“Hi, Dad.” He didn’t call often, but when he did, he usually had a reason. He wasn’t much for chatting. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, it’s kind of silly, but I thought I’d call and ask how things are going with Seth.”
I stopped walking and frowned. Dad never asked about my personal life. Our conversations were mostly business in nature. He hadn’t been one for exploring thoughts and feelings when I was growing up, and not much had changed since then. “Why?”
“I was just thinking about you today, wondering.” He cleared his throat. “Truth is, we have a big meeting with the Committee of Military Construction early next week, and I know he’ll be there. I thought it might be awkward if I ask him about you and find out from him that things aren’t going well. Mom said you’ve been seeing him a bit lately, and she’s showed me some of the newspaper articles about you two. But I wanted to hear from you how it’s going.”
Seeing Seth “a bit” was an understatement. Since the gala in June, I had seen him a lot more than I had imagined. Whenever I had a hint of a moment and he was free, he was there making fun suggestions about what we should do with our time. We went bike riding around the monuments, ate dinner at unique restaurants, toured the Smithsonian American Art Museum, went to comedy night at DC Improv, cruised on the Potomac River, and even took in a flea market. And it seemed that no matter where we went, people were paying attention. Pictures of us showed up in the gossip columns ofThe Washington Post, The Hill, and other online papers. We had even been coined the youngest power couple in Washington.
I leaned against a retaining wall near the sidewalk, trying to figure out how to answer my dad’s question. “Seth and I aren’t a couple, Dad. We’re friends, and we’re getting along great.”
“You’re not a couple? But I thought your mom said—”
“Seth and I are together a lot, but we’re not dating.”
“It sure seems like you are.”
The wall was warm against my back. “He’d like to date me, but I told him I need to wait until after med school is over.”
“You’re still seeing him, though, right?”
“Yes—just not in the way most people think.”
“Oh.” He paused for a second. “I just want you to be happy, kiddo.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Well, I guess that answers my question. I didn’t want to put my foot in my mouth when I see him at the Pentagon next week.”
“Speaking of the Pentagon, how are the renovations going?” Anything to change the topic.
“Great, though it’s a pain in the butt to work around. It’s on schedule to be completed by early September. You should stop by and check it out when you have some time. You haven’t been there in years.”
It had probably been five or six years since I’d visited my dad at work. The Pentagon was an amazing building, more like a city, complete with its own zip code. I had been in awe of it and very proud my dad worked there.
“I’d like that.”
“Come when the project is complete. You’ll be impressed with the changes we’re making.”
“Okay. I should probably go, though. I have a lot of work to do tonight.”
“It’s Saturday evening, Meg. You should be out on the town like other young women your age. We live in one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Go have some fun.”
“I wish I could. After January, I will get busy having fun.” Though if I stayed in 2001, I’d be busy with residency after med school.
“Love you, kiddo.”
“Love you too, Dad.” I hung up and put my phone back in my bag.
I continued walking home. The steps leading up to our building were steep, so I had my head down and didn’t see the person sitting there until I almost tripped over him.
“Seth!”
He put up his hands to stop my fall, laughing. “Sorry. I thought you’d see me here.”
My heart was beating fast at the unexpected encounter, and I started to laugh too. “What are you doing here?”
“Surprise.” He lifted the picnic basket at his side. “I brought supper. We’ve both been busy this week, and I thought we could use a little break.”
