1 Mother 2 Another

I was busy doing something in the kitchen
yesterday when I noticed Cora looking stranded in the living room,
as if she were adrift and not quite sure where to land.


“Are you ok, Cora?” I asked.


Cora blinked, coming back to reality. “Yeah, I’m
fine.” And then she turned back to her unfocused look,
clearly working on solving some logistical puzzle in her head.

“What are you doing, honey?” I
said innocently.


Cora stared, not quite sure how to answer the question. And then
something snapped in her head - a last piece of the puzzle falling
into place sort of look, if you will – and her eyes shifted
away from me, then back. “I’m not doing anything right
now.” And then –


“Can you please not watch me?”


“Why?” I asked, curious.


“Because I’m about to do something you probably
wouldn’t let me do if I asked you if I could do it.”


I love that she’s old enough to want to do things that are
prohibited, old enough to know between right and wrong – even
if it’s as-yet unrestricted simply because I haven’t
thought of it – and yet she’s young enough to not know
that she should lie or, at the least, prevaricate in such a
situation.