With my best Marilyn Monroe voice I said, “Hey baby wanna dance?” This was per-usual how our phone conversations started off. Our zany sense of ...umor coupled with tacky sayings said in disastrous impersonations always had us laughing. Hearing a snort on the other end of the line I smiled. “No I don’t want to dance, I want to go shopping, or even go see a movie. You know that new film with Hugh Jackman is out and you get to see him shirtless, can we say yummy boys and girls.” I could just. A few weeks ago, your parents went away on a vacation in Florida, so you had the house to yourself for a whole week. You never expected them to trust you there alone, but they did, and you were thrilled. You called up your friends and invited them to a party, despite your parents specifically telling you not to have one. It's just seven or eight people, nothing crazy, you told yourself.Unfortunately you never told your friends they couldn't bring their friends, and before you knew it there were. She met my eyes. “You two...” she said, but stopped and said no more.Sally and I finished, and my wife stood. “There is ice-cream, stewed apple, flapjack, or cheese and crackers to follow.”“I’d just like tea, as usual, please.” I looked at Lisette, “Feel free to have whatever you fancy,” I told her.She raised her eyebrows and smirked, but didn’t pick up on the opening. “I think I’d like a cup of coffee, if that’s possible.”“No problem,” Sally smiled. “Latte, black, cappuccino?” She went to a. "Would you? You'd really want me to stay?" Yup." I nodded."Kay."She grinned, a flit of something passing through her enchanting eyes, and then she turned back to the text book. "S'agapo, Baba," she said softly.My heart tripped. I felt tears prickle my eyes. She'd said she loved me a few times, but never in Greek, never so softly with such feeling. And that was the first time she'd called me Dad and it almost killed me. I found myself a Mythos beer and retired to the balcony, my mind busy, eyes.