She checked every drawer as if conducting a serious safety audit, then informed me that the kitchen was missing rainbow sprinkles.

Elena laughed.

“Your father can probably solve that problem.”

We walked to a neighborhood grocery store.

I let Willa choose the sprinkles and explained that we would need only a little for pancakes.

She looked at me with deep pity.

“You really don’t know how pancakes work, do you?”

I cooked the next morning.