"Leander, Mommy really has something important to do now," Claire explained.
"When Mommy is done, Mommy will take Leander out to play, okay?"
"But Mommy, I really like being with you!" Leander protested.
"But Leander is a boy; you can't stick to Mommy all the time," Claire said seriously.
"Besides, if Mommy goes out and meets bad people, what should we do?" Claire pretended to be stern, pinching Leander's soft and tender face. She added, "So, you can't go out with Mommy, okay?"
"I can protect Mommy!" Leander insisted.
"But Mommy doesn't need Leander's protection, so Leander can't go out with Mommy," Claire explained.
"Leander, Mommy really has something very important to do. Listen to Mommy and be good. When Mommy comes back, she'll bring you many fun things, okay?" Claire coaxed, though she was worried inside.
If it weren't for her and Alex's situation, she wouldn't have had to leave home.
