One Mississippi. Two Mississippi.
She didn’t text Dad. She didn’t want him to worry from half a world away. Instead, she whispered to Leo, “We’re the backup crew, remember? We’ve got this.”
This time, the trip was three weeks. A consulting emergency in Dubai. Mom tried to keep things normal—spaghetti on Tuesdays, laundry on Sundays—but normal had shifted. Kenzie found herself taking over the small things. She started the coffee maker each morning the way Dad did, even though she didn’t drink coffee. She checked the garage door twice before bed. She sat in his leather armchair one night, just to see if it felt different.
Leo fell asleep. Kenzie stayed awake until the storm passed. When Dad Is Away Ii Kenzie Taylor
Kenzie leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, a small smile on her face. “I did.”
And for the first time in three weeks, the house’s heartbeat felt just right again.
That night, she texted Dad: Router fixed. You’re welcome. One Mississippi
Kenzie was seventeen. Old enough to drive, young enough to still feel the weight of a missing parent like a stone in her shoe.
Kenzie didn’t call. Instead, she crawled under the desk, unplugged every cord, then plugged them back in one by one. The light turned green. She stood up, dusted off her knees, and said nothing.
“Who held down the fort?” he asked.
He pulled her into a hug that smelled like sandalwood and missing time. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “You did.”
She smiled, then hated how much she needed the words.
It did. It felt too big.
Here’s a short story based on your prompt, “When Dad Is Away II – Kenzie Taylor.”
The second week, the Wi-Fi router started blinking red. Mom panicked. “Call your father,” she said, handing Kenzie the phone.