heart to heart

Well, here we go.

When we got home from church on Sunday, Ella came into our bedroom and handed me a heart-shaped paper with the word "Love" scrawled on it.

"That's nice," I told her. "Who gave it to you?"
"Alex Clark," she said soberly. "With a box of raisinettes and a white chocolate granola bar. What am I supposed to do?"
"You don't have to do anything," I told her. "He just wanted a little extra attention from you, that's all."
"What?" She was confused. "He always tries to annoy me!"
I explained, "He gets a little extra attention from you that way, too."

Just then Kim walked in, loosening his tie.
"What's that?" he asked.
"A heart," Ella explained again. "It came with a box of raisinettes and a white chocolate granola bar."
"From whom?" He was serious.
"Alex Clark."
And then, to no one in particular Kim said, "Well. That's pretty silly, Alex Clark."

He stooped down to be eye-level with the Ella and Lauren. "Is there any guy out there better than me? NO. Do we date before we're 16? NO. Do we single-date before we're 18? NO. High fives." They slapped hands and he stood up, slid off his tie and turned toward the closet. The girls glanced at me with raised eyebrows and ran out of the room.

Somehow, I have a feeling we may see that scene play out again. And again. And again.