The STD Lie!

Last night I was in the living room trying to read and watch TV at the same time. My 14-year-old daughter was taking a shower. I could hear the water running. After 15 minutes of trying to review six proposals, I gave up and turned full attention to an episode of "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody."

My daughter walked into the room and said, "Mommy, I want to ask you something." "What?" I asked. "Uh," she hesitated, "never mind." And she headed for her bedroom.

Several seconds later she came back into the living room and repeated herself, "Mommy, I want to ask you something." She paused, then said, "I’m not sure if I can ask you." Now I am interested. When I shower I sometimes mull over meetings, rehearse conversations, or daydream; but mostly I pray. What was going, I wondered, through her mind?

"Mommy, have you ever had a sexually transmitted disease?"

I was stunned. I was thinking "yes." But without hesitation I lied and said, "no." Why did I lie?