and as a result, I’d gotten her something she’d wanted.

M has been on a business trip and was supposed to return last night, except a check engine light came on somewhere out of Atlanta, and back he went. He’s on his way home now.

Anyway, Pea asked if she could sleep with me last night. She’d spent all of one night in her bed since M left, because I am a pushover.

I said yes, but because M was coming home, this was it. (She still occasionally tries to sleep with us, and it is not pleasant for any of us, so I wanted to set clear expectations).

She said, “Oh, I see. The reason you want me here –”

And I expected her to say “is because Daddy is gone and there is room,” because we had talked about there not being room for three people.

But what she said was, “is because you don’t want to be alone.”

And I said, “Exactly.”