I gave him my best pouty face; I knew just how to work him. I wasn’t above playing the prodigal to the limit as long as I got my way in this.
“Don’t you love me dad?”
“What why, what kind of a question is that? Of course I love you you’re my daughter.” Good he looked perplexed and flustered.
“Then why don’t you want to eat healthy so you can be around for a long time?”
His face was comical and he looked close to tears. It was all I could do not to break out in laughter.
“Is it really that important to you Jazz?”
I did my best daddy’s little girl impersonation, complete with nodding head and munching of the lip.
He muttered something about manipulative females and learning too young, before he sighed long and hard.
“Fine Jazz, I’ll eat your healthy food, but you have to let me have cherry pie down at the diner at least three nights a week.”
“One and we’ve got a deal.”
“Come on Jazz, you can’t expect me to just go cold turkey. I’ve been eating that pie almost everyday since I was a kid.”
“One and I’ll make you my special peach raspberry pie.”
“That another one of your health nut recipes?”
“Dad!”
“Fine.”
***
We rounded out the night with dad stretched out in front of the tube, while I read one of my classics upstairs in my room.
Outside, night had fallen early, as was the norm here it seemed. The wind was loud against the windows, as the rain that had been threatening all day seemed to be coming in.
There was a sense of being cocooned up there in the little room in the old house, like being wrapped in a warm blanket, protected from the outside world.
I’d grown rather fanciful in the few days I’d been here. I think it was because I somehow reconciled this town with the places I’d read about in my old classics.
Or maybe because it bore remnants of my dreams! Whatever the case, I loved the feeling of finally being settled.
“Night dad.” I yelled down the stairs to him after cleaning up in the bathroom. I couldn’t wait to go to sleep so I could wake up and go to school again tomorrow.
And maybe tonight I would dream a little dream of him. Warmth enveloped me at the thought as I climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over me.
Listening to the whistling wind and the soft rain against the eaves, I fell into sleep with the feel of a soft kiss against my brow.
I slept like a log and couldn’t remember my dreams, or if I’d even had one, though I felt more, well rested than I ever had before.
I spent an inordinate amount of time getting dressed this morning. I tried to convince myself that there was no special reason behind it, but who was I kidding?
I even contemplated face paint, which was a sure sign that I’d lost my mind. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Probably put my damn eye out with a mascara wand.
Dad eyed me up and down as I got breakfast ready and I held my breath hoping he didn’t say anything.
“You do something different with your eyes there Jazz?” Now he was squinting at me as I took my seat across from him.
“No, like what?”
“I don’t know you look…different this morning.” I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Maybe it was the fresh coat of blush pink lip-gloss I’d applied for the first time in my life.
Or maybe those extra strokes of the brush had added some life to my waterfall of sable colored hair.
He dropped the subject, for which I was eternally grateful, as he turned his attention to his oatmeal or horse food as he so eloquently referred to it when I put it down in front of him. “I haven’t eaten this swill since I was a boy.”
“Nag, nag, nag. Eat it, it’s good for your heart and cholesterol and all that good stuff.” He’s a petulant two-year old in a grown man’s body I swear.
He grilled me about school until it was time to leave. I think he was really worried about me fitting in and making new friends, as if my failure to do that would be on him.
I guess only time would put his mind at ease. It can’t be easy for him trying to live with his teenage daughter after years of being apart and being almost strangers to each other.
He seemed dead set on making up for lost time, which I couldn’t blame him for. We’d both missed out on a lot over the years.
I headed off to school with a tummy full of excitement and butterflies. Would I see him in my rear view, or will he be on the school grounds with the other kids?
Will he say anything to me today, or will he stay the strong silent type? The possibilities were too many to count.