Just tell your brother you love him, dammit.

Sam and I seem to be having all sorts of adventures on our drives home this week. Today’s installment is less nerve-wracking and has a less happy ending than Monday’s, however.

I’m driving along, minding my own business, when Sam pipes up from the back.

“Mommy, why doesn’t Kate like me anymore?”

Annnnnnd cue my heart shattering into a million pieces.

Of course I’m immediately all “Kate loooooves you, honey! You’re her brother!” but he’s having none of it. “She always calls me Whiny Pants.” So being the genius I am, I decide we’re going to call Kate up at home right that moment and let her set the record straight.

Because there’s nothing like putting an 8 year old on the spot.

I’m certain she’ll rise to the occasion, though, so we call her. On speaker phone.

Did I mention I’m a genius?

“Kate, your brother has something to tell you,” I said. “I love you, Kay-Kate!” he yells.

*crickets*

I have no idea what to do at this point, so I don’t do anything. We sit in silence until Sam finally says “Don’t you have SOMETHING TO SAY BACK TO ME, KATE?”

“You want to ride on my back?” she says.

At this point I want to reach through the phone and ring her little neck.

The conversation went downhill from there, and Sam never got the confirmation he needed that his sister does, in fact, like him. Actually, I think I confirmed his belief that she does not.

Yay me!

The thing that kills me, though, is that she does like him, and sometimes they get along so beautifully. There’s nothing in the whole wide world I love more than to hear them laugh together. I just wish I could make that happen with more regularity.