Page 313 of What We Brave
This is better than silence.
June tugs at my sweatpants. "Papa, Caleb said my rabbit is ugly."
I crouch down to her level. "Your rabbit isn't ugly."
"He said her ears are too long."
"Rabbits have long ears. That's the whole point of rabbits."
She looks at me, weighing whether this is sufficient vindication. Decides it is. I get a small nod.
Iris toddles forward and pats my face. Both hands, not gentle. "Papa."
"Hey, sweet girl."
"Papa papa papa."
God, I love that sound. Seven years of hearing it and it still hits the same way.
I pick her up. The diaper situation is as bad as I suspected. "Alright. Changing table first. You two—" I look at Caleb and June. "Come with me. No fighting."
"She started it," Caleb says.
"Don't care who started it. I'm finishing it."
They follow me down the hall to the kids' room. Caleb's still talking—something about Marcus at school and when Santa comes—and June's muttering to her rabbit. Iris has a fistful of my shirt, holding on.
I lay her down on the changing table. She kicks her feet while I work, happy to have my attention.
"Papa, why does Iris poop so much?"
"She's two."
"I didn't poop that much when I was two."
"Yeah, you did."
"Nuh-uh."
"Buddy, I changed your diapers. Trust me."
June giggles. Caleb looks offended. Iris grabs her own foot and tries to put it in her mouth.
I get her cleaned up, fresh diaper, pajamas snapped back together. She reaches for me immediately, and I lift her up against my chest.
Then I look at the other two.
"Come here."
"Why?" Caleb, suspicious.
"Because I want to hold you."
"I'm too big."
"You're not too big."
"I'm five."
