“No,” she says. “I mean, I’m glad you’re happy but Daddy, we’ve only been together for a month, not even a month. I hope we’re together for a lot longer but… Spending this much after only a month. I can’t… I can’t accept it.”
I reach out and stroke her cheek. “I’m proud of you for saying that little girl. Would it help if I said to you that I can spend that much the way other people might spend twenty dollars?”
“What do you mean?”
I smile and say, “Well, it never came up before but I’m very wealthy, little girl.”
“You are?” her face registers surprise but not anything resembling the understanding that she has a rich boyfriend, at least not what that means in terms of opportunity for her. I’m thrilled about that.
“Sweetie,” I say. “I could buy the diner and every other restaurant in town and still have enough in the bank that I wouldn’t have to work for the rest of my life.”
She swallows hard and says, “Okay. I’ll keep the earrings but… but Daddy can you please…” She doesn’t finish.
“Please not spend too much on you?”
She nods. “I mean, not until...” She laughs and says, “I mean, maybe you could pretend it would be like someone else spending a thousand dollars?”
I give her a kiss. “Okay, little girl.”
She pulls back and I realize I couldn’t hide my tone of voice. “Oh, Daddy,” she says. “I hurt your feelings!”
“It’s not that, little girl,” I say. “I’m just a little sentimental today.” It’s not a lie, not exactly. I’m just thinking about what made me a millionaire and what it cost.