touch of sorrow I felt lips caress my brow.
“You okay over there kiddo?”
I’d dropped the pot in the sink at the sensation. Turning to my dad I did a quick once over of the kitchen, but there was no one there, no one but my dad and I.
“Fine, fine dad.” I brushed my hand across my forehead. What is it about this place anyway? There weren’t any legends about the area that I knew of, but there was definitely something ‘other’ going on here.
“You sure kid, you look a little spooked, what’s going on, you didn’t cut yourself or anything did you?”
I turned back to the dishes to escape his searching gaze.
“No dad I’m good, you done?” I hope my voice doesn’t give me away.
At his yes I walked over and took his plate from in front of him. He was still trying to read my face so I schooled my features, even though I was a bundle of nerves inside.
“Thanks Jazz that was great, could we have something breaded and fried tomorrow though? In the few days you’ve been here I’ve been eating either rabbit food or something approaching sawdust; my stomach’s about to rebel.”
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
“You okay over there kiddo?”
I’d dropped the pot in the sink at the sensation. Turning to my dad I did a quick once over of the kitchen, but there was no one there, no one but my dad and I.
“Fine, fine dad.” I brushed my hand across my forehead. What is it about this place anyway? There weren’t any legends about the area that I knew of, but there was definitely something ‘other’ going on here.
“You sure kid, you look a little spooked, what’s going on, you didn’t cut yourself or anything did you?”
I turned back to the dishes to escape his searching gaze.
“No dad I’m good, you done?” I hope my voice doesn’t give me away.
At his yes I walked over and took his plate from in front of him. He was still trying to read my face so I schooled my features, even though I was a bundle of nerves inside.
“Thanks Jazz that was great, could we have something breaded and fried tomorrow though? In the few days you’ve been here I’ve been eating either rabbit food or something approaching sawdust; my stomach’s about to rebel.”
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
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