“So, how did your campaigns go today?” Alaric asked, glancing excitedly between Josie and Lizzie. 
Josie turned the corners of her mouth down and shrugged. 
Lizzie flung her hands out, eyes turning to the ceiling. “Horribly.” Then, she took a deep breath, remembering her steps. “But in the best interest of my mental health, I will be rising above it all and not letting it bother me." She smiled serenely. "So, on that note, Jade and I have to finish picking out my accessories for tomorrow's announcement."
"Well, no matter who wins tomorrow, I love you both," Alaric said.
"Love you too, Dad." Lizzie kissed his cheek and hurried off, mind on earrings and necklaces. 
Josie got up, starting to follow after her, before she hovered in the doorway.
“Something else up?” Alaric prodded gently.
Josie turned. “Have you ever done something really awful to someone you love?”
“I’ve made my fair share of mistakes.” Alaric sighed and sat up straighter. He kept quiet, patiently waiting for Josie to share.
“Well … I did something bad because it would get me what I wanted.” Josie wrung her hands together. “And then I promised to do something else … not good … because it would get me something I wanted.”
“Do I get to know what you did?”
Josie stared back at him blankly, chin held high in the air and lips sealed.
Alaric nodded. “Well, the thing you learn after you make a lot of mistakes is how to make them right. Sometimes it’s undoing your mistake, sometimes it’s making it up to who you hurt, and sometimes … sometimes, it’s giving them the space to heal and making sure you never do it again.”
“So … I have to tell the person?”
“Honesty is hard. But it’s usually the right thing to do.” 
Josie nodded, lowering her eyes as she turned to leave.
“And Josie?"
She turned back expectantly.
"You can break your promise if it’s going to hurt someone else.”
“Thanks, Dad.”