Me
Maybe, but what if I want to spend time with you? How are you holding up with the new job?
Coward.I just don’t know how to bring up if she’s alright after witnessing a crime.
Caelia
It’s really not too bad. It’s eye opening in a lot of ways. Men aren’t the only ones that don’t understand consent.
Me
Ah, Levon and I just saw the newspaper article about an incident that happened with a hockey player on your dad’s team. Some of the puck chasers are over the top.
Caelia
I can’t believe they’re running that story. I haven’t looked, but my dad seems really stressed about it. That girl thought she was going to hit a huge payday by blackmailing him or getting pregnant.
Shuddering, I choke on my own spit.
“What?” Levon asks worriedly.
“Apparently, the puck chaser thought getting pregnant or pretending to be might lead to a better life for her,” I grumble. “This makes me want to wrap you up in bubble wrap.”
“I don’t get as much of this shit because I’m an asshole,” he explains. “The younger players will, and learn quickly about how careful they have to be about who they stick their dick in. This also explains why Marilyn is organizing these dates. It’s almost safe dating at this point.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever think of it like that. I think the woman just likes to meddle.”
Glancing back at my phone, I reply to her.
Me
There are degrees of good and evil in the world. Just like not everyone can be trusted, some people can. Go on a date with us. Find out what your scent matches are about.
There. All of my cards are on the table. Unable to face the rejection tonight if she says no, I put my phone away and pull Levon into my arms.
“Mmm. I’m so tired,” he groans.
“Then go to sleep,” I say, massaging his scalp.
It doesn’t take long before he’s relaxed and asleep in my arms. I’m glad I don’t have to pee, because there’s no way to move him once he’s out. He’s completely dead weight.
Smiling, I close my eyes and fall asleep as well, listening to his deep breathing. Morning comes too early.
CAELIA
Go on a date? A date!
I’m still weighing those words in my mind as I run on the treadmill in the morning. Dad meant it when he said he wanted me to start exercising with him.
I have music in my ears as I run, and the treadmill is facing the door so I can let myself go. Dad is next to me, lost to his thoughts as he burns off the stress of the last day or so.
I looked up the article about Troy, noticing the way his name is being kept out of it. Thank goodness for small miracles, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know who I am. My messages have been flooded, and Dad said the public relations team is working through this.
I don’t want to speak to the press in any capacity. It makes me nervous that I may say the wrong thing.
So, I follow my father’s footsteps and run as if something is chasing me.
The door opens and I pull out my ear bud, noticing as my dad hits the stop button on his treadmill. We’ve been at this for the past forty-five minutes. My legs feel like jello and I am beginning to get hungry.
