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“That’s not it. We…” He clears his throat. “We want to bring her with us. I want him to meet his niece. He has kids, a couple of them around her age so that she would have friends to play with. It wouldn’t just be–”

“When?” I interrupt.

“May.”

“How long.”

“Uh… we were, uh–”

“Spit it out, Caleb. The dates.”

He looks so panicked that it rubs off on me a little.

“Her last day of school is the twenty-fourth. We were thinking of leaving that next week.” I watch him suck in an anticipatory breath before his next words. “And being there for a few weeks.”

I do what feels right in the moment. I laugh in his face.

“Reya–” I interrupt him by laughing even louder, my volume intentionally obnoxious. I see how ridiculous it is that he even asked, but I wanthimto see how ridiculous. I want him to go home with his tail tucked between his legs and never think to ask me any such thing again.

I’m not unreasonable. I’m not a grinch that doesn’t want my daughter to meet her distant family.

What’s unreasonable is asking me to let her leave for what? An entire month or more, of which herbirthdayfalls in. She’s never spent a birthday without me, she’s not starting now.

“Get out of here,” I tell him, still laughing. I wipe a tear out from under my eye for extra measure.

“You’re being really immature, Reya. Why can’t we just have a conversation? Why do you have to laugh in my face?”

“Because it’s hilarious that you asked me that!”

His head shakes adamantly.

“It isn’t funny. I’m being serious. It could be a really good experience for her.”

“She could have agood experiencein a couple of years, when she’s old enough to actually remember it,” I speculate. “Oryou could go for a fewdays, like normal people do on a normal vacation, and be back before her birthday.”

I think those are both very fair options, but he doesn’t look reassured by them. No, his face is stony and determined, and I don’t want to hear about this anymore.

“I haven’t seen them in years. They’ve never even met her,” he pleads with me.

“Okay?”

“I want to spend time with them. Significant time.”

“A week can be significant.”

“You’re being unreasonable.”

I scoff. “I’m the epitome of reason. I gave you options when all I really want is for you to stop bothering me with this and go on your merry way home.”

But of course, he’s not leaving yet. That would be too easy.

“We both have to be there to get her passport. I can’t do this without you being on board.”

This time when I abruptly stand, I have no intention of letting him stop me.

“I’m surprised you didn’t find a way to get it done without me, considering how much you like doing things behind my back.”

He stands too, not looking nearly defeated as I want him to.