I hold on tight to my Daddy's hand, because there are people moving all around us. I am too small to see where we're going, and I'm frightened by all the legs rushing past. I grab onto Daddy with my other hand, too. He looks down and smiles, then puts his big hands under my arms and swings me up, easily, onto his shoulders. For a moment, it feels like I've left my tummy behind and I laugh, giddy and excited. Daddy holds my legs tight so I won't fall. I can smell his hair, clean and salty from the beach where we spent the afternoon.
I can see everything from up here. It's getting dark, and the lights of the rides and stalls are flashing a hundred different colours; brilliant rainbows against the night sky. The rides themselves are huge, spinning monsters filled with screaming people, splashing light and colour everywhere as they thunder about, behind tubular fencing. I feel Daddy let go of one of my legs and watch as he puts his arm around Mommy's waist, pulling her close to us as we walk along. He says something to her, and she smiles, leans closer, and kisses Daddy on the lips. Daddy suddenly drops to one knee and Mommy kisses me, too. Her cheeks are a lovely pink colour.
We move along, heading for the stalls. There are the sweetest smells in the air, warm and delicious. Finally, we stop in front of a counter where a man in a red and white striped apron stands. He's wearing a big, funny white hat that's sticking up way above his head. Behind him, stacked on long metal poles, are donuts. There are too many for me to count - row upon row, donut upon donut. This is where the sweet smell is coming from. Mommy talks to the man and hands over some money, and he gives her a big white bag that's spotted with grease. She holds it open; the man takes a big container and sprinkles lots of sugar inside. Then she holds the bag up for me to carry.
It's warm, and Daddy tells me to make sure I don't get sugar in his hair, but he's laughing as he says it. We reach an empty bench and he puts me down, then we all sit – with me in the middle. Mommy says I can have first pick. I open the bag, steam rises out, and the sweet smell is suddenly stronger than ever. I reach in and take out a donut, loving the sugary, sticky heat of it on my fingers. Mommy takes one next, then Daddy. They hold hands around me.
We all take a big bite, and to me it tastes like everything that's been good about the day. Music drifts past on the breeze.
I look up at Mommy and Daddy, but they are looking at each other, sugar on their smiles and sparkling colours on their faces.