The problem was he could never see it from her end of things. How could he? He was just a kid, and a boy at that. Sure it was all well and good that he wanted to be involved, but it was his choice to be involved. It'd be his choice to not be, if he had so wished. Lani did not have that option. There was no way he could ever understand, there was no way anyone could make him understand. She wondered if he was ever going to be able to take that step back and understand it. Probably not, he was just a kid.
Lani narrowed her eyes a bit at that. She was a good mother, she worked hard to support her child. "We don't need your money, Starbuck." she said calmly, but in a dark tone. If he had money, that was nice, but Kamea and her did not need money. She had done just fine as a single mom and she was not about to let him just start paying for things left and right. It wasn't right and it certainly was not healthy for Kamea.
"I was in Japan, you wouldn't have been able to help. And when I got back, you were here anyways, so you wouldn't have been able to help then. Even if you did know, the only time you'd have seen her if I hadn't come here is when you'd come on your little breaks." That was worse in her mind than not having a father at all, having one that had no time to be with you. She really did not want to fight, but damnit she was going to stand by her choices.
Kamea looked at her mom with big eyes when he voice got a bit angry and her lower lip trembled a bit. Reaching over, Lani stroked Kamea's cheek. "Shhh, shhh, baby girl. Mommy's not mad at you, you're golden right now." she cooed, calming her daughter down. Not even looking up at Starbuck ,she answered him. "Sea Otters aren't domesticated. It's dangerous, if Kamea accidentally hurt it, it could hurt her."