if you ever plan to

“You two playing musical chairs or something?”He jumps at Tess’s voice behind them, and the motion bangs Ellie’s head against the car where he’d been lifting her out. He curses and presses his hand over both of hers where they’d flown up to press over the spot.“Ow,” she says accusingly, glaring at him, looking more than a little betrayed at this reward for her compliance on hour 2 of something she finds boring.“I’m sorry, baby,” he says, moving her hands enough to kiss the spot and then gently working his fingers through her hair, searching for a bump.“That hurt,” she says resentfully, and she extends her arms to Tess when she walks closer, jumping ship. He hands her over and rolls his eyes as Tess makes much of the bump.“Daddy’s trying to knock your brain out, huh?” She soothes, gently touching the spot.Ellie nods pathetically, eyes big and pitiful.(the ups and downs of the journey to wyoming)