Ellis Unleashed

Ellis has a boyfriend – sorta. She denies it to me but tells her sister she does. It’s good to know that the “keeping secrets from dad” thing starts at 4.

She is finally trying to sleep in her own bed at night – despite her father’s warnings that “It’s probably cold and scary up there”. This is a good thing, I guess, but I’m thinking of warning her about the monsters in the walls.

Last night (Valentine’s Day) as she was going up to sleep she took my cheeks in her hands, looked me straight in the eyes with her best “I’m being very serious now” expression and said “I’ll never forget you” and kissed me on the forehead.

The boyfriend’s name is Renfro (not his real name). He is in the class ahead of her so he is 5 or 6 but they share the playground at recess.

I have warned her about older guys trying to be all cool and impressive – with their reading and ability to tie their own shoes. But did she listen?

“He has a loose tooth” Ellis says with a dreamy look in her eyes.

She pointed him out to me whenI picked her up after their Valentine’s party, cruising down the hallway – holding his mom’s hand.

“That’s Renfro” she whispered as if a Greek God were strolling by.

Renfro is tall, maybe 3’10”, and his hair is pretty much a giant cow-lick. He has on mittens and waves nonchalantly at everybody as he makes his way past, too big jeans rolled up 2 times at the ankles, the tips of his sneakers lighting up with each step.

He smiles, a big gap in front. Ellis gasps. Actually gasps. How could a girl resist?

He stops when he gets to us “Hi Ellith” he says and stares straight up at me.

“Hi Renfro” she says, staring at him as if under a spell.

“Are you named after the Houston Oilers receiver who had a touchdown taken away in the ’79 AFC championship against the Steelers, costing Earl Campbell his best chance at a Super Bowl?” I ask with a hint of accusation in my voice.

“Huh” says Renfro, as he comes dangerously close to a full on nose pick, stopped only by the clumsiness of his mittens.

“DADDY!” Ellis says. “Don’t be WEIRD!”

I nod as we trudge towards the car. “You should probably get used to it”, I say.

The End