And then he’d kiss me and tell me he’d see me soon and leave.Because he was a fucking gentleman.
Because he’d made it clear he was happy for any time I’d give him.AnythingI’d give him.Like I was doing him a fucking favor.
Fuck.We were gonna have to talk about it, weren’t we?I was being such a little bitch that I was even getting on my own nerves.Ugh.
“Why?”Kelly asked.
“What?”
“Why don’t you ask him to stay?”she wondered.
I was gonna lose it, so I changed the subject.“Okay, can we please talk about Hawaii, a place I will never be able to afford to go?”
Tom wasn’t having it, though.“He must have a good job if he’s taking you out like that.It’s not cheap these days, especially downtown.”
“He does,” I muttered.“Marketing or something.”
Kelly said, “Maybe he can take you to Hawaii?”
“Oh my god.Shut up.Silence for the rest of the drive.For real.”
***
I grew up thinking my dad actually knew what the fuck he was doing, like most little kids.But by the time I was fourteen, I realized he had no idea.By the time I was sixteen, I realized he was what the red-pilled manosphere call a beta.He had no idea who he was or what he was about; he just didn’t want to be left out.
As a result, his interests and parenting style went in phases.Currently, thanks to Kelly and Kacey’s mom, Annie, he was in hishappy familiesphase.When he came outside to greet us in a polo shirt and a golf hat, I wasn’t even gonna make fun; it was the most peaceful phase he’d ever had, and I was here for it.
Annie followed him out onto the porch, waving as we got Kelly and Tom’s stuff out of the trunk.“Come in and have lunch, everyone!”
I shared a knowing look with Kelly.“I might have to bail.”
“Come on, D.”She rolled her eyes.“We won’t bring up Taran if you don’t want.”
“We can keep a secret,” Tom said with a grunt, hefting her huge suitcase.
“It’s not a secret,” I snapped but then took a deep breath.“It’s not.”
“What’s not?”Annie, who apparently had bionic fucking ears, hollered from the porch.“Come show me all your pictures, Kell!”
Dad met us at the steps and took a duffel bag off my shoulder.“Diego.”
“Dad,” I replied with a lift of my chin.Even in this kinder gentler phase of his life, we had to do the hyper masculine greeting.Shit was in his DNA, I was pretty sure.
“Thanks for picking them up,” Annie said as we all shoved into Kelly and Tom’s living room.Annie and Dad owned the duplex and lived next door—a far cry from the run-down little green house by the river I’d grown up in.
“How was the flight?”Annie asked, hugging Kelly.
Tom murmured, “Long.”
Annie held Kelly at arms’ length, looking her up and down.“Any chance you’re….?”
Tom winced and moved away from them, putting me between him and his mother-in-law.
“Yikes,” I said sympathetically.
Kelly took a deep breath.“Mom.Don’t start.”
“Just asking!”Annie grinned as if she was just being adorable and not annoying.
