knew that there were others in the kingdom who weren’t so lucky. So, every day, she would sneak out of the castle gate and bring food and clothes to the people in the village.
“One day, when she was walking around the village, she saw a little puppy in an alleyway. The puppy was black with one white round patch of fur around his eye. He was whimpering, and when the princess looked closer, she could see that the puppy had cut his foot, and it was bleeding.”
“Oh, no!” Ava cries.
“It will be okay,” I reassure her.
She nods, worry in her eyes.
“So, Princess Ava picked up the puppy and took him to the castle. Once inside the castle walls, she took him to the royal doctor. With tears in her eyes, she begged the doctor to help the puppy. The doctor agreed, and they snuck the puppy into the castle’s medical room.
“Together, Princess Ava and the doctor washed the puppy’s foot. The doctor put some medicine on the puppy’s paw that would numb it, so it wouldn’t hurt, and he stitched up the cut. He wrapped the paw up with gauze and told the princess that the puppy would be okay.
“After thanking the kind doctor, she took the puppy, who she decided to name Patches, to the Queen and begged to keep him. The Queen didn’t want a dog in the castle, but she finally relented and allowed Princess Ava to keep Patches.
“After that day, whenever Princess Ava went into the village, she kept an eye out for animals that needed help. Over the years, the royal doctor taught her how to help many hurt animals, and she loved it. Princess Ava decided she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up.”
“What’s a bet-er-nare-rin?” Ava asks.
“A veterinarian is like a doctor for animals.”
Ava nods in understanding.
“So, when Princess Ava turned eighteen, she told the King and Queen that she was going away to school to learn how to be an animal doctor. The King was very mad and told her no. He said that a princess couldn’t be a veterinarian and that she had to go to charm school to learn how to be a perfect queen. Princess Ava and the King argued for many days, but she would not give up. She did not want to go to charm school. She wanted to be a veterinarian and spend her life helping animals. Finally, when the King realized that she was not going to give up her dream, he agreed.
“Princess Ava went away to college and learned many things. She came back to the kingdom and opened an animal hospital where she helped all animals for free. She called the clinic Patches’s Place. The villagers were so thankful to finally have somewhere to take their sick animals. Princess Ava was so happy because she was spending her life doing what she loved, helping animals. The end.”
“But who did Princess Ava marry? Did she find a prince?”
“That, my love, is another tale for another night. But can you tell me what the moral was in that story?”
“To help animals.”
“Partly. You should always help any person or animal that needs it. Right?”
She nods.
“But the bigger lesson is that you should grow up to do and be whatever it is that makes you happy.”
“So, I can be whatever I want?”
“Of course.”
“But what if you and Mommy don’t like it?”
“Mommy and I will always love you, no matter what. We want you, Max, and Mase to grow up and be happy.”
“So, what if I want to be a football player, like you were?”
“Then, I would help you.”
“What if I want to be a garbage person and pick up trash?”
“Then, I would help you. I’d make you take a shower before I hugged you too much though.”
I crinkle up my nose, and Ava laughs.
“I think I want to take pictures like Mommy,” she says thoughtfully.
“Well, baby girl, you have a lot of time to decide, and you’ll probably change your mind a hundred times by then. But just know that whatever you do, we love you.”
“I love you, too, Daddy.” She reaches her small arms around my neck and pulls me in for a hug. “Will you lie down with me, Daddy?”
“Sure thing, baby girl. Go to sleep. I love you.”
I lie beside Ava for mere seconds before her breath evens out, and she is fast asleep, exhaustion from the long day pulling her under quickly.