A Poignant Fallacy

Scene 34- Yes Daddy

John and Laura are seen having wine in the living room while sitting on the couch. John has his laptop and is working.

Laura breaks silence, "I feel like maybe we could do something so the children will stop bickering."

John doesn't look up from his laptop, "What did you have in mind?"

Laura is nervous, "I think maybe we need to start treating Juliette like she's older."

John frowns but still doesn't look up, "We treat Juliette just fine for her age."

Laura continues, "John, we were not carrying around the boys when they were twelve."

John looks at her, "Well she's a little girl. And our last child. When the boys were 12 we had other babies running around."

Laura, "I'm just saying, it wouldn't hurt to give her the chance to act more maturely."

John argues, "Well that means you are letting Juliette pick out her clothes from now on."

Laura silently agrees, "And that means you are telling Juliette she's too heavy the next time she wants to be carried."

John continues, "Then that means you have to stop asking her if she needs to go potty every time before we leave the house."

Laura starts to get slightly heated, "Well then that means you don't need to pat her behind to get her to do things."

John starts in, "I can touch her wherever I see fit! I'm her Father."

Laura goes, "But you're not the father to a five year old anymore John. She's almost thirteen!"

John is angry, "How come all of your arguments about me are about how I touch my daughter? hm? She seems fine with it to me."

Laura is frazzled, "John she doesn't know any better. She's going to start visiting friend's houses and see that her friends dad's don't carry them to the dinner table and have them sit on their lap."

John looks at her. He then yells upstairs, "Juliette! Come down here please!"

Laura whispers to him, "I'm not giving up the clothes if you're not giving up the touching."

Juliette walks into the living room slightly nervous. She thought she was in trouble.

"Come sit on my lap, honey"

Juliette does as she's told and John helps her up onto his legs.

He then grabs her chin and turns her head towards him, "Juliette. Do you wish that I didn't touch you?"

Juliette was now thoroughly confused.

"Um what?"

Laura is angry, "Are you kidding? Of course she's going to say no when you phrase it like that."

John doesn't pay any attention to her, "Do you wish that I didn't touch you and hug you and love you?"

Laura was furious but stayed silent.

Juliette had a frown on her face, "No I want you to hug me and love me!"

John chuckles lightly, "Well good, good. We just didn't know if you liked that anymore. As long as you're okay with it then I think we're good here."

He begins to take Juliette off of his lap when Laura interjects,

"Wait wait wait. Juliette, honey, weren't you a little bit upset the other day when Daddy patted your bottom in the car?"

Juliette begins to speak but her father cut her off.

"Well that's different than showing love, she wouldn't get into her seat." He then asks Juliette a question, "Juliette, I will discipline you how I see fit, and in that moment that seemed perfectly reasonable, right?"

Juliette was quiet and nervous. She was beginning to wish that she was in trouble like she first thought when they told her to come downstairs.

"But Daddy, I don't like when you do that. It's...embarrassing."

John smiles at her and holds her chin, "Oh baby I'm sorry. Discipline is just a part of life and it's not supposed to be fun."

Laura decided to contradict her husband in front of their child, which was forbidden in the house, "But maybe it's getting to be that Juliette is too old for that discipline. Do you think you're too old to be touched there by your Daddy? That's a very private part of your body."

Juliette looked at her tense dad scared and slowly nods her head.

John takes a deep slow breath. "Well, I'm sorry you both feel that way, but that's just not how it works. Daddies relay discipline and have the final say. Always. So mommy won't touch you there, but I'm going to, understood?"

Juliette nods sadly.

John replies, "Hmmm?"

Juliette lightly rolls her eyes and says, "Yes Daddy."

John is displeased, "Juliette. be respectful when I asked if you understood."

Juliette has tears well in her eyes, "Yes Sir."

John gives her a kiss on her forehead, "Good girl. In this house, I can do whatever I see fit. You're my daughter and you can trust me with that JuJu. I'll always protect you. I'm the father of the house and what I say, goes. That goes for your brothers too....when they're in charge of you. And for future reference Juliette, whatever your husband says, also goes."

Laura was angry, but she didn't think that Juliette was catching on to the passive aggression towards her mother.

Juliette is angry, "But that's not fair! How come boys always get the final say?"

Laura was now saddened by the reality of her world.

John, still calm and smiling, says, "Oh honey that's very fair. Boys and girls and men and women are very different. That's just science. It's been like this since the beginning of time. Men are just less emotional than girls, so they make decisions in their family. That's how the world goes round."

Juliette didn't know what to think. She guessed he was right and said, "Okay, daddy. I'm sorry."

John stands up while keeping her in her arms. He makes a point to pat and rub her butt while he rocks her back and forth.

He says, "No need to be sorry baby girl. You're learning your place. That's really good stuff. Mommy and I will always be good role models to you, so you can learn that stuff. Right, Mommy?"

Laura rolls her eyes as John mouths to her, "You're in trouble."

She says sadly, "Yes of course."

John sets Juliette down and kisses her on the forehead, "Now go play before bed."

Juliette runs out of the room and upstairs.

John points to the direction of their bedroom and they both walk there. Laura doesn't regret speaking out but has no idea what she's in for.