Ethan Ainsley: "Seems like you're itching for a spanking."
Pow Ainsley stays silent, his eyes still wet, and his eyelashes are so long that if he cries any more, his upper and lower eyelashes will stick together, and he won't be able to open his eyes.
After a while, he calms down a bit and calls out:
"Daddy."
Pow continues to nuzzle his face into his daddy's chest.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
This time, Ethan doesn't push him away. He even puts down the official documents he's reading and leaves an arm behind his son's back to protect him in case he falls off his lap.
Pow wipes his wet eyes with his dad's tie, and with his still-red nose, says hesitantly, "In our class, during the turtle game, all the other kids had their mommies with them to finish it."
"So it's a parent-child activity?" Ethan asks.
Pow nods: "Mm-hmm."