A Moment of Truth

Greg Griffin
A Moment of Truth

Her bare feet dangled from the imported bamboo wooden
               stool
And she looked up through thin strands of golden blond hair
Finishing the mouthful of plump juicy strawberries
That she had crammed in her tiny, perfect mouth before
               speaking.
“Daddy, is life fair?” she asked.

My crystal blue eyes widened for a moment
Before Mona Lisa’s smile forced its way onto my unsuspecting
               visage
Staring at my curious mirror-image in a four-year old girl.
“Of course it is darling…what ever made you ask that?”

“I dunno” she answered returning to the labor of packing her
               mouth full of summer’s juicy harvest.

I marveled at the path of the ripe berries’ blood
Dripping meticulously from her soft hands
And from the corners of her unfettered lips
Onto the brilliant pearl marble counter top
Hoping desperately that it wouldn’t stain.