When Alexis emerged from her bedroom the next morning, she was surprised to see her father already seated at the kitchen table. She checked her watch; it was seven o'clock.
"Are you feeling okay, Dad?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Fit as a fiddle or, in my case, more like a cello. Why?" He picked up a pencil and scribbled something down.
"It's finally a chance to sleep in, yet here you are." Alexis peered over his shoulder to see what he was doing. "A crossword?" she asked in disbelief.
"What's wrong with that?" He pulled the crossword book closer to him, protecting it from her view.
"Nothing. I just don't remember you enjoying crosswords."
"I didn't know I liked them until a few years ago. Joey's school had a fundraiser selling books and I wanted to get something, you know, to show support."
"And you chose a crossword. Interesting." Alexis retrieved a mug from the cupboard and poured herself a cup of coffee.
"It's not interesting," Greg insisted. "You used to spend hours doing crosswords, if I remember correctly."
"I did." She smirked. "And, as I recall, you used to make fun of me. Told me to learn a real skill, like handling a saw."
"Well, now I can do both. How about you?" His blue eyes twinkled and she knew he was teasing her.
She pulled out a chair and joined him at the table. "No work today, then?"
He shook his head. "I took the whole week off. Merry Christmas."
"Where's Mom?"
"She's sleeping in for a change."
"Good for her. She worked hard yesterday."
"What's a six-letter word for a medicinal tree?" he asked.
"Acacia," she answered after a brief pause.
He filled in the crossword. "Did you know your mother and I have been married for forty years?"
"This year?"
"May."
Alexis sipped her coffee. "Any special plans?"
"I was thinking of taking her on a trip."
Alexis nearly spat out her coffee. Her father was voluntarily planning a trip?
"Wow. To where?"
"Thought you might have a recommendation." He completed another answer in the crossword.
She waited for a snide remark about all her fancy travels but none came. "Hot or cold?" she finally asked.
"Not too cold. We're not Eskimos. Not too far, either. I don't want some eight- hour flight over an ocean. No offense." "None taken. They're not much fun."
"What are your plans for today?" he asked.
"Nothing this morning, but my friend is taking me to Verde Beach later today."
"Nice beach. Peaceful. I like to fish there sometimes."
"I haven't been since ninth grade when we took a class trip to watch the birds."