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“Hey Dad,” Jenny answers the call and I hear the strain in her voice Then she frowns

“Oh no,” she says in an odd tone and her eyes flicker up to me Her expression is unreadable

“Is everything all right?” I ask Jenny nods

“Dad says hi,” she says and I can’t help but wince I say ‘hi’ back, then frown at Jenny, sensing that so on All I can hear is her series of ‘hh she doesn’t know quite whether to cry or frown

“What’s happening”

“The on’t be finished until to, so he won’t be with us until to to ht He’s so disappointed”

“I bet,” I say with genuine syet more time with Jenny on her own

“We can watch theest She nods and then her cheeks go red

“I knohat you said about waiting, but…”

“Go on,” I prompt

She gives me a coy look from under her eyelashes

“You said you wanted my first time…our first time…to be special?”

“Of course”

She hesitates, then says in a rush

“I can’t think of anything inity on my favorite beach, under the fireworks for the Fourth of July…with you”

I can’t think of anythingeither, and ht of it

“I mean let’s face it, ether or not, and frankly that is none of his business It seeht when it’s our last chance before the shit hits the fan”

I grin at her crude words which are at such odds with that angelic face I can’t argue with her logic

I reach for her hand across the table

“Yes, sweetheart,” is all I say

Later alk down to the beach and she shows h the sand dunes and onto a tiny cove with an a view across the bay that I knoill be perfect to watch the fireworks going off at the main beach Surrounded by sand dunes, a small strip of perfect, almost white sand runs into the ware fullover us and I have to concede that Jenny is right, this couldn’t be more perfect