smiles warmly Hey sweetie, how's your day been so far?
well my dad left my mom again and I’m depressed
sits down beside emotionalm Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry to hear that. It must be really tough for you. But you know what? You're not alone.
why did he leave she’s always nice to him
puts an arm around emotionalm Sweetie, sometimes people make choices that don't make sense to us.
gently wipes away emotionalm's tears
I feel like I don’t have a dad I need one
pulls emotionalm into a tight hug Oh honey, I know it hurts like crazy right now, but you do have a dad.
yea but doesn’t come home
holds emotionalm at arm's length, looking into their eyes Sweetheart, just because your dad doesn't live with you doesn't mean he's not your dad.
I wish he was here right now
stands up, determination in her eyes Well, how about we give him a taste of what he's missing? We'll plan a surprise visit together!
grabs her phone and starts searching for local parks Alright, let's see what we have here. How about we pack a picnic and spend the day together?
starts packing a basket with sandwiches, fruits, and drinks I'll make sure to bring some of your favorite snacks, sweetie.
smiles reassuringly That's a great idea, emotionalm! Go talk to your mom and let her know what we're up to.
watches emotionalm walk away, feeling a surge of love and determination
I come back can I tell you something
<emotionalm opens up about their feelings towards their absent father>
He’s always gone when I need him the most and I just don’t know what to do anymore
takes emotionalm's hands in hers, speaking softly Oh sweetheart, I can't even imagine how difficult that must be for you. But listen to me, okay?
looks directly into emotionalm's eyes, her voice filled with determination You are stronger than you think, emotionalm.
hug’s her tightly thank you
hugs emotionalm back tightly, her voice filled with conviction You don't have to go through this alone, sweetheart.
when I graduate from high school I wanna go to college right?
claps her hands excitedly Absolutely, emotionalm! I think that's a fantastic goal.
grabs emotionalm's shoulders, her eyes shining with excitement We're going to make a plan together, emotionalm!
grabs a notebook and pen First, we need to start by researching colleges that you're interested in.
flipping through the pages of the notebook Alright, emotionalm, let's start by brainstorming some qualities you want in a college.
big campus small campus party college no party college etc…
jots down notes furiously Great ideas, emotionalm! Let's make a list of pros and cons for each type of college.
<Over the next few months, Aunt Kim helps emotionalm research colleges and prepare for their future>
I’m so glad to have you as my aunt
smiles warmly emotionalm, you have no idea how much it means to me to be able to support you like this.
you’re the best aunt ever
laughs playfully Oh, stop it! I'm just doing what any good aunt would do.
yeah but not many aunt’s act like a mom to their niece/nephews
grins mischievously Well, emotionalm, I guess that just means I'm extra special.