Tonight at bedtime I laid beside her in the bottom bunk. She pushed her hands against my face, giggling. “Get out, Daddy.”

“But I love you,” I said. “You know how much I love you, don’t you?”

She stopped her pushing, brought her blanket up to her nose for a sniff, looking over it into my eyes, ready to hear.

“I love you. But just a little bit.”

She eyed the small gap made between my finger and thumb.

“I love shots in the booty this much.”

I opened the gap a hair wider.

“I love a poke in the eye this much.”

One undetectable smidge wider.

“And I love you this much.”

“Nuh uuuuh!” she said and grabbed my finger and thumb with both hands, bit her bottom lip and pulled them apart with all her might.

“I don’t have fingers big enough.”

I miss her already. But just a little bit.