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“I’m not trying to ruin something you enjoyed today. I’m saying there are parts of special-effects work I don’t think are appropriate for you yet.”
“You always say that.”
“I’m not trying to shut down everything you ask for.”
“You do. Hair color was too grown-up until Goldie explained it. Makeup was too grown-up until you read the page. Now this is too scary before you even know what I want to make.”
Duncan was quiet for a moment.
“You’re right that I should find out what you mean before I answer. But I’m still allowed to decide something isn’t right for you after I understand it.”
“I know.”
Her eyes were shining now, which made the two words sound far more miserable than angry.
She shoved the sketchbook into her backpack.
“Can I stay at Mary-Kate’s tonight?”
Duncan blinked at the abrupt change.
“Tonight?”
“Lori said at the costume tent that I could if you said it was okay. Mary-Kate’s already having Annabelle over.”
He studied his daughter, and I could practically see him deciding whether this was a request for a sleepover or an escape from the conversation. I suspected it was both.
“I need to talk to Lori.”
Sienna nodded without looking at him. “Okay.”
Duncan picked up his phone and stepped several feet away rather than making Sienna stand there while he called.
I moved to the other end of the table and began sorting the final cue sheets.
Sienna stayed silent beside me. I wanted to tell her Duncan would come around and that he was trying, but neither statement belonged to me, so I didn’t.
Instead, when she struggled with the zipper on her backpack because the corner of the sketchbook had caught beneath it, I freed the cover and tucked it flat.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome.”
Duncan returned a few minutes later.
“Lori said it’s fine. We’ll go home so you can pack, and I’ll take you over.”
Sienna finally looked at him. “Thank you.”
He reached for her backpack, but she already had it over one shoulder.
Duncan let his hand fall rather than insisting.
The small gesture hurt to watch.
He turned to me. “I’ll be gone for a while.”
“We’re in good shape here. I have the final performer check and cleanup pass, and then there isn’t much anybody should be changing before tonight.”
