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“We have to talk about it, Jack.”
“I know, but don't you think it would be better coming from Yvette?”
“We’re his parents! It's our job to keep him safe, not his friend’s mom’s.”
Jack ran a hand through his hair. “Okay. Okay, you're right.” He sat down on the bed with a sigh, and Rebecca sat down beside him. “I just wish it didn't have to be like this.”
His wife laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. “I know, baby. I know. But we have to tell him.”
Jack put his arm around her shoulders, her figure small against him, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I know.”
After dinner the next night, Jack and Rebecca looked at each other, and Jack steeled himself for the coming conversation. Rebecca placed her hand on Kate’s shoulder. “Honey, why don't you go up to your room and play for a while? I'll come up soon.” Kate, ever the angelic child, nodded and headed for the stairs.
“Boys, sit down.” Jack gestured to the dining room table, and the four of them sat down.
“You're all starting a new year of school soon, and there's something your mom and I need to talk to you about.” Randall and Kevin looked at each other nervously.
Rebecca turned to Randall. “You know we love you so much, right?” Randall nodded. “And we don't see you any differently than we see Kevin and Kate?” Randall nodded again.
“Unfortunately son, not everybody feels that way.” Jack looked at his wife, and she nodded for him to go on. “Sometimes there are gonna be people who don't like you because your skin is darker.”
“I know,” Randall said, in the heartbreakingly simple way children do.
“What do you mean, baby?”
“Some of the kids at school last year said I wasn't smart because I'm colored.”
Jack’s nostrils flared and he drew in a sharp breath, and Rebecca placed a hand over his. Stay calm, Jack.
“Okay, first of all, you are not colored, do you hear me? You're black. Don't let anybody call you colored, that's a hateful word.” Rebecca looked in his wide brown eyes, needing to be sure he understood.
“Okay, Mom.”
Jack cleared his throat. “Here's the thing, son. Sometimes, it's dangerous to have brown skin, so you have to be careful. You can't always trust adults to treat you right.”
“Kevin, honey, this means you need to keep him safe,” Rebecca said. “When you two go out, you need to be together. And for any reason, if you ever, ever get in trouble, you need to do all the talking, okay? White people won’t always listen to Randall, because there are a lot of prejudiced people in this world.”
“This part is important, Randall, okay?” Jack put his hands on his son’s small shoulders and looked at him. “You can't run into the cops. If you hear sirens, you go the opposite direction.”
“But, Dad, the teacher said the police are there to protect us.” Randall looked confused.
“I know, son, but police are just like everyone else, so they're not always nice.”
“And they can get away with doing bad things,” Rebecca jumped in. “So you have to promise you won't do anything that might get you involved with the police, okay?”
Randall nodded. “Kevin, you understand? You have to protect your brother.” Jack looked at his other son.
“Yes, Dad.” Kevin nodded vigorously. “I'll be like a superhero!”
Jack laughed. “Okay, buddy. Now you two go play upstairs.”
The boys rushed off, serious conversation pushed quickly aside in favor of plastic soldiers and toy trains. Rebecca leaned back with a sigh. “That was awful,” she said quietly, looking over at her husband. “Did you see his face? We had to tell our little boy that half the world doesn't like him just because of what he looks like.”
“I know. Everything's gonna be different for him now.”
“It's just so unfair, Jack,” Rebecca’s voice was quiet, weak.
“I know, baby, I know. But now he'll know how to be safe.” Jack leaned towards her, and she dropped her head onto his chest. They sat there for a while, wishing they could give their children a different world to inherit.