I always doubted when parents would say “I knew my child was going to be a veterinarian when….” Really? You gathered that your daughter would be a vet when she rubbed a kitten’s belly and it purred?! It seemed more the parent’s wish than the innate skills of the child.

But that skepticism was blown to pieces when Maria brought Jon and I together to resolve a spat we were having. Ri had overheard us bickering and came to the rescue. We had been bickering about something she didn’t need to know about so I made up something when she asked the problem. She sat Jon and me down opposite one another and had me explain the issue.

Me: “I wanted dad to take me to lunch today and he couldn’t.”

Maria: “Is that true, dad?”

Dad: “Yes, bu-”

Maria: “Hold on. Just answer the question, dad. Now mom, when did you tell dad you wanted to go to lunch?”

Me: “I called him at lunchtime.”

Maria: “So you waited until lunch to tell him you wanted to go to lunch? Do you understand he has work to do?”

Me: “Well he’s usually available.”

Dad: “I have asked your mom to lunch a bunch of times and she always says she’s too busy.”

Maria: “Really? Is that true, mom?”

Me: “Yes.”

Maria: “Then it seems that dad has tried to go to lunch with you in the past and you’ve always said no. Does that seem fair to get mad at him because he was working and couldn’t take you today?”

Me: “I guess not.”

I am an attorney but I have no particular desire to have my kids go into the profession. However, after the cross-examination from Ri, I can definitely see it. If she does become a lawyer, I will look back at that moment in time and say “I knew my daughter would be a lawyer the night she sat my hubby and I down…”

Then again, I could probably say the same if she became a psychologist or marriage counselor because after her grilling of us she gave us advice on spending time together by finding a place where I could eat chocolate and Jon could eat a sandwich and we could be together for a while alone.

Piece of work, she is.