Jack knew that there was no way he could get out of his next business
trip. It was something very important that the company had put off for too
long, and he knew he would never get out of it.
"I'm sorry Sydney, but not this time. Maybe next time, when I come back." "How long will that be?"
"I don't know," he told her honestly. He thought only about three weeks, but it could take longer - much longer. He didn't want to make promises to her.
By now, Sydney was too worn out to argue. "All right, Dad. I should clean up this mess I made." She started to rise; Jack stopped her.
"Sydney, wait for a few more minutes. We still have some things to talk about."
She frowned. "Dad, I said I was sorry. What else is there?"
"I know you're sorry, and I forgive you. What I need to tell you is that I'm really not sure how long I'll be gone this time. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, considering how you already feel. You deserve to know, though. It could be many months before you see me again."
Sydney wanted to ask why, but knew she would receive no answer. Instead, she said, "You mean you might never come back, don't you?" There wasn't a trace of anger in her voice. Only fear, and worry.
"No, I'll be back," he assured.
Sydney almost didn't believe him. "I'm tired, Dad. I need to clean this up."
"All right." She stood there looking at him, and he looking at her for a few moments before he left. She picked up the broken fragments of what were her picture frames and pretty flower vases.
It took Sydney longer than she expected to clean everything up, but as soon as she was done she got ready for bed and laid down. Even thought she was tired she couldn't fall asleep.
Then she remembered; she'd never even touched her homework. She nearly leapt out of bed, gathered up all of her books and papers, then went quietly out to the dining room table.
Edith came out to see what she was doing, and when sat down next to her.
"Why doing homework so late?"
"I forgot."
"I see. Your father will be home for two more days yet. You're a smart girl, Sydney. Why don't you take tomorrow off from school, spend some time with him?"
"I don't think he'd like that much."
"Oh, I think he would. He misses out on a lot, you know. He'd like it if you could catch him up on things."
"I'll be behind. My teacher won't take late homework."
"Sydney, stop making excuses. I can take these over there in the morning, and get your other assignments. You won't miss anything. What do you think?"
"All right... if Dad says yes. I have to ask him. Where is he?"
"In his bedroom watching television. Go ahead, but hurry, so you can finish this before it gets too late."
Sydney went down the hall and knocked softly on her father's door. When there was no answer, she rapped louder.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Dad. May I come in?"
She heard the TV click off as he said yes. She came in and sat on the bed.
"I thought you'd be asleep. Is something wrong?"
"No. Edith said I could ask you, if I took the day off tomorrow, would you... would you mind spending the day with me." Sydney could not look at him, and was blushing furiously.
"All right." She smiled a little then went to finish her work. Immediately after that, Sydney turned in. Edith was waiting in her room to tuck her in. It was nice, as usual, and Sydney fell right asleep.
Jack now had something more to worry about. What were they going to do tomorrow? He didn't know much about his daughter - the places she liked to go, things she liked to do. He felt ashamed about this, and he was afraid that if he didn't choose the right things, she wouldn't have a good time with him. That was the last thing he needed.
Father and daughter both rose early the next day, and Edith made them breakfast before heading off to take Sydney's papers to school. Over their pancakes, Jack ventured to ask Sydney what she wanted to do.
"Anything, Dad. I'm just glad you have some time."
He smiled. "I know you are; so am I. There must be certain places you especially like to go, and I don't... I don't know what they are."
"Well, Edith and I go to the park a lot over the summer. I like to swim and walk mostly. We go to the theatre sometimes and to this little cafe that serves the best sticky buns." "We could do that."
"Okay," she said, smiling a little. She was a little scared about spending a full day with her father simply because she never had before. They had never done anything, and he knew relatively nothing about the things she liked and disliked.
Still very undecided, they headed out anyway, not long after breakfast. For a while, Jack simply drove around. Soon Sydney said she'd like to go to the park first. It was a very nice day, and she was hoping they could just sit on a bench, or go for a walk, and have a nice long discussion.
Once they got there, though, Jack seemed very distant.
"Dad, don't you want to talk? I've been saying things for a few minutes, but you never answer. If you'd rather go home..."
"No, I'm sorry. I'm just a little distracted. What did you say?"
"I asked what you like to do."
Jack paused. He wasn't sure what he really liked to do because he didn't have time to do many things. He had visited many places during his travels and had seen many magnificent things. Some of them interested him very much, and he told her this. She asked him why he'd never taken pictures, and he said he'd never thought to take a camera. She asked what more of his interests were, now becoming very curious.
