Enjoy!!

A loud “CRASH” echoed
through the apartment.

With equally shocked
expressions Rick and Alexis turned to look at each other.  Alexis’ mouth hung wide open, but no sound was
heard.  Neither knew what to do. 

“RICHARD!”  Martha could be heard yelling.  “What on Earth did you break?”

“I don’t know mother, but
I promise if it was a martini glass I’ll buy you a whole new set.”

After coming down the
stairs Martha leaned herself over the railing and looked at the two guilty
parties standing in front of her.  “Well
don’t just stand there, go see what it was.”  

Rick was still
dumbfounded by the incident.  This was
why he was a writer, not a baseball player. 
There was a considerable difference in the amount of hand-eye coordination
required for the two.  Hey, he was Rick
Castle.  He could even type with his eyes
closed!

“I…uh…I’m gonna go
see…”  Alexis muttered.

“Sure sweetie.  I think I’m going to put away the mitts for
now.”

As he was putting the
mitts back on the counter he could hear Alexis sweeping up shards of glass in
the other room.  Just as he had turned to
give her a hand, she came sulking towards him.

“Dad, I’m so sorry.” He
could tell she was trying not to cry.  “I
never thought that would happen.  I
really didn’t mean to, I thought it would be fun…”

“Alexis, honey.  Calm down. 
Just tell me what broke.”

There was a long silence
as Alexis composed herself.  “It was your
Tom Straw Award – the one for your first book. 
I am so, so sorry Dad.”

Rick struggled not to
laugh.  “Hey, were you the one who threw
the ball way over the catcher’s head. 
I don’t think so.  Don’t worry
about it.  And you know what?”  Rick threw his arm around his daughter’s shoulders
and began to walk her upstairs.

“What?” She replied.

“Every situation has a
sunny side.”

“How does the total
shattering of your first award have a sunny side?  I mean I know you can think up some pretty
out there stuff, but I’m not following this one.”

“Well dear daughter,” he
said as they stopped at the door to her bedroom, “now I can write another
fantastic best-seller and earn another award to take its place!  So don’t you worry your pretty little head
about a piece of glass.  Now, go sleep
sweet dreams – dreams of sugar-plums dancing, or mountains of candy, or…knowing
you calculus.”

“Seriously, Dad?”

“Seriously. I shall see
you in the morning.”  Without another
word, he placed a kiss on Alexis’ head and turned to retreat to his own
bed.