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Daniel pickedTina up from school on Monday and hoped she'd run with him. Her track and field ribbons were numerous, and she was an excellent long-distance runner. If anyone could help him get into shape, it was her.
"Hey, Dad."
"Hey, you. Want to come with me for a run?" he asked casually.
"Is your new girlfriend asking you to get in shape?"
"No! It's my idea . . . I just thought I'd feel a little more confident."
"As long as she's not making you do it."
"She's not like that, honey, I swear. She seems to like me just fine the way I am."
"Alright then, I'll beat you in running if you want," she laughed.
Half an hour later, Daniel stood on the sidewalk outside their house with gray sweats and a football t-shirt.
Tina stretched, and he copied what she was doing to the best of his abilities, but he couldn't reach his own foot behind his back to stretch his leg.
She asked if he was ready, and he nodded before she took off like a kite in the wind ahead of him. He followed behind her, huffing and puffing only a few blocks into the run.
"Sorry, I'll slow down!" she called back.
"It's OK," he panted, trying to quickly pick up the pace.
He made it for about 20 painful minutes before giving in and collapsing on a stranger's lawn to catch his breath.
"Dad! You OK?"
"No . . . I'm old . . . and . . . out of shape," he gasped.
"Come on," she laughed, helping him walk back home.
"I'm a joke," he sighed.
"You'll do better tomorrow," she insisted.
"Ugh! Tomorrow?"
"I'm thinking you should work out every day now," she said, walking slowly beside him, "but not cause I care how you look, it's cause I want you to be around for a long time."
"You got it, honey."
"We can be workout buddies," she laughed.
"Do you still want to meet Cassandra tonight?" he asked.
"Sure, but first I need supper 'cause I'm starving."
Daniel had ordered the new wiring for Cassandra's house and got a 50% staff discount that he hadn't surprised her yet, but it would be in on Wednesday. The job would still be done by around the weekend, and she told him she wasn't in a hurry. She was just happy to have it done.
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Back at home, Daniel made chicken pesto, and they ate at the kitchen table just like always. Tina tried to imagine a mother at the table with them and a little brother but had trouble picturing it.
Her dad had tried so hard to be both parents for her, and she had never needed anything more than their family of two.
