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She studies me for a moment before she gets up. “Can we have a dance party?”
I smile at her. “I think dance parties will have to wait until your leg is better.”
But she grins and shakes her head. “I made up a dance to cheer you up.” She swings her arms and shakes her body in a way that makes me snatch her off the floor so she doesn’t hurt her leg further.
I set her on the couch beside me. “Sorry, but the cheer-up dance will have to wait until your leg is better.”
“It feels fine and you’re not fine, so I thought it would help.”
“What do you mean? I’m perfectly fine.”
Her lips smooth into a line, just like when Abigail was disapproving of something I did. It’s eerie in the extreme to see that face on my daughter. “No, you’re not.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you’re…Aiden, what did Mom call it when you acted up after she took away your Spiderman doll?”
He has a tone. “Moping. And he’s not a doll. He’s an action figure.”
“Yeah, Daddy, you’re moping.”
I sigh. There is no hiding my mood from these two. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, sweetie. I need you to worry about your leg and not re-injure it. You want out of your boot, don’t you?”
“I don’t know. It smells funny, so when Aiden annoys me, I can just kick him with it.”
He snorts a laugh. “You’ll get in trouble if you do, Franny. Mommy already warned you.”
She sticks her tongue out at him, but he doesn’t see it. Too focused on his trees. Franny turns her attention to me and huffs upon discovering the use of her weapon has too high a cost. “I guess I want out of the boot. It’s kinda itchy.”
“Okay, then no dancing. It’s settled.”
She sighs and curls up with her head on my shoulder. I contemplate how many times I’ll get this with her, and the thought is salt on my wounded heart. Best to just enjoy it while I have it. She asks, “Why are you moping?”
“I have a lot on my mind right now.” Time to whip out my father’s old excuse. Work. How many times did he use that with us when we were kids with questions about him? He knew better than to burden us with adult problems, but I suspect he used it for minor things too, like when we got on his nerves. I won’t use that excuse when she’s older and can handle the truth. I won’t be him. “Work has been busy.”
Franny nods. “School is busy, too.”
I almost laugh out loud, but I don’t want her to think I don’t take it seriously, or she might not. “I remember those days. There’s a lot to learn and do at school. All of it is important.”
“Yeah. But also, I wanna tell you something.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a secret.” She motions for me to duck down to her ear.
And of course, I oblige. “What is it?”
“I know Mommy said we won’t see Lily anymore, and I know why she’s gone.”
I frown and hope neither of them notice.If Abigail told them anything about me and Lily, then my ex and I will have a hideous conversation about boundaries, and it will not go well for her.I clear my throat. Struggling to keep my tone level, I ask, “And why is that, sweetie?”
“Mommy is back from the Liar Valley.”
I keep the laugh in. “Loire Valley.”
“Right, so now we don’t need Lily.”
If only that were true. “Right.”
