The nanny cam app showed my daughter sleeping peacefully, so I finally went to bed.

I forgot we don't own a nanny cam.

Every night she texted her mom "home safe" the second she locked her door.

Tonight she typed it, hit send, and heard the deadbolt turn from the outside.

I keep coming back to the phone call I almost didn't answer. Past midnight, caller ID: Dad.

Usually meant nothing. I let it ring once, twice, thumb hovering over decline.

She keeps replaying the night she left the porch light off,

just once, because the electric bill was late.

She checked the baby monitor one last time before bed,

comforted by the soft sound of her daughter's breathing.