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At some point, Andie notices me. “Hi, Daddy. You were wrong. Amanda came back. I told you she would.”
“Happy to be wrong.” I walk in and kiss Amanda’s head, whispering, “I’m sorry.”
She nods.
I turn to Andie. “You’re not dressed. Don’t you have school?”
“We’re off today. Amanda and I are painting all day.”
“Sweetie, Amanda has to finish a few paintings to showsome important people. She might need to be left alone.”
Amanda waves me off. “It’s fine. We work well together. You’re my official assistant, right, Andie?”
Andie grins widely before turning to me. “Got one for us this morning?”
“Hmm. Since you don’t have school, maybe it should be educational. How do you fit one hundred math teachers into a room that only fits ninety-nine people?”
Andie thinks for a moment. “I don’t know. How?”
“You carry the one.”
Amanda snort laughs.
Andie looks confused. “I don’t get it.”
“That might be first grade math. I’ll tell it again next year.”
“Then tell me another. Math that I can do.”
“I’m not a corny dad joke machine.”
Amanda nods as she smiles at Andie. “Yes, he is.”
Andie giggles.
I think for a moment. “Do you know why we make soup with two-hundred and thirty-nine beans?”
“Why?”
“Cause one more would make it too-farty.”
Both of my girls are in a fit of giggles now, just how I like them.
It’sthe middle of the night when I hear a cell phone ringing in our room. I lift my head and see that it’s Amanda’s. She’s out cold.
I’m once again holding her with my hands up hershirt. She doesn’t ever seem to mind though, often subtly wiggling into me, encouraging it.
I pull them out and squeeze her hip while whispering in her ear, “Amanda, your phone is ringing.”
She stirs for a moment before reaching for it and accepting the call. She croaks out, “Hello...”
“Collin? What’s wrong? Relax. Tell me what’s going on...”
“Oh my god. Is she okay…?”
“Which hospital…?”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Calm down, sweetie. She’ll be okay. I’m sure the whole labor scene grossed her out. I’ll see you soon.”
