Page 41 of One Touch

“I’m sorry. What happened?”

“We were doing English and I was angry with the book. So, I threw it on the floor.”

“Ah, sweetie, I’m sorry.”

“I wish books weren’t even invented. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about your bookstore and I wouldn’t get told off.”

I put an arm around her. “I get that feeling. Sorry things are tough.”

She was quiet for a moment, then said, “Oh! Oh! Oh! I’ve got another good thing.”

“What is it?” I asked.

She smiled at me. “You talk to me like a grown-up.”

I gave her hand a little squeeze. “Lots of good stuff today, then.”

***

It was a beautiful walk back. The sky was clear, the breeze was floral and sweet, and the view was spectacular.

“Your dad picked a really good spot for a home, you know, Ava.”

Ava nodded. “Mom never liked it, apparently. She wanted us to move to Goldharbor Bay because it’s fancier there. But even though it’s a bit, well, gray, Dad and I have stayed here. We like it.”

As we stepped onto the porch, the scent of the breeze was replaced by the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat, making my stomach grumble in anticipation. Ava skipped ahead, her backpack bouncing with each step, and burst through the front door.

“Dad! We’re home!” she called out, kicking off her shoes. Her mood had improved a lot since our little heart-to-heart.

I entered the house to see Ethan embracing Ava, holding her tight to his chest. He had his eyes closed tight, and he had this warm, relaxed smile on his face I’d never seen before. I held my breath, not wanting to spoil their moment, but then his eyesopened and he said, “Thanks for getting Ava. I appreciate it. Gave me a chance to get the food going.”

“What are we eating?” I asked.

“You like birria tacos?”

“Beer and tacos,” I replied. “Yes, I do believe I do.”

“Birria,” he said, pronouncing each syllable with relish. “They just so happen to be my favorite.”

“They’re so yum!” Ava declared, grabbing my hand. “Like, stupid delicious.”

“How was school?” Ethan asked.

Ava launched into an animated recap of her school project, her earlier reservations forgotten as she gushed about the wonders of the cosmos.

“Sounds like a seriously stellar project,” Ethan said, waggling his eyebrows. “Out of this world, even.”

“Oh my goodness,” I said, making a big deal of wincing. “That’s the daddiest dad joke I think I’ve ever heard.”

“That’s nothing,” Ava deadpanned. “Just wait. That’s one of his better jokes. Seriously.”

Dinnertime was surprisingly relaxed. Ethan was a different person when Ava was around. It was like she smoothed out all his hard edges. We talked about all kinds of stuff. Ava asked me about my favorite kid’s books, and I asked her about her friends. Ethan asked me about my time at school, and I echoed the question back at him.

“I was at the top of my class,” he said. “A real all-rounder. And super popular.”

“Really?”

“He’s joking,” Ava said. “You can always tell when my dad’s joking because his lip twitches.”

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