“Well, that’s terrific. I’m proud of you.” He grinned. “Blah-Blah Children’s Book by David Charles and Lissy Kenway.”
“DAD.”
“Alice Kenway?”
“Never.”
“Alice E. Kenway?”
“DAD.” It was stupid, but I was just sitting there grinning all over my face. I sucked my lips in and tried to contain myself. “I haven’t even gotten the job.”
He shrugged. “Well, once they see your work, I’m sure they’ll hire you.”
I was surprised that I was touched by that. “Thanks.”
“So,” he said. “Cereal at four p.m., huh? That’s original.”
“It’s the college way.”
“Is it now?”
“No, what’s original is eating a tomato like a pear."
“What?” he said, shrugging. “Tomatoes are fruit.”
I snapped my fingers. “That’s true.”
My dad washed his hands. “Okay,” he said, drying them on a plaid dishtowel. “See ya, kid.”
“You’re leaving?”
He tilted his head from side to side, smiling a little. “Well,” he said, dragging the “el” sound out, “I’ve got a date tonight.”
“Oh.” I felt like he was expecting me to be excited, but I couldn’t muster up any enthusiasm beyond a perfunctory “That’s nice.”
“Yeah.” He did the head-tilting thing again. “So what are you going to do, hang out with Jonah or something?”
I shrugged.
“Oh, no,” he said half-sarcastically. “Trouble in paradise?”
“DAD.”
He messed up my hair with his hand before he left the room.
Labels: january brings few faces
