A Pocketful of Elavan

Dates and Hypocrites

Avan didn't think it would happen this early. He knew it was bound to come but he was expecting it to be at least a decade or two from now. Dread washed over his heart as a simple string of words came out of his daughter's mouth.

It had all started that afternoon when Liz sat Luna down to explain that they would have to leave her with her auntie Ari. The little one had pouted and sulked when she discovered that her parents were going out for dinner without her. Luna refused to get dressed in nothing but her pink bunny underwear if no one was going to take her out for dinner as well. So, Liz had to explain things thoroughly to her.

"Baby, look at Mommy," Liz cups her daughters face as she crouched down before her. "Sometimes, Mommy and Daddy have to spend a little time alone together because that's what couples do. We're just going out on a date."

"Why can't I come?" Luna pouts.

"Because it's Mommy and Daddy's alone time, bunny," she tucks a strand of dark brown hair behind her daughter's ear. "Remember how I said before that Daddy and I need to have time alone with each other sometimes?"

Luna nods, "Because Mommy and Daddy need to love each other too."

"That's right," she smiles. "But just because we're going on a date that doesn't mean we don't love you, okay? We're just spending time together like how you and Daddy play without me sometimes, or how you and I go out to eat brunch together."

Luna nods in understanding and Liz was just about to walk away to check on Avan in their bedroom when the little girl speaks up again.

"What's a date?" the 4-year-old innocently asks.

"Well, a date is when you go out with someone you like or love and you do fun things together, spend time with each other. Things like that."

"So a date is fun?" her blue eyes sparkled with wonder.

"Yes, if you're with the right person," Liz giggles. "I only find dates really fun if I'm with you or with Daddy because I love you guys so much."

"So you go on a date with someone you like or love, right?" her little legs swing back and forth.

"Yes."

"Why are we talking about dates?" Avan asks as he walked into the living room with a newly shaved chin.

"Daddy, can I go on a date with Jordan?"

Avan chokes on nothing but his saliva at his daughter's words. He knew deep within that she probably didn't even know the depth of what she was saying but it still shocked him that Luna would ask something like that at such a young age.

"Jordan as in that boy from your singing lessons?"

"Yeah."

"No," Avan shakes his head firmly. "Absolutely not."

"What about Alex, Daddy?"

"No, Luna. No dates. No boys, remember?"

Liz chuckles at the adorable interaction as Avan runs a hand through his hair.

"But I like Jordan and Alex," she frowns. "And Mommy said you go on dates with people that you like."

"Yeah, you date people when you're all grown up like Mommy and I," he informs her, pointing a finger at his wife before pointing it at his four-year-old. "You, little  miss Jogia, are a baby."

"I'm a big girl! I can put my bag in the cubbies all by myself at school," she disagrees.

Avan crouches down beside his wife to look his daughter in the eye, blue to brown.