He looked at her out of his dark eyes, and her heart sang. She was wearing her best blue dress and a white apron, and mom had braided her braids, with blue and pink ribbons. Surely her father liked her. Mom had said that blue was his favorite color. But why didn't he smile? Didn't she stand still enough? "Don't mess around and act like a lady, that's what dad likes," Mom had said
Just a few minutes“" Mom said. She said it very quickly. Was she afraid? But from what? "It would mean so much to her, Alex. Please …“
Alex Stafford stared down at Sarah, his mouth pressed together, and studied her in silence. Sarah stood as still as she could. She had looked at herself in the mirror for a long time that morning and knew what dad was seeing now. She had his chin and nose and mom's blonde hair and her fair skin. Her eyes, too, were those of her mother, only a little darker. Dad just had to think she was pretty, he had to! She looked up at him hopefully. But the look in his eyes was not at all nice
Mom bit her lower lip and held out her hand to Dad, then she lowered it again. She looked anxious. Sarah looked from her to Papa and back again, trying to comprehend all this. What had she done wrong? Wasn't Dad happy that she liked his gifts?
"So you pass on my gifts to the child," he said. "Then they seem very important to you.“
How icy he sounded. Sarah bit her lip, but before she could say anything, Mom gently touched her shoulder. "Sparrow, be nice and go outside to play.“
Sarah looked at her sadly. "Can't I stay here? I'm also very quiet.“ Mom's eyes got wet, she looked at dad.
Alex leaned down to Sarah. "I want you to go outside and play now," he said calmly. "I have to talk to your mother alone.“ He stroked her cheek with a smile.
Sarah smiled back, quite charmed. Papa had touched her, he was not angry, he loved her, just as Mama had said! "May I come back when you are done?“, she asked.
Dad straightened up stiffly again. "Your mother will come for you when the time comes. And now obey and go outside!“