NICK: When a person dies, does their house fall down?
ME: No. Even after someone dies, their house is still there.
NICK: Why?
ME: Well, houses don’t die. They can get torn down or something but they aren’t really alive.
NICK: So what happens to the houses?
ME: Well, sometimes if someone dies, their kids might move into the house and live there. Or they might sell the house to someone else.
NICK: Hmm.
ME: You like our house, don’t you?
NICK: Yeah.
ME: You want to live in it forever?
NICK: I don’t knooooww…
ME: You want us to find another house some day?
NICK: I just want to go where you and mommy go. I want to go with you guys.
ME: Oh, you will. We wouldn’t just leave you in the house.
NICK: Yeah. Because you know what? Little people can’t really take care of themself.
ME: You wouldn’t have to take care of yourself. Mommy and I would take you to the new house.
NICK: Yeah. Cause I can’t live out of the house until I’m like fifteen.
ME: I didn’t move out of my house until I was eighteen.
NICK: What? Wow. Dad?
ME: Yes.
NICK: Why did you marry mommy?
ME: I fell in love with her.
NICK: Why?
ME: Well, we went to dinner one night and I liked her and she liked me so we decided to go to dinner again. And then we…you know…just kept going to dinner. There were a lot of dinners. Eventually, we just started having dinner together all the time.
NICK: And then your mommy and daddy didn’t take care of you anymore because mommy took care of you.
ME: Well, we all take care of each other. That’s the way that’s supposed to work.
NICK: Well I’m not gonna get married. Even when I’m a grown up. I’m just gonna stay with you guys forever.
ME: Oh, I think someday you’ll meet someone you want to marry.
NICK: (sticks out tongue) PBFT!
ME: PBFT!
David Lee White 