Once, while they were driving, Lucy told her dad that she felt like the adult in their relationship.

He drove out of traffic, into the parking lot of a dentist office and yelled at her for feeling this way.

He told her all the reasons why she was wrong, all the reasons why she was a child and he, a man.

After clarifying the roles, they rejoined the evening traffic, driving in silence until Lucy’s father asked her to read again.

She opened the book to where they left off. She read to him, emphasizing the pause after each period as he requested.