Aunt babysitters changed.
Now Sophia appeared.
"That's harder."
Molly looked at her.
Sophia continued.
"I can't promise nothing bad will ever happen."
"I can't promise your dad and I never fight."
"But I can promise I won't disappear without talking to you."
Molly's eyes filled.
"Okay."
Sophia held out hand.
Molly took it.
Later Sophia told Jake.
He became defensive.
Not at Molly.
At himself.
"I shouldn't have let this move so fast."
Sophia stared.
"What?"
"She's scared."
"That's normal."
"I need to protect her."
Sophia felt something cold.
"From me?"
"No."
"Sounds like yes."
Jake rubbed face.
"That's not what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?"
"I mean I should slow down."
Sophia crossed arms.
"You want me to stop coming here?"
"I don't know."
That was wrong answer.
Sophia's face hardened.
Jake saw.
"Wait."
"No."
"You just told me we've been building something."
"Now your daughter has one difficult emotion and suddenly I'm threat?"
"That's not fair."
"Neither is making me temporary because you're afraid she might care."
Jake's voice sharpened.
"She's my daughter."
"I know."
"Then don't tell me how to parent."
Silence.
Both regretted escalation.
Sophia grabbed coat.
Jake said:
"Sophia."
"I think you should decide what you want."
"I know what I want."
"No."
"You know what scares you."
"Different thing."
She left.
Jake did not stop her.
Mistake.
He knew as soon as door closed.
Sophia drove home furious.
Then cried.
Then became furious for crying.
Claire arrived with wine.
Sophia did not drink because she wanted to remain angry accurately.
Claire listened.
Then said:
"He's scared."
"I know."
"That doesn't make him right."
"I know."
"Do you want to end it?"
"No."
"Then?"
Sophia stared at glass.
"I want him to understand I'm not asking him to choose between me and Molly."
Claire nodded.
"And?"
"I need to understand Molly always comes first."
Claire raised eyebrows.
"Does that bother you?"
"No."
"Honestly."
Sophia thought.
"Sometimes."
There.
Truth.
She continued.
"I know she should."
"But sometimes I want to matter first too."
"Not instead of her."
"Just..."
Claire smiled softly.
"Romantic partnership."
"Yes."
"Different category."
"Exactly."
Claire nodded.
"You need to tell him."
"He told me not to tell him how to parent."
"Then tell him how to boyfriend."
Sophia laughed despite anger.
Across town, Emily told Jake almost the same thing less politely.
"You idiot."
Jake stared.
"Helpful."
"Molly was afraid Sophia would replace Rachel."
"Yes."
"And Sophia comforted her."
"Yes."
"So your response was to prove Molly right by pushing Sophia away."
Jake went still.
Emily continued:
"You just taught your daughter that loving new people is dangerous because Dad might remove them when emotions get complicated."
Jake looked sick.
"That wasn't my intention."
"Nobody cares about intention at eight."
He sat.
Emily softened.
"You are trying to control loss."
"I know."
"You can't."
"I know."
"Then go apologize."
Jake sighed.
"She drove to Burlington."
Emily threw keys at him.
"So drive."
"Snow."