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“Hi, Daddy. You play football?”
“I did. I was on the field for a little bit kicking. How was the library? And the park?”
“Mae Mae got me a doggie book. Daddy, can we get a doggie?”
“We’ll have to see about that. I’m starting to think Mae Mae might be a bad influence.”
“Hey.” Maven’s face comes back into focus, and she sticks out her tongue. “Watch your tone there, Lansfield, or I might leave this spaghetti sauce everywhere and forget to clean up.”
“Just kidding.” I grin and sit in one of the chairs in my room. “What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“I haven’t gotten that far yet. Any suggestions?”
“June likes the farmer’s market. The one in Dupont Circle is really good. The zoo is never a bad choice either. She could watch the panda bears for hours.”
“Daddy,” June says, and Maven shifts the camera back to her. “Come home soon?”
“I’ll be home in three sleeps, JB. And when you wake up tomorrow, it’ll only be two sleeps.”
“Wow.” She giggles and grabs a noodle off the table, flinging it at the wall. “I love you, Daddy.”
A lump forms in my throat, and I swallow it down. I don’t want her to see me get emotional, butfuck, I miss her so much. It’s never easy being away, and I’m counting down the hours until we touch down in D.C.
Sunday night can’t come soon enough.
“I love you too, princess,” I say.
“How much?”
“You know the stars in the night sky? If you added all of them up—and there are billions and billions of them up there—I’d still love you more than that, June Bug.”
“That’s a lot of love,” Maven whispers in her ear.
“A lot?” June asks.
“More than anything in this world. Be good for Mae Mae tonight, alright?”
“Alright, Daddy.” She blows me a kiss, and I pretend to catch it out of the air. “Bye.”
Maven pans the camera back to herself. “You look exhausted.”
“Coach sent us to he—” I catch myself before the swear slips out. “He ran us into the ground today. The man is out of his mind.”
“Shawn in coach mode is scary. Go take a nap. I’ll send you a picture when she’s in bed.”
“Thanks, Mae.” I smile and run my hand through my hair. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too. It’s weird being here without you.” She pauses. “June misses you.”
“I miss her, too.” I stare at the screen. I should hang up, but something is keeping me there, looking at her and trying to keep the conversation going. “The guest room should be all set up for you.”
“I saw. I can’t wait to jump on that bed. It looks soft.” Maven turns away from the camera and laughs. “I better go. June is trying to weasel her way out of the booster seat. If we could avoid any hospital visits, that would be great. JB, say good night to your dad.”
“Night, Daddy! I love you,” June says.
“I love you too, kiddo. Night, Maven.”
“Night,Daddy,” she jokes and I nearly drop the phone. “Sweet dreams.”
