“Please? Can we, Daddy?” she asked, turning to me.
“Whenever your mom is ready.”
“See, my daddy said we can.”
“We will have to see, Jada. Not today, though.”
Hours later, we found ourselves in the backyard. Somehow, I let Jada convince me that I could build a damn tent. I offered to buy one. Buying shit was my area of expertise. I wasn’t a hands-on guy unless it came to getting active.I take that back.For my daughter, I would be any kind of guy that I needed to be. Hence the reason why I was tangled in pink sheets after spending forever putting wooden stakes in the ground.
“That is not glamping,” Faith called from her position in a lounge chair by the pool. After discovering my wine cellar, my baby poured herself a drink and camped out poolside to watch us struggle.
“We’re making a fort!” Jada yelled.
“Yeah!” I doubled down on her statement.
“Looking good. I’m almost ready for a refill,” Faith announced.
For the next half hour, we worked quietly, tying and strapping things down the way we’d learned online. Eventually, we had a standing structure. I almost tore it all down stepping back to see our handiwork.
“That’s actually pretty good,” Faith called out.
“Now we just need to get our sleeping bags,” I told Jada, referring to the supplies I’d had delivered with the pink sheets and wooden stakes.
“It’s really cute, but can I sleep in my new room tonight?” Jada asked, clasping her hands.
“After I spent three hours building this thing?” I asked, shaking my head.
“Please? I never had a new room before. I want to sleep in my princess bed.”
I looked over at our finished product with its saggy roof and missing wall and shook my head. I wouldn’t admit it, but I was relieved that we wouldn’t have to rough it tonight.
“Either way, we did it!” I said, stooping to high-five my girl.
“You’re the best daddy ever!”
That did it. I burst into tears like a newborn baby. Not wanting my daughter to see me that way, I walked away, not going anywhere in particular. With both hands on top of my head, I stalked across the yard. For the life of me, I couldn’t pull myself together. A pair of arms wrapped around me, and I melted down to the ground like lava.
“What’s wrong, baby? Do we need to leave?” Faith asked, holding me as I let it all out.
“Don’t take my baby anywhere, Faith,” I demanded when I could finally speak.
“OK, I was just asking. Is this too much for you?”
“It’s just right. I need y’all here, Faith. I’ve lived here two years, and it has never felt as much like home as it does today. My little girl just told me that I’m the best dad ever. I can’t even explain how that feels.”
“I’m so sorry that you missed so much time with her. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make up for it.”
“Move in with me, Faith. This is your house anyway.”
“OK, damn,” she said, rolling her eyes playfully.
“You don’t know how happy you just made me, but I plan to show you all night long.”
“See, I can’t with you,” Faith said, shaking her head as she sprang to her feet.
“I love you too, baby.”
From our failed camping excursion, we went to Faith’s house to get a change of clothes and Jada’s favorite teddy bears. She wanted them to see her new room. On the way back, we stopped by Faith’s favorite spot and grabbed tacos. Then I picked up icecream for dessert. It was whatever for my girls. I was just along for the ride.
