The Day I Kissed An Older Man

“I am in love with someone,” Corinne answered, “and that’s why I can’t fall in love with other people.”
Christine asked curiously, “Then who are you in love with? Where is he? Why isn’t he here with you?”
Corinne was speechless. Every child had their own endless set of questions for adults. She would never answer that if someone
else posed such a question to her, but she could not do the same to her daughter.
“The person I’m in love with can’t come back for now,” Corinne said helplessly, “but once he’s back, I’ll have someone to love!”
Christine asked again, “Is that person Daddy?”
Corinne was taken aback and nodded earnestly. “Yes. It’s Daddy.”
Christine pouted. “But I don’t like Daddy!”
The little girl’s response startled Corinne. “Why do you feel that way when you haven’t even met him before?”
Christine huffed. “That’s why I don’t like him! The prince will always show up and save the princess when she needs him the
most! He’ll also fight dragons to protect her! But Daddy has never shown up for you! He doesn’t like you, so I don’t like him
either!”
A child’s logic can be amusing at times, but on that occasion, Corinne was made to feel a little sad. “Before you were born, he
always showed up when I needed him the most,” Corinne said with the utmost sincerity.
Christine was puzzled. “Then why didn’t he disappear after we were born? Does that mean he hates us?”
Corinne shook her head. “Not at all! He is caught up with something and can’t come back yet, but trust me when I say that he’ll
come back one day. You’ll like him, too.”
Christine pouted, showing some resentment. “But you always hug your pillow when you’re sad at night, and he’s never around to
comfort you...”
Corinne did not expect her three-year-old daughter to be so empathetic with her emotions. She felt touched and forced a smile
as she said, “There are times when everyone will feel sad. It’s normal. Your father also had his share of difficult moments when I
wasn’t with him. Christine, I don’t want you to worry about all these things at such a young age, and I wouldn’t want you to think
badly of your father too. He’ll overcome all his obstacles someday, and we’ll be reunited as a family again. I’m sure of it.”

Christine gazed into Corinne’s determined eyes and threw herself into Corinne’s arms. “I hope you’ll be happy even when Daddy
isn’t around!”
“I will,” Corinne smiled.
Francine and Chester returned after Corinne finished her heart-to-heart conversation with Christine.
Corinne stood up and asked, “How did it go? Did you find any vendors selling kites?”
Francine blushed slightly because she was still holding Chester’s hands. She shook her head and said, “Chester and I searched
everywhere, but we didn’t find any vendors selling kites. The person probably brought it from home.”
Corinne sighed and turned to Bryan, saying, “There aren’t any vendors selling kites here, but I’ll buy it for you online once we get
home. Is that okay?”
Bryan lowered his head in disappointment and muttered, “Okay...”
Since he could not get the kite at that moment, he decided to meet the kite’s owner.