Despite their rather dejected expressions, they consented to test out a gentler ride first. I hoped a tray of brightly colored slushies would cheer them up as they bolted off, so I went and got a few drinks.

I caught a fragment of their talk that made me pause as I walked over to give them the beverages.Someone who wasn’t Eli’s buddy made a joke about how dull your mom’s spouse is. They joked that we should go without him the next time, but I overheard them. I felt a sharp pang of letdown since I had worked so hard to ensure that today would be ideal. Suddenly, however, Eli’s voice pierced through the din. Having fun would never be ruined for us by my dad.

If he warns that these rides are risky, I will listen to him. There are a lot of other exciting things to do in this area. I was caught off guard by what he said. In front of his pals, he had just addressed me as “dad” and justified my choice. After the first hurt of being termed “boring” subsided, a comforting acceptance set in. For some reason, it gave me the impression that I was making progress toward winning his affection.

I regained my composure and reemerged into public, a mask of my inner anguish concealed by a grin. An appreciative, if somewhat embarrassed, grin spread over Eli’s face as I distributed the slushies. He responded, “Thanks!” and I nodded, my heart silently battling the ups and downs of the situation.