I’m having coffee on the couch and perusing the day’s bad news on my iPad with Iris sleeping peacefully right next to me.

Everything was peaceful and still.

But then there is a hulking looming shape.

Hi, kid. Did I wake you?

Pardon the brightness variations and occasional blur in these pics. This is live action, don’t you know. In fact, I missed the opening gambit in which Raebert laid his gigantic head across Iris’s body, guaranteeing that she would wake up. Then he just stood there, staring intently at her and glancing from time to time at me.

Having a nice snooze beside Daddy, are you?

No raised voices, mind you, not even the hint of a growl. But somehow the silence was gone and I could swear I heard this faintly in the background:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=68I3j2luW64

Raebert just stood there and I thought, he will not stop, ever.

Iris is stubborn, and Rae’s nudge was gentle.

Then he fixed his eyes on hers.

Time for you to go, sweetcakes.

So she went.

And somewhere down the hall, in a quiet cat voice, I heard the promise, “I’ll be back.”

And another voice…

Unless I get there first.

Actually, this is what we do every morning these days.

FADE TO BLACK. CREDITS ROLL.