"You think I'd do that?"
"You tell me. I couldn't tolerate it if you did. I care for you too much to abide by that kind of behavior. I'll need trust from you and honest promises if I agree to marry your father and live with all of you as a family. You say you don't like me, and I guess I can live with that. You say I will never replace your deceased mother; that's true too but I would demand you treat me with the same obedience and respect a mother deserves. There, I said it. It's your turn."
I could see Karen was crying, much as she attempted to hide the fact. I made no move to console her. It was several moments before she answered. "Will you promise to treat me like a daughter? Like Grandma raised you and Aunt Suzie?"
"That's the only way I know. But you heard what Grandma said about trust and lying, didn't you?"
Karen nodded in agreement. "I know I'm a pain sometimes, and I get in moods and say stuff. Sometimes I don't want to talk, to anybody, because I don't know when they're lying to me. I'll obey you and do what you say. I do what Sister Rose and Mrs. Doberchek and the others tell me. Just ask Dad."
I let it go at that. What more could I do? Here I was exacting promises from a twelve-year-old for life-changing consequences she couldn't dream of understanding. I was ashamed of myself for doing so, but I desperately wanted this family to work.
I was not so naive as to think Karen and her entire family was prepared to give up the so-called opulent trappings of the wealthy to live a truly normal life, nor was I ready to force it upon them. I stood with fingers crossed as Paul and Timmy met us on the front steps of their Newton home while Karen exuberantly explained our Summerside find to her open-mouthed father. There was no time to go inside and we all piled into the car for the hurried ride to the airport for my evening flight home. Karen continued to describe the house in the back seat with Timmy who was now as excited as his sister.
I couldn't believe Paul hadn't raised a question about our arbitrarily suggesting he down-size his life style in so dramatic a fashion. Instead, he contentedly held my hand as he drove to the airport and listened to his daughter's non-stop dialog of our afternoon activities. I wished he and I had time together before we were once again hundreds of miles apart. There was so much to discuss but there were barely minutes before I boarded my plane.