by D Server

Created on: June 14, 2010   Last Updated: June 17, 2010

Andrew and his two daughters were walking through the grounds of the State Fair. At least two of them were walking-his little white-haired daughter Roberta was pretty much jumping and almost flying as they proceeded. He tried desperately to hold on to her hand.

"All right, calm down, calm down. Please, calm down." Roberta was two and didn't really speak yet, at least not a language that was easily understood. She did seem to understand what was said. At least Andrew hoped she did.

This was Saturday, when Andrew had "visitation rights" with his two daughters from his first marriage. Actually, Andrew and his ex-wife were still on good terms and it was all rather casual. He usually stopped by several times a week. Normally on Saturday, he would come over to her house and bring his one year old daughter from his second marriage as well as his stepson, who was three. But this week, he decided to take the girls to the fair, Both his first and his second wife were not that sure he could handle it by himself and with Roberta somewhat out of control, he realized that maybe they were right.

"Can I hold her hand?" said Elizabeth, Andrew's nine year old. Roberta continued to jump with every step. Andrew stopped to consider Elizabeth's offer. He wanted to make her happy, but didn't want to lose Roberta.

"Okay," he said. "But be careful or she's just going to run off and we'll never see her again. And your mother will be furious if I left with two children and only brought back one."

“That’s why I wanted to hold her,” Elizabeth told him. “She only gets excited like that when she’s around you. Just like everybody else gets excited around you. The only one doesn’t get excited around you is me, because I’m used to you.”

Andrew didn’t really want to explore the psychological depths of Elizabeth’s statement, so he just shrugged it off and carefully handed over Roberta. Sure enough, the little girl calmed down right away. Andrew felt a little jealous watching Elizabeth calmly lead her sister through the grounds. Again, he just shrugged it off.

"How come Roberta has blonde hair when I don't have blonde hair and you don't have blonde hair? " Elizabeth asked her father.

"Oh, you had blonde hair when you were that age, and my mother told me I did, too.  Sometimes your hair gets darker when you get older. We don't know if Roberta's hair will stay this color."

"Oh," said Elizabeth, not really understanding. "You know mommy used to be blonde." 

"I know. And for all we know, some day she might be blonde again."  After blurting this out, Andrew wondered if Elizabeth would be repeating those words to her mother and if she did, would his nine year old make it sound like he had made some kind of an insult. It was just one more worry that would disturb his sleep. Trying to keep all negative thoughts out of his head, Andrew  walked on with his girls.

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