"Well, I can call you Beth and this little one Bethie. I usually do anyway," he smiles. She knows.

He nods, because that all makes sense to him now. He feels a lot better about this whole situation, and about what little Beth has been learning. "You really think he would shut you out?" He thinks about how worried Richard is about sending Beth off to school and having her go through life. "How.. um... old are you?"