“You guys usually share your books and your colors.I guess Dad didn’t know that.”
“I do share!”She stamped her foot.“Petey should ask nice.”
“Yes.Peter should have asked nice.”He took a deep breath.“And it was your red color.”
He could see it, when he said what she needed to hear.She relaxed, her shoulders coming down.“It was.”
“You still shouldn’t have hit your brother,” he reminded her gently.
“Him pushed me first.”
“And I will tell him no pushing, okay?”
“Okay.And ask nice.”
He nodded.“And yes, we should all ask nice for things.Maybe we should have a can for all the colors?We can all share?”
She sighed, but nodded.“But not the books?”
“If you don’t want to share the books that’s okay.”It was probably time they started having their own things anyway.
She hugged him.“Love you, Daddy.”
He hugged her back.“And I love you, Tori.Now what do you think about going to apologize to your brother for hitting him?”
“Him too?For pushing me?”Stubborn girl.
“Let’s start with your apology first, okay?”He hoped that JP had actually talked to Petey about what had gone on.
She rolled her eyes.“I always say sorry first.”
He had to bite back his chuckle.“Well, today you’re the one I talked to, so…”
“So talk to Petey.Come on.”She grabbed his hand and started tugging.Hard.
She was so smart.Maybe too smart, but he let her lead him to Peter’s room.
JP was never so pleased to sit on a twin bed than he was right that minute.Okay, so maybe a chair lift was a good idea if he was going to be coming up here ever again.
He looked at Peter, his son’s lower lip sticking out in the mother of all pouts, the little boy all stiff.
“So what’s going on?”he asked.
“Her was so mean!”Petey sobbed.“Her stealed my color!”
“Come here,” he told Petey, opening his arms.Peter ran into them and he hugged his son, petting his back.He wasn’t sure what was going on because from what he’d seen until now was that Tori was Pete’s fierce protector.
“Her was mean to me, Dad!Her taked my color.”
JP arched one eyebrow and shook his head.“Are you sure?She wouldn’t share?”
Peter wailed and shook his head.
JP was at a loss.He’d never seen the kids fight.
Of course, they were growing up, they would argue.It was inevitable.
Still, Tori wasn’t mean to Peter.
