She took off the plastic earpieces and set the toy on my knee.

“Daddy talked loud on the phone upstairs.”

I reached out and tucked her fine brown hair behind her ears.

“What did Daddy say?” I asked softly.

Maisie looked down at her little shoes and hugged the stuffed bunny until its soft ears went flat.

“He said no,” she whispered.

“He said the paper has to stay in the desk.”

My thumb stroked the soft fleece of her bunny’s ear while the tall clock in the hallway struck three.