Tonight Eli and I were playing in his room. We were lying on his couch, pulling his blankets over our heads. His blankets have rockets and planets and stars and aliens on them, and they glowed softly as the overhead light filtered through them.

After a while Eli sat up. “Daddy, turn offa light. Turn offa light.” Since I always do what Eli tells me to do, I followed his directions. “It’s daaark. Now lie down. Lie down, Daddy, lie down.” Once I was on the couch again, he pointed at the blankets. “Pulla blankets over head. Over head.”

I could see his shadow when he bent over me. He gently kissed the blanket in the vicinity of my forehead. “Night, Daddy. See you inna A.M.” He left his bedroom, shutting the door softly.