“Can you turn off the car daddy?” she asked.

“Oh.  Yes I can.  Thanks for asking,” he responded.  “Looking to get into the house, eh?  Sorry, I just was enjoying the song.  Here we go.”

Racing to the door, she called out her victory upon touching the glass.  He proceeded towards her, fanning out the three keys necessary to enter the house.

“Daddy, can you turn on the light?”

“You can do it H-.  You’ve done it for over a year now.  Just reach for it.”

They each began to remove their jackets and begin their respective rituals.  Stopping his, he realized he hadn’t hugged her yet today.

“H-,” he called, squatting down low, “what haven’t we done today?”

Only just a little, she bent her knees, unsure if mirroring him was necessary.  Then it hit her.

“Hugged!”

Walking briskly towards him, her head mechanically assumed the cocked-right position as she opened her arms.  They embraced.  He stood, lifting her into the air.  She let her legs hang.

Upon putting her down, she immediately beckoned, “Pick me up daddy!”  He complied.  This time, she was intent on staying and said so.

He hadn’t seen her for days, and wanted to be sure she knew the meaning of a hug.  Taking a moment to get the lesson right in his head, that a hug is a way to say “I love you” without words, he was interrupted by her.

Pointing towards the counter, she said, “My phone!”