Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“Hey Connie,” I say as I walk toward him. “Late night?”
“Late all around,” he says as he hands me my mail. We are one of the last towns in the country to still have mail delivery by boat. Men like Connie are a dying breed. Everyone wants to drive or have you pick your mail up at the post office.
“Sorry to hear that. Have yourself a good night.”
“You too, Wade. Tell Miss Goldie I said hello.”
“Hi, Connie,” Goldie yells from the porch and waves her arm back and forth. Connie waves back and then motors toward my neighbors mailbox.
“How come you don’t drive a boat?” Goldie asks when I sit back down.
“Because I drive a truck.” I point toward my truck with the trailer attached to it. “And I think it would be funny if I showed up to mow someone’s lawn in a boat.”
Goldie laughs. “It would be very funny.”
We stay on the porch for another thirty minutes and then head inside. Goldie heads to take a shower while I start a load of laundry. Before she moved in with me, I would do laundry every couple of days, but now it seems like it’s an everyday, twice on Sunday’s sort of thing. I’m not complaining because I love having my daughter here but damn my chore list has increased. Between this and grocery shopping, it’s endless.
“Everything good?” I ask, knocking on the bathroom door. Goldie’s at the age where she doesn’t need her dad hovering. I know Ana does, but it’s not something I can get on board with. I press my ear to the door and smile when I hear the shower curtain move.
“Yep,” she yells loudly, through the rush of water.
“Did you get the shampoo out of your hair?”
“Yep,” she says again.
I’m not well versed when it comes to curly hair and rely heavily on Ana and Alani’s guidance. Having a salon to turn to when Ana isn’t available is a godsend.
“And what about your feet, toes, pitters?”
Goldie laughs. “Yes, Dad. I got everything.”
Satisfied with her responses, I take the laundry bucket and head into her room. Ana and I are big on co-parenting, and not undermining the other parent. We keep the same chore list at both homes and have the same expectations when it comes to school, extracurricular activities, and Goldie’s general well-being. This works for us, not only as parents who aren’t together, but also for Goldie. Having the same rules at each house is helpful to her.
She comes out of the bathroom, with her wet hair dripping down the back of her bathrobe. She hands me a towel. “Can you scrunch?”
“Sure can. Did you put all the products in?”
Goldie nods as I start soaking the excess water from her hair. “Can I get my hair cut?”
“Sure, but let’s talk to Mom first, okay?”
“Okay. I think I need a trim.”
“Do you know what a trim is?” I ask her.
Goldie looks at me, her eyes unreadable. I don’t know if I’ve insulted her seven-year-old intelligence or confused her.
“I saw it on Mommy’s phone. A girl gave herself a trim and Mommy said I can’t ever cut my hair by myself.”
“Listen to your mom,” I say. “Please don’t cut your hair. We’ll talk to Mommy and see what she says about a trim.”
Once I’m done, I excuse myself so she can get dressed. When I come back, she’s sitting on the edge of bed with a book and comb on her lap. I hand her my phone, take the comb, and maneuver to sit behind her.
While I start combing through her hair, she FaceTimes her mom.
“Hi, Mommy!” Goldie’s voice changes and it’s not for the better. I know she misses Ana greatly. I’m thankful any bruising Ana had is gone now.
“Hey, sweetie. Is Daddy combing your hair?”
I lean to the side and wave the comb at her, and then back to my task.
“Mommy, when are you coming here?” Before Ana has a chance to answer, Goldie looks at me. “Mommy can come here, right?”
“Of course she can. Mommy knows this.”
“Soon,” Ana says. “I’ll be there to visit soon.”
“You can sleep in my room,” Goldie tells her, even though I have a guest bedroom for Ana. “We can have a bunch of sleepovers.”
“I can’t wait. How was school?”
Goldie sighs. “It’s okay. Daddy told my teacher about the mean boys pulling my hair. They did it again today. Can I get my hair cut?”
“Wait, what?” I ask, moving to the side again. “How come you didn’t tell me?”
Goldie shrugs. “The boys still did it after I told.”
“Yeah, that’s not okay for them to do that,” Ana says. “Your dad will go back in tomorrow and talk to the principal.”
I will?
“I don’t like her either,” Goldie says.
“How come?” Ana asks before I have a chance.
“She made me sit with the other kids in class at lunch time and some of them made fun of me.”