The mood lightened a bit with Merry's words. We ate in relative silence for a while, each lost in our own thoughts. I was somewhat impressed by Dad's ability to chew on his food and swallow it without grimacing even once.
"Hey, Merry," I said, breaking the silence and trying to mask the taste of the burnt toast. "You're going to be great today. You've worked so hard for this, and Amar wouldn't have gone all out if he didn't believe in you." To be honest she didn't work that hard. It hardly took her any time to learn new dance moves.
Merry smiled at me, her eyes sparkling. "Thanks, Nikolas. That means a lot. And don't you worry about Dad. I have a feeling everything's going to be okay." All I thought was that she was shameless. The girl pushed her plate away, pretending she wasn't hungry.
Dad chuckled, though it was a bit hollow. "Well, if we're counting on feelings, then I guess we're in good shape."
