Olivia asked my mother to go in the pool with her. We go daily, for swim lessons.

"NO!" my mother exclaimed. "I look terrible."

My mother, a retired Las Vegas showgirl, can be oddly vain. I mean, her body works, so she should move it and revel in it!

"Mom, you look fine," I assured.

Picking up my cue, Olivia added, "You are beautiful, Popo."

She thanked us and ended this discussion with, "I'm old and decrepit now."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad sitting across the room,suppressing a laugh and nodding his head slowly up and down in agreement with her.

"Hey, I saw you nodding, Dad," I teased.

"What?!" asked my mother, in mock anger.

He laughed. "I was just nodding because I was, um... falling asleep."

***

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