“I love you, azzo!”
“You don’t!”
“I do!”
“You don’t!”
“I do!”
“You said you hate me yesterday!”
“I love you today and I love you yesterday!”
“You mean tomorrow?”
“Yes, tomorrow!”
“Okay!”
“Do you have chocolate?”
“No.”
“Do you have gum?”
“No.”
“Do you have vanilla?”
“What?”
“Vanilla. V. A. N. L. A”
“You spelled that wrong!”
“Do you have vanilla?”
“I don’t!”
“Money?”
“I don’t have cash with me right now!”

A few seconds of silence.

“It’s okay, I still love you.”
“Thank you, sweetie, I love you, too!”

She smiles and runs out of my room and I realize that she’s the only one I’ve ever said “I love you” back to!

*a conversation I had with my 5 year-old niece.

Love, February.

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