“It’s hard to be inconspicuous when you’re hanging upside down,” I mused to the child. She was perched haphazardly on the chipped blue monkey bars, held up solely by the crook of her purple jegging-clad knees, a camouflage pattern to blend in. Her long, rust-colored hair drooped down, brushing the rough tanbark with its nostalgic woody smell.

“Hey! I’m on a top secret mission here. You’ll ruin it!” Of course this was at the equally-conspicuous volume of a stage whisper. She looked a bit ridiculous with the upside down pout that followed.

“Let me guess- a cover identity, blending in as a fourth grader? Genius. They’ll never figure it out.” I let out a laugh one could only describe as “the classic dad chuckle.”

Raia groaned in response. “Daaad. I’m actually meeting someone. This is a ron-day-view.” She had just learned the word and couldn’t quite pronounce it right.

“Oh?” I said. “Who are you meeting? Did you make a new friend? I know it’s been hard since we moved here…”

“This is purely business.”

“Oh I see.”

She swung herself up so she was sitting on top of the bars. She let go, using her fists as binoculars.

“Honey, be careful. Your Papa will kill me if I don’t bring you home in one piece,” I said. Her no-handed wobbling made me nervous.

“I’m fiiine. We do much more advanced stuff in gymnastics.”

“I’m sure you are. Well, I’ll leave you to your sleuthing.” I gave her a mock salute.

“Copy that Agent Dad.”