Need

"Ha, now look, what do I always say? Oldies but goodies, still the best today! Like your boyfriend. He's like white on rice on a paper plate in a snowstorm! Ahahaha, I'm just jokin', son, don't get mad now."

Tracy's boyfriend Jake was doubled over laughing, but she was mortified. Why does her dad always have to embarrass her, like it's a hobby. Jake put his arm around her, saying "Let's go.", gently steering towards the door; Tracy was upset, never hides it.

'Honey, why do you do that?" Tracy's mom asked her dad from the kitchen, after the kids left. "Embarrass her. You know that's not appreciated. Why?"  "No call for her to be embarrassed!" But he knew his wife was right. Truth is, he didn't exactly know why.

Later that evening, Tracy came home, walking into the kitchen, where her dad sat with his customary evening snack, Lucky Charms splashed with orange juice. The air was heavy, silent, neither spoke, Tracy peeling a sweet tangerine. Without thought or reason, she placed a piece of peel in his cereal. Without looking up or breaking stride with his spoon scoops, he said, "Sorry I embarrass you. You won't ve needing me for much longer." Tracy's dad said it matter-of-factly, no scorn, as if he was acknowledging it himself.

All at once, Tracy felt a small, inner explosion of complete understanding. She knew exactly why her dad joked as he did, how he was probably seeing it slipping away as it naturally should, he worried who "dad" would then be.

Tracy came behind her father and enveloped him with a deep, silent hug. "I will always need you, dad. Always."