I smiled at Noah.
“What do you mean, buddy?”
He pointed again.
“Him.”
“The caterpillar man.”
The room laughed softly.
Amber forced a smile.
“Silly goose.”
But Noah wasn’t smiling.
“He always has the fuzzy caterpillars.”
I frowned.
“What fuzzy caterpillars?”
He lifted both hands to his face.
“Right here.”
He pointed above his lip.
“On his face.”
The boss instinctively touched his thick mustache.
More laughter.
I almost laughed too.
Then Noah added quietly,
“When Mommy sleeps at his house…”
“…they tickle me.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every conversation stopped.
Amber’s wine glass slipped slightly in her hand.
Her boss looked like he couldn’t breathe.
I stared at Noah.
“What did you just say?”
He looked confused.
“The caterpillars.”
“They tickle.”
Amber stepped forward quickly.
“Noah…”
“I think you’re confused.”
But he shook his head.
“No.”
“The blue house.”
“With the big dog.”
“I watched cartoons there.”
I slowly turned toward Amber.
“What blue house?”
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Her boss finally spoke.
“Kids imagine things.”
Noah frowned.
“You gave me hot chocolate.”
The man’s face lost every trace of color.
“You said not to tell Daddy because it was a surprise.”
Someone at the table gasped.
Amber whispered,
“Noah…”
“Stop.”
Tears filled his eyes.
“But you said surprises are fun.”
I looked at my wife.
“Amber.”
“Explain.”
She couldn’t.
Her boss grabbed his jacket.
“I should probably go.”
“No.”
I stepped between him and the door.
“You’re staying.”
My sister quietly picked up her phone.
Amber’s mother lowered her head.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Only Noah.
Still completely innocent.
“Daddy…”
“Did I do something bad?”
I knelt beside him.
“No, buddy.”
“You told the truth.”
Then I stood back up.
Looked directly at my wife.
And quietly asked,
“How many other surprises have there been?”
