"What kind of jokes, Caleb?"
"Did you laugh?"
"Once or twice."
"Were the jokes funny?"
"Mom..."
"Caleb."
He looked down.
"No."
Normally, this was where I'd tell him it was fine.
"Caleb."
I didn't.
"You didn't have to make those jokes, Caleb. You just had to let her think they were acceptable."
"I know."
"Do you?"
He nodded slowly. "Sophie told me she's heard Amanda make comments about women's bodies before. Weight, clothes, getting older."
That got my attention.
"About Sophie?"
"You didn't have to make those jokes, Caleb."
"No. Not yet."
"Not yet isn't good enough."
"I know."
"Then don't fix this because Amanda embarrassed me. Fix it because your daughter is listening."
Caleb sat across from me.
"I told Amanda she needs to delete every picture and tell the group you never knew."
"Good."
"And she will."
"No."
"Fix it because your daughter is listening."
He frowned.
"What?"
"Don't make her do it."
"Mom, she needs to."
"Yes. But if you force the apology, she'll blame you for it later. She needs to understand why she's doing it."
Caleb went quiet.
Then he nodded.
"You're right."
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