chapter 9: bad words
Jasper sat watching His daughter, now six years old, play with her dolls. He smiled-she looked just like her mother. He often wondered if it was meant to be, if there was a human version of himself and alice, and that they formed the child that now played before him, since he could not.
"Daddy?"
Jasper smiled down at his daughter. "Yes, darlin'?"
"What's a fuck?"
Jasper froze. What did she just say?!?
"Where did you learn that word?" he asked, trying hard not to yell at her.
"At school." she seemed confused by his anger, but just like her mother, was willing to try to stare him down. He loved that tenacity in his wife, but considered it defiance when it came to his daughter. "Where at school?" He half growled.
"My friend Lilly said she heard her mommy say it. And Amy said that her daddy was telling her mommy to help him with something, and said it. What is it?"
Jasper breathed out with a WHOOOSH. "Um, Alice? Could you come in here?" He called nervously over his shoulder. He honestly had no idea how to handle this one. Alice was beside him in a flash.
"What's wrong, honey?"
Jasper looked down at Sarah, and told her to repeat her question. Alice nearly fell over whan she heard the foul word cross her daughter's lips. Her eyes darted to her husband, who shrugged and threw his hands into the air.
"Um, Lisa? could you come sit on mommy's lap for a moment?"
The girl nodded and climbed onto Alice's lap. "What's wrong mommy?"
After a moment Alice spoke. "Ok, you know how there are certain things we don't do and say in public?"
Sarah nodded. "Yeah! like how we don't show boys our panties!" Jasper's jaw dropped.
"SHE DID WHAT!?!" His eyes were nearly bulging out of his head. Alice lay a hand on his shoulder, and she gave him a "not now" look.
"Yes...well, there's certain words that we don't say at all. And the F-word is one of them."
Sarah thought for a moment, then agreed. after a small discussion of what other words should never be used, she hopped up and continued playing.
...........................................................................................................
Later, Jasper cornered Alice in the bedroom.
"She did what?" he repeated.
"Jasper, she's at that point where she's beginning to...explore."
"If she want's to explore, we can walk in the woods!"
Alice gave an impatient sigh. " No, Jazz. I mean sexually. She is beginning to explore...sexually."
He groaned and slumped over onto the bed. I am not hearing this...
"She's six! Why doesn't she think boys are yucky?!?"
Alice lay gently beside him. "She is learning about her body. And about...um...certain places..."
He groaned again and covered his ears with a pillow.
"Daddy?"
Jasper smiled down at his daughter. "Yes, darlin'?"
"What's a fuck?"
Jasper froze. What did she just say?!?
"Where did you learn that word?" he asked, trying hard not to yell at her.
"At school." she seemed confused by his anger, but just like her mother, was willing to try to stare him down. He loved that tenacity in his wife, but considered it defiance when it came to his daughter. "Where at school?" He half growled.
"My friend Lilly said she heard her mommy say it. And Amy said that her daddy was telling her mommy to help him with something, and said it. What is it?"
Jasper breathed out with a WHOOOSH. "Um, Alice? Could you come in here?" He called nervously over his shoulder. He honestly had no idea how to handle this one. Alice was beside him in a flash.
"What's wrong, honey?"
Jasper looked down at Sarah, and told her to repeat her question. Alice nearly fell over whan she heard the foul word cross her daughter's lips. Her eyes darted to her husband, who shrugged and threw his hands into the air.
"Um, Lisa? could you come sit on mommy's lap for a moment?"
The girl nodded and climbed onto Alice's lap. "What's wrong mommy?"
After a moment Alice spoke. "Ok, you know how there are certain things we don't do and say in public?"
Sarah nodded. "Yeah! like how we don't show boys our panties!" Jasper's jaw dropped.
"SHE DID WHAT!?!" His eyes were nearly bulging out of his head. Alice lay a hand on his shoulder, and she gave him a "not now" look.
"Yes...well, there's certain words that we don't say at all. And the F-word is one of them."
Sarah thought for a moment, then agreed. after a small discussion of what other words should never be used, she hopped up and continued playing.
...........................................................................................................
Later, Jasper cornered Alice in the bedroom.
"She did what?" he repeated.
"Jasper, she's at that point where she's beginning to...explore."
"If she want's to explore, we can walk in the woods!"
Alice gave an impatient sigh. " No, Jazz. I mean sexually. She is beginning to explore...sexually."
He groaned and slumped over onto the bed. I am not hearing this...
"She's six! Why doesn't she think boys are yucky?!?"
Alice lay gently beside him. "She is learning about her body. And about...um...certain places..."
He groaned again and covered his ears with a pillow.