Chapter 19 - MY LONG TRIPS
I stopped traveling for a year.
Then realized that was fear pretending to be parenting.
My work still mattered.
Thora needed a father who could leave and return without her believing absence meant abandonment.
So we rebuilt travel.
First:
One night.
She stayed with Claire.
Direct phone.
No adult standing beside camera.
Second:
Three nights.
Then five.
I created:
Written caregiver agreement.
Emergency contacts.
School access.
Independent check-ins.
No family hierarchy.
Too much?
Maybe.
Useful.
At nine, Thora rolled her eyes.
“Dad, I know Aunt Claire’s phone number.”
“Tell me.”
She did.
“School office?”
She did.
“Police?”
“911. You are weird.”
Good.
I went to Denver for six days.
Returned.
She barely looked up from a book.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
No running into my arms.
No crisis.
May you like
Perfect.
Safety eventually becomes boring.
