My step-daughter Marissa was old enough to move out of the house, but she still wasn’t feeling brave enough to do it.
I couldn’t blame her, but I think she felt a little guilty sticking around without paying rent and tried to compensate with small bribes–cooking my favorite dinner here, ironing my clothes there… While I appreciated her little guestures very much, none of them were necessary. I loved having that girl around no matter what she did or didn’t do.
Eventually she asked me for a “favor,” but I quickly got the feeling it was another one of her little bribes in disguise.
“Daddy, I got a little sunburned yesterday and it’s hurting pretty bad … can you help me take care of it real quick?” She was chilling in the living room with a long, baggy T-shirt on and a ponytail, looking so beautifully ordinary.
Normally I would admonish her for staying out in the sun too long and damaging her beautiful skin, but I let it go because her girl-next-door charm was starting to melt me. “Hold tight, I’ll go grab the lotion…”