Ava is doing much better now from the strep but the nurse said I had to keep her out of school for 48 hours for the antibiotics to kick in enough so that she would no longer be contagious.  She was so quiet in the other room while I worked in my office that I'd forgotten she was there.  However when I'd last checked on her she was busily writing in her notebook, a multi-chapter mystery inspired by her love of all things Nancy Drew.

I was on the phone trying (in vain) to get the evil people at Advanta to lower my credit card rate from 29.9% to something less worthy of The Sopranos.  Ava marched into my room while I was on the phone dangling what looked like a long strawberry blonde hair.  She knows my hard and fast rule is not to interrupt me while I'm on the phone but she felt that this just coudln't wait.  I rotated my chair away from her and tried once again with the vultures at Advanta.  Ava moved around in front of me again, hand on hip.  I gave up and hung up.

"Daddy, I found this on your bed. I don't have red hair, Chet doesn't have red hair, you don't have red hair." 

I made myself laugh, mumbled something unintelligible, and then told her it was nothing and that after I answered an important email I'd come in and make us lunch.   I didn't exactly panic but I desperately did need some half-way convincing lie.  They knew that I'd broken up with Cris, my Italian girlfriend of the last three years, but so far had no idea about my recent romantic developments.  I immediately called A, daddy's special friend, and the owner of the hair.  She had been over the other night, but the kids think we're just friends.   A reminded me that she had also come over during the day with her little girl and had put her down for a nap.  So when I rejoined Ava, as she was spooning her chicken noodle soup, I casually mentioned that the mystery hair must have been A's from when she put her baby down on the bed.  Ava just slurped her soup.  I usually remind her not to but of course this time I let her slide.