Asking With Puppy Dog Eyes

(Our 15-year-old cat has wandered off and hasn’t been seen in two weeks. We are worried about her, but we have to accept that she’s probably not coming back. I’m staring out the backdoor, when my four-year-old daughter comes up to me.)

Daughter: “Mom, are you thinking about Meeske?”

Me: “Yes, I miss her a lot.”

Daughter: “You can stop missing her; she’s probably dead anyway. So, now that she’s dead and gone, can I please have a puppy?”