Dennis sat on the too-small desk chair and eyed his son. Cole lay sideways on the bed with his stockinged feet propped up on the wall. In between answering his father’s questions, he played with a wind-up toy car.
Dennis couldn’t shake the feeling that Cole was actually happy about getting caught, even if it had taken Connie Sorenson to reveal his antics. Whatever reason Cole had for misbehaving, he wasn’t yet ready to share it. They had been over and over it. Dennis had questioned his son with the patience and skill of a seasoned lawyer. And still Dennis had no answers. At least, none that made sense.
But he was dealing with a four-going-on-five-year-old, a kid whose worldview still had room for witches and Santa Claus. Maybe Dennis’s mistake had been trying to apply adult logic. Maybe he should just accept that Cole could both like Audrey and want to get her fired. But that didn’t help Dennis know how to proceed.
“Son, I have one more question, and I want you to think hard before you answer it. Nanny Susie will be back soon, and Miss Turner won’t be coming here during the day anymore.”
“I know. You already said that.”
“But what if Miss Turner comes over at night sometimes, when I am here?”
“Why?” Cole released the winding pin and spun the car’s wheels against his palm. He sounded curious rather than upset.
“Because I like her and she likes me.”
“You’re the teacher’s pe-et, you’re the teacher’s pe-et,” Cole sang.
“I certainly hope so.” Dennis chuckled. “What if she was Daddy’s special friend? Like my girlfriend.”
“Ick,” Cole said, but he was grinning. “Does that mean you have to kiss her?”
“That means I get to kiss her.”
“I don’t like kissing girls.” He was emphatic but not hostile.
“Can I count on you to be a gentleman? And not try to get her fired from the job of being my girlfriend?” Dennis didn’t know how else to put it so that it would make sense to Cole. He held his breath and tried to read Cole’s bland expression.
Cole didn’t say anything. He released the winding pin and let the wheels spin against his thigh. Dennis waited for what seemed like an agonizing eternity but was probably no more than a minute.
“Cole? Answer me.”
“I already told you, and I told you and told you.”
“Fine.” Dennis rose from the child-sized chair and stretched his cramped legs. “But let me make one thing clear. I expect you to be on your best behavior when you’re here and Miss Turner is here.”
“When I’m here and Miss Turner is here,” Cole parroted.
“Deal?”
“Deal.”
Now, why had that been so difficult?