By the time Kenzie climbs into my truck, I’m feeling less like a vigilante and more like the version of myself I want to be around McKenzie.
“How was your appointment?” I ask.
“Really difficult, but very necessary. I think I cried for forty minutes straight. Can you tell me what all that weirdness was about now?”
“Weirdness?”
“You know, your weird face.”
I huff, cupping her ruddy cheek. She isn’t crying anymore, and judging by the redness around her nose, I think her face could use the break.
“Tomorrow,” I say. “I think we’ve both had enough stress for one day.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
I lean toward her and kiss her softly on the lips. She sighs contentedly.
“What should we do for dinner?” I ask, starting up my truck.
“Something easy, like burritos. Tomorrow we can cook.”
“Works for me.” I steal one last glimpse at her before I begin backing up. “We’ve got all weekend to do whatever you want to do, baby girl.”
“Hmm. I think I want to bake a peach pie, and blueberry scones.”
“I like the sound of that.”
Her expression turns contemplative as we pull onto the main road. “I think I want to call the journalist who’s been leaving me nice messages. Her name’s Bridget Howe. She wants to do an interview with me about my life.”
“You sure you want to open yourself up to that?”
“I think I need to. And Bridget actually seems really nice. I’m tired of other people co-opting my narrative. It’s time I told my own story, in my own words, and I want to tell it to her.”
I take Kenzie’s hand and raise it to my lips, kissing the ridge of her knuckles. I know better than to think she’s out of the woods just because she can crack a smile. But the fact that she can take pleasure in something as simple as a kiss is a win in my book. And I, for one, look forward to celebrating all of her successes, no matter how small.
“Also,” she says quietly. “There’s another roleplay scenario I really want to try with you.”
“I definitely wasn’t expecting you to suggest something like that today. Can you tell me about it?”
“No. Not yet.” She pauses. “The thing is, I don’t know when I’ll be ready to actually try it.”
“That’s fine, baby. No rush. We can talk about it whenever you’re ready.”
She rests her head on my shoulder.
“Thank you, Daddy.”