“But the burnt ones are crunchy and yummy.” I liked them that way.
“Okay, but if it does, we have to blow it out. Don’t shake the skewer or it’ll fly everywhere and may burn down the cabin.”
“That would be bad, Daddy.”
“Yes, that would be very bad indeed.” Knowing Daddy, he was in panic mode already, afraid it would happen. Upset Daddy wasn’t one I liked ‘cause it made me sad. I’d be a good boy and take extra care of…
“Oops,” my marshmallow turned into a big flame and Daddy took the skewer from me and blew it out.
“Yours is done.” He pressed it between two graham crackers and made the chocolate chunk all ooey gooey. “Here you go.”
Daddy finished making his and by the time I’d finished mine, like in two point four seconds, I was all… “I’m sticky, Daddy.” His eyes got all bulgy and it made me giggle. “You belong in a cartoon, Daddy, with your buggy eyes.”
“Sweetheart, how did you manage to cover half your face in marshmallow and your hands? Two of your fingers are stuck together?”
I sighed. “I know, I can’t get them apart.” I tried really hard but they just stayed that way.
“Don’t cry, just um, just sit still while Daddy finishes his real quick then we’ll get you in the shower. Unfortunately, the cabin doesn’t have a tub.”
I forgot about that.
“Shoot.” Now I was stuck. It wasn’t fair to ask Daddy to stop eating his treat, so I waited. And waited, then waited some more. Daddy was taking forever.
“Don’t get huffy with your Daddy, you did this to yourself, Tae.” He took his time cleaning everything up then started the shower water. “We’ll have to see if there’s a laundromat in town tomorrow. These clothes won’t wait another week, or they’ll have to be thrown out.”
“No, Daddy, this is my favorite Stitch shirt.” My head dropped and my chin got stuck. “Daddy, I’m stuck.”
“It’s no wonder. How a single marshmallow made that much mess I’ll never know. Come on, let’s peel your clothes off.”
“You bought the super-duper ginormous mallows”
“Yes, because those are your favorite ones but at home you never get this messy.”
“Sorry, Daddy.”
Daddy wasn’t happy, but he didn’t yell. In all the time I’ve known him he’s never hollered at anyone, even when one of the vendors messed up. It took a bit of scrubbing, and I think some of my skin came off with it, but as soon as I was dried off, Daddy dressed me in my footie jams.
“Pick a story and I’ll read to you during milky time.” I grabbed a new one out of my backpack while Daddy made the fire come back to life. He took off his binder and sat on the couch, then I crawled up on his lap. “Let’s do the left side first tonight. Okay, what are we reading? Hmm, Little Piggy Goes to Camp. Should be cute.”
Daddy started reading while I got my sucky on. Nummy milk to wash down the sugary samore. Snuggled up on Daddy’s lap all nice and warm.
My favorite place to be.
4
CHUCK
“Daddy, come on. The snow angels are waiting.” My little imp huffed as he stomped out of the bedroom. His adorable curls stuck up in every direction, and he was still in his jammies.
“Wow, someone woke up on the bossy side of the bed today.” His eyes widened as he realized what he’d done.
“Sorry, Daddy.”
“That’s better. Now, hop up on the chair and eat your breakfast first. Then we’ll get dressed and go outside, but not until you’ve eaten. Making snow angels in your jammies would be cold, wet business, sir.”
I slid a bottle of milk in front of him, having pumped the other side last night after he fell asleep. My nursing kit had traveled with us, and my aching chest was thankful I’d remembered it.
“Daddy’s milky?” Tae questioned.
