Papa Please...

Friday afternoon she called me while I was driving home in the evening. "Papa can you please take me and a friend to see a movie? We want to see 17 Again. Can you take us on Saturday? I'm having a sleepover tonight. OK. Bye. Love you," Gabriela gabbled.

This morning I dutiful played the role of the doting father, with little resistance and much anguish. The moment they bounced into the car with their colorful socks, and charismatic smiles, I softened up a bit. Their enthusiasm infiltrated my sense of skepticism and disarmed me. Pink hosiery. Multi-colored athletic shoes. Polka dots. Figures and hues masterfully deployed by an exuberant young tween. So, off we went to the Tyson's Corner Mall this morning. Arriving at 10:45 am, parking was not a problem. We even had time for a few photo ops before the movie.

Dangling legs added a bit of color to whitewashed concrete.

The girls eyed the latest fashions and played around with the pink poseurs.

Before heading into the movie theater, they found time to create a few still frames of their own.

When the final credits scrolled along the screen, I eagerly reaccessed. The movie was actually enjoyable and this morning had been an unexpected opportunity to just be...a dad.