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“I don’t know. Parents usually want grandchildren.”

“If you decide you want children someday, I’ll love them. If you don’t, I’ll find something else to spend your inheritance on.”

I laughed. “Nice.”

“I’ve never thought you needed to get married and have children just because that’s what people expect women to do. Your mother and I got married because we wanted a life together. We wanted you. Neither of those things happened because someone told us they were supposed to.”

My smile faded slightly at the mention of her. Mom had been gone since I was eight, but there were still times when Dad spoke about her as though twenty minutes had passed instead of fourteen years.

He looked down at his coffee. I reached across the island and covered his hand with mine.

“But that was our life,” he continued. “You get to decide what yours looks like.”

“So if I decide to spend the next ten years painting and running around Europe?”

“I’ll complain about how much I miss you and then pay for your plane ticket.”

“That sounds about right.”

“Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Whatever you choose, don’t choose it because you’re afraid to do something different.”

I looked at him for a moment.

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

I glanced toward the abandoned cake on the counter.

“You know Mom would have taken that away from you too.”

Dad smiled.

“She would have eaten half of it first.”

I laughed.

For a few seconds, missing her felt a little less heavy.

He reached up and squeezed my forearm.

“Love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

I kissed his cheek.

“And no more cake today.”

He looked offended. “Yeah, yeah.”

I started toward the hallway while Elena laughed behind me.

Dad called after me. “Have a good day at school.”