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“No,” I countered “It s Like how I should be spending theon this trip on my son”

Dad rolled his eyes Nonetheless, his lips spread into a wistful smile “You remind me of your mother,” he said “She used to worry about your sister and you twenty-four seven It was even worse before you were born—the first child is always the scariest She would go and check toin her sleep until she was three years old”

It hurt to see how much my dad still missed my mom She’d died ten years before of breast cancer, and he hadn’t so much as looked at another woman since Not that I knew of, at least Granted, for the past five years he’d been a little preoccupied helping me raise my son

Ah, another stab of guilt How refreshing

“Okay, okay” I wrapped o have an a time, and I’ll try not to call more than twice a day”

“Once”

“Huh?”

My dad pulled back, a twinkle in his eye “Don’t call us more than once”

“You’re killin’ me here, Dad”

His deep laugh filled the kitchen “Sure, kid Sure” He patted et soht”

TWO

My eyes drooped heavily, ht faces

“Jeez, Skyler,” Sarah said, pattingto make it today?”