"But he's not here and he's never going to be here," Maxine protested, sniffling. "But you're here, and I thought if you were my real dad then I wouldn't have to feel bad sometimes."
Maxine rubbed at her eyes, not quite aware that she wasn't still in trouble. There was more that she wanted to articulate, but she wasn't sure how. She wanted to be loved like a real daughter. She wanted to know Wash loved her like a real daughter. She wanted emotional security and certainty.
In five year old that came out as she didn't want to feel bad sometimes.
"But then the fake you showed up and he's just sort of weird," Maxine whined.