"I'm sorry Sydney, but not this time. Maybe next time, when I come back." "How long will that be?"
"I don't know," he told her honestly. He thought only about three weeks, but it could take longer - much longer. He didn't want to make promises to her.
By now, Sydney was too worn out to argue. "All right, Dad. I should clean up this mess I made." She started to rise; Jack stopped her.
"Sydney, wait for a few more minutes. We still have some things to talk about."
She frowned. "Dad, I said I was sorry. What else is there?"
"I know you're sorry, and I forgive you. What I need to tell you is that I'm really not sure how long I'll be gone this time. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, considering how you already feel. You deserve to know, though. It could be many months before you see me again."
Sydney wanted to ask why, but knew she would receive no answer. Instead, she said, "You mean you might never come back, don't you?" There wasn't a trace of anger in her voice. Only fear, and worry.
"No, I'll be back," he assured.
Sydney almost didn't believe him. "I'm tired, Dad. I need to clean this up."
"All right." She stood there looking at him, and he looking at her for a few moments before he left. She picked up the broken fragments of what were her picture frames and pretty flower vases.
It took Sydney longer than she expected to clean everything up, but as soon as she was done she got ready for bed and laid down. Even thought she was tired she couldn't fall asleep.
Then she remembered; she'd never even touched her homework. She nearly leapt out of bed, gathered up all of her books and papers, then went quietly out to the dining room table.
Edith came out to see what she was doing, and when sat down next to her.
"Why doing homework so late?"
"I forgot."
"I see. Your father will be home for two more days yet. You're a smart girl, Sydney. Why don't you take tomorrow off from school, spend some time with him?"
"I don't think he'd like that much."
"Oh, I think he would. He misses out on a lot, you know. He'd like it if you could catch him up on things."
"I'll be behind. My teacher won't take late homework."
"Sydney, stop making excuses. I can take these over there in the morning, and get your other assignments. You won't miss anything. What do you think?"
"All right... if Dad says yes. I have to ask him. Where is he?"
"In his bedroom watching television. Go ahead, but hurry, so you can finish this before it gets too late."
Sydney went down the hall and knocked softly on her father's door. When there was no answer, she rapped louder.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Dad. May I come in?"
She heard the TV click off as he said yes. She came in and sat on the bed.
"I thought you'd be asleep. Is something wrong?"
"No. Edith said I could ask you, if I took the day off tomorrow, would you... would you mind spending the day with me." Sydney could not look at him, and was blushing furiously.
"All right." She smiled a little then went to finish her work. Immediately after that, Sydney turned in. Edith was waiting in her room to tuck her in. It was nice, as usual, and Sydney fell right asleep.
Jack now had something more to worry about. What were they going to do tomorrow? He didn't know much about his daughter - the places she liked to go, things she liked to do. He felt ashamed about this, and he was afraid that if he didn't choose the right things, she wouldn't have a good time with him. That was the last thing he needed.
Father and daughter both rose early the next day, and Edith made them breakfast before heading off to take Sydney's papers to school. Over their pancakes, Jack ventured to ask Sydney what she wanted to do.
"Anything, Dad. I'm just glad you have some time."
He smiled. "I know you are; so am I. There must be certain places you especially like to go, and I don't... I don't know what they are."
"Well, Edith and I go to the park a lot over the summer. I like to swim and walk mostly. We go to the theatre sometimes and to this little cafe that serves the best sticky buns." "We could do that."
"Okay," she said, smiling a little. She was a little scared about spending a full day with her father simply because she never had before. They had never done anything, and he knew relatively nothing about the things she liked and disliked.
Still very undecided, they headed out anyway, not long after breakfast. For a while, Jack simply drove around. Soon Sydney said she'd like to go to the park first. It was a very nice day, and she was hoping they could just sit on a bench, or go for a walk, and have a nice long discussion.
Once they got there, though, Jack seemed very distant.
"Dad, don't you want to talk? I've been saying things for a few minutes, but you never answer. If you'd rather go home..."
"No, I'm sorry. I'm just a little distracted. What did you say?"
"I asked what you like to do."
Jack paused. He wasn't sure what he really liked to do because he didn't have time to do many things. He had visited many places during his travels and had seen many magnificent things. Some of them interested him very much, and he told her this. She asked him why he'd never taken pictures, and he said he'd never thought to take a camera. She asked what more of his interests were, now becoming very curious.