I skipped down the stairs and Daddy and Ben were slipping on a pair of new trainers. I instantly felt very jealous of Ben. He was always getting on better with my Dad than me. It's because he is a boy and so is Daddy. I didn't enjoy playing with Ben sometimes, he was too rough. He could throw me to the ground easily and it would hurt so badly, and I'd cry, ruining all the fun for my Daddy and Ben, by having to go inside, and get cleaned up. Dad had a ball in his hand. And he saw me coming towards them unhappily. I had a big unhappy mouth and he smiled at me. His longish hair, curled around his face gently, highlighting his cheekbones, as Jolisse would say.

His eyes melting into my face like putty.

"Morning Keels! How are you? Did you sleep well sweetie?" He asked, noticing my unhappy face and he stopped smiling. "What's the matter?" He asked kindly, thoughtfully.

"I don't want to play ball today Daddy." I whined. He laughed and Ben did too.

"Come on Keela. We are only going out to play for a while, then we are going to do something that you want to do is that ok?" He asked, watching my face carefully.

"Oh, but Dad, that means we will have to play horses and hide and seek." Ben moaned. I huffed at that. I'm not that kind of girl who would want to play that.

"Ben, I would rather go do something else, that's all. I'm not that young anymore Duh!" I complained at him. Ben laughed.

"Come on darling." Daddy smiled and took my hand. He put the ball down and pulled me down the rest of the stairs. I went over to my new pair of trainers and I still can't tie them, so my Dad bent down and tied them himself. I stared at his hair, when he was looking down. His black, thick hair was always straight now. Jolisse, used to always complain about his hair being straight. She wanted it curly again. I thought it was nice now. My Dad was finished tying the laces now, and he looked up at me. He grabbed hold of my legs and flung me over his shoulder and I laughed and hung there. He was tickling me on my back. I laughed more and we went outside. Ben bounced the ball twice and Dad put me back on the ground. I was dizzy from laughing so much, so I wobbled a bit.

Dad hugged me and ran onto the big Astroturf area in the garden. There was a couple of basketball stands, and Ben shot a cheeky goal when Dad wasn't ready to keep it from going in. One nil to Ben!

"Come on old man. I'm waiting here for you to shoot a goal!" Ben joked. Daddy laughed.

"You won't be saying that when I beat the pants off you boy!" Daddy smiled.

Ben laughed, which distracted him from Daddy's goal.

"Woooh!" I screamed for Dad. "One all." I shouted.

"Thank you, thank you!" Said my Dad as if he was onstage, collecting a trophy.