As I led Robert into the kitchen, the phone rang. "Hello?" I said, snapping up the receiver.

    "Stacey, it's Dad," my father's voice said from the other end.

    "Dad, hi! What's up?" "I just thought I'd call to see how you are. I figured you might be lonely there all alone till your mother gets home." "Oh, I'm not alone. Robert's here with me," I told him.

    There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Dad?" I asked. "Are you there?" Dad coughed. "I'm here. Uh ... is it all right with your mother if Robert's in the house when she's not around?" he asked in an anxious voice.

    "Oh, sure," I told him honestly. "You've met Robert. He's cool. We're just going to do some homework here in the kitchen. That's Mom's rule. We stay in the kitchen." "All right, I suppose," said Dad. "That's probably all right." I opened the refrigerator and handed Robert a bottle of raspberry-flavored seltzer while Dad and I talked briefly about a Broadway musical he'd seen the night before. He loved it and said he'd be willing to see it again with me when I came down to visit. "Want to do Broadway with your old dad?" he teased.

    "Absolutely. Get tickets!" I told him enthusiastically. I adore Manhattan, and my dad is really fun. So I love doing things in Manhattan with him. It's a great combination.

    Don't get me wrong, I like Stoneybrook, Connecticut, where I live now. But it's not nearly as exciting as the city. I think I'll always be a city person at heart.

    I said good-bye to Dad and hung up. "Yes!" I cheered, turning to Robert. "Broadway, here I come. Dad and I are going to see a musical. Broadway is so exciting. The last time we saw a show we had supper in this restaurant nearby and we sat next to these two men who were discussing what stars they wanted for a play they were producing. They were mentioning names like Keanu Reeves, Macaulay Culkin, and Winona Ryder. Dad and I didn't talk for the whole meal. We just sat there and eavesdropped. It was really cool." "You really love the city, don't you?" Robert asked as I opened the fridge again and pulled out a bunch of raw carrots.