“I’m ok daddy.” I replied, “Just tired.”

Returning the hug, dad seemed just as reluctant to let this moment go as I was. “Did you at least have fun with your friends tonight?”

“I did,” I said earnestly

“Good, I’m glad”

“Thanks dad, I’m gonna go up and get changed out this dress.” I said finally pulling away

As I headed up the stairs, I heard my dad call out to me, “Hey Kiddo?”

“Yeah?”

“If you’re not too tired, how about we grab some popcorn and watch a movie down in the den?”

“Really?” I replied, shocked at the suggestion.

We’d often hung out when I was younger watching movies in the den, usually it was a way for us both to escape from my mom for a couple of hours. But as I entered my teens, mom became much more demanding of my time, for what she deemed was preparing me for my future role as housewife and mother. Eventually hanging out with dad just fell away and he started spending far more time with Drew.

I’d missed spending time with dad over the years, when he was away from mom, he became far less restrained and could be fun to be around.

“Yeah, I’ll even let you choose the movie.” He laughed

“Meet you there in ten!” I said as I ran up the stairs to change.

That evening was one of the best I can remember from my childhood, we stayed up late watching Hitchcock films, with dad even managing an eerily good impression of Norman Bates.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Christmas break was flying by, before we knew it, mom was busy arranging our plans for the towns annual Christmas eve party. Attendance for our family was mandatory, there was absolutely no way mom would let us kids show up the town’s mayor, particularly as dad would be up for re-election next year. No tonight it would be best behaviour all round, with the Kennard family name cemented as the most reliable & trustworthy in town.

“Do I have to go to this thing mom?” Drew asked as he stomped down the stairs. “I hate having to wear a tie” he demonstrated his frustration pulling at it, “besides we were going to have a D&D night at Caleb’s”.