Conversation

My mom said,'Manvith's alone at home, I think you should leave now, Monica.'
So I look at my dad and say, 'Yeah, we'll go swimming today.' I know he'll appreciate the mention of a normal life somewhere.
'Okay, Moni,' he half-smiles. Only my dad, of all the people in the world, is allowed to call me that.
This is usually the part where my smile twists halfway and I look like half my face is smiling and the other part crying. Unfortunately, my dad can recognize that face anywhere.
Today, however, with the practice of the past few days, my smile is plastered nice and straight.
So I walk over to my dad's bed and say,'.... Wipe that horrible look off your face, pretty boy.'
He grins and takes my hand. Usually he grimaces at most of my names for him.
'And stop overthinking. I can see it on your eyebrows.' It's true. Today I noticed the way his eyebrows were-- exactly like mine when I'm worried. 'Why are you worrying? The rest of us are relaxed.'
'I think your mom is hiding some details from me,' he confided. Which was true, but like I was gonna tell him that.
'You really think so?'
'Yeah, but--'
'If she was hiding something from you, she would have to tell me, and I'm telling you she's not hiding anything.'
'Yeah?'
'And do you really think she could hold in something like that and keep a secret?' I added, exaggerating my mom's sharing capacity.
He laughed. 'That's true.'
'And you should be the least worried, you know. Lucky you, you'll be asleep the whole time.'
He grinned again.
I leaned over and pecked his wonderfully prominent forehead. Not because of lack of hair, but because of his running-my-fingers-through-my-hair-when-i'm-worried habit.
'Catch up on your beauty sleep, pretty boy. And best of luck.'
He ignored the first bit and just squeezes my hand as I leave.
'Bye Moni.'
'Bye Daddy,' I plaster-smile, and leave the room.

The oddest thing was my smile wasn't coming off even as I went down the stairs and got into the car, or went home, or went swimming.