"But daddy, I don't want to leave, I'll have to find a new school." Kara was complaining but not as much as she usually did. She could tell something was really up, this wasn't like when I denied her ice cream or made her go to bed.
She was really growing up.
"Sorry, love, I really am sorry. But think about it, you were going to have to switch school at the end of the year anyways, Guiding Light doesn't have grades above you." I say back, I'm smiling now. I can't stop smiling. Somewhere inside the social part of my mind is telling me to stop, I must look like a madman, but these two tickets in my pocket seem to radiate with a tangible heat.
"So really you won't be missing anything but the last couple of months of school." I take the tickets out, a white racing dog is leaping on a field of blue and red, its the most precious thing I've ever bought.
I look over and Kara is giving me a quizzical look.
"Are you alright, daddy?" She says, her small face the picture of seriousness. "You are acting strange and you borrowed money from Alex..."
I take both of her hands into mine and crouch down with her on the sidewalk to I can see fully into her eyes, into her perfect little face.
"I'm fine, babe, I'm so great. Soon we'll be on that bus and away from here and we'll get to have a fresh start. And I know I've never borrowed money from Alex before but friends do do that, I promise. Everything is good, everything is finally good."
She smiles at me, but i can tell she's apprehensive. She looks... mature.
"Hey, how about something for the road, we can pick up something at the Food Mart before we blow this Popsicle stand."
Kara giggles, "Popsicle stand? What are you talking about, crazy-man."
"You've never heard that before?" I say mocking surprise as we continue our walk, "Everyone says it you know."
"Maybe nutcases like you say it, but I've never heard a nun say that"
"Well I'll be. What do we have here, a little abbess? Huh, is my little girl going to take up the cloth and make me the happiest daddy in the whole wide world."
"No way, daddy." Kara shot back wrinkling her nose, "I was just sayin'."
The bell above the Foodmart door tinkles tentatively as I push into the relative warmth of the indoors.
"Now go get a couple snacks for us, okay? And not all chips!" But she is already away, scampering down the deserted midday aisles.
I meander over to the cash register and smile at the man behind it. His mouth twitches in reply. We share a look for a moment, and then I tell him.
"I'm leaving here. The city I mean. I'm leaving the city and I'm taking my daughter with me and I doubt I'll ever come back."
The man looks at me, old a wrinkled all over except for his shirt and pants, both neatly creased. I had seen him for the past decade of my life, since the day I came to live at Jupiter apartments and this conversation was the longest I had ever had with him.
I half smile again, feeling awkward. "I don't know why I told you that."
The old man smiled, fully this time and said in a voice once strong but now raw and dry from years of rare usage, "Good for you, son. I'm glad you can get out."
"Thank you."
Kara's back with an armful of chips, coca-cola and a single granola bar and I take out my wallet but the old man waves me away.
"I'll put it on your tab," The man says smiling, "And if you ever walk in here again you'll have to pay up, plus interest."
"Thank you, sir."
I turn and put a hand lightly on Kara's back and follow her out of the store. I glance back one time as we pass the smudged plate glass window but the man is not looking at me.