Chapter 40
Decisions
Randi was in a good mood. She thought things over while walking the pups back to the car and an idea came to her. She wasn’t sure if her idea would backfire, but if it did, she would deal with that later.
Her mother wanted to push things to the extreme. She thought she could force Randi to break up with Martin. To be honest, she had left her mother with the impression that she could do just that.
But today, while on the phone with Martin, she knew that was not going to happen. She was falling in love and she was going to see this through. There were things that scared her about a future with Martin, but she would face them, on her terms. She was not going to allow her mother to tell her what to do.
This discussion wasn’t something she was looking forward to because she loved her mother. If she could, she was going to talk with her dad first.
After a long shower, she dried her hair and dressed for her date with Martin. She was never one to wear a lot of makeup but tonight she put on a little. She picked out a nice pants suit, and after Julie came to sit with the pups, went down to talk with her dad.
He was sitting at the dining room table playing a game on his phone. She could see a little more gray at his temples and silently hoped that she wouldn’t be the cause of him wanting to pull his hair out before the night was over.
“You look nice. Are you going out?”
“Yes, but not sure where yet.” Randi waited a moment to see if he was going to complain, or take her mother’s side, or ask if she was going out with Martin. When he didn’t, she sat down at the table. “Where’s Mom?”
“She’s out helping one of the neighbors deliver some cosmetics.” He looked down at his game and spoke without looking up. “If you’re worried she’ll catch you sneaking out on a date with Martin, she won’t. At least, not unless she catches you coming in tonight.”
“Can’t slip anything past you, can I? I would really like to know what you think about us dating.”
“Well, there’s nothing to worry about there. Your mother and I don’t see eye to eye on this. I think you need to do your own picking and choosing. I’m not going to have any part of this and I won’t argue with your mother. This is a battle that the two of you are going to have to work out.”
Randi fought the urge to reach out and take her dad’s hand but instead crossed her arms on the table. Though she felt close to her dad, he had never been one to show his emotions or express his feelings by hugging or with physical contact as she guessed most men might.
After a soft sigh she spoke. “I understand and I don’t have a problem with that. As a matter of fact, it’s about all I’ve thought about today and I’ve made a few decisions. Hard decisions. I was hoping to talk to you about what I’ve decided.”
“Sure,” he said, laying the phone down and giving her his undivided attention.
“This is not something that I will do with ease, but I’m going to date Martin, at least for a while. I need to see if what I’m feeling is real. It seems real, it feels real.”
“Then it might be real,” he said, with a smile.
“I know, and that’s the scary part. I want it to be real. I just know that it’s not going to be an easy road. There are a lot of things we’ll have to face together and they may not be the normal things a couple faces, but they will be our things. I can see Martin being the one I spend the rest of my life with and it hurts that it’s a battle with Mom to see him.”
“I understand. So what are you going to tell your mother? Are you moving out?”
“I don’t want to. I know she seemed adamant, but I’m hoping we can come to an agreement of sorts. Maybe I’ll only see him so many times a week, or she’ll allow me to stay while I look for an apartment. I can’t afford a place on my own and I might have to move in with Martin.”
As she thought it would, this remark got his attention. “You would do that?”
“Not like you think. Martin has an apartment that he’s not using and I know he would let me stay there. It’s just something I don’t want to do, but if she pushes me to not see him, I’ll feel as if I don’t have a choice.”
The two of them were quiet and then Randi smiled at her dad. “I think he’s the one, and I can’t lose him. I’m not asking you to talk to Mom for me. I just wanted you to know where I stand before I talk to her.”
“I don’t have to like your decision because it might be a step that leads you down a road with an end result you were not expecting. But, it’s your life and we’ve raised you to know right from wrong. Now, we have to trust you to follow that path. At least, we should. I can only speak for myself, of course.”
Randi didn’t want to start crying so she thanked her dad and walked out to the backyard to wait on Martin. She knew he would be there at any moment and she was hoping, if anything, he would be early. It would be good to get away from home before her mom came rolling in.
Five minutes later she got her wish. She walked out so she could get in the truck as soon as it came to a stop. She didn’t even give Martin time to get out and walk around to open the door for her as he normally did. Thankfully, he didn’t question her for seeming to be in a rush.
She got in the truck, leaned over to steal a quick kiss and buckled up. “Where to?”
“Ladies choice.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m certain. We went fishing yesterday so you pick this time.”
“Okay, but if you leave things up to me, I’m always going to pick pizza or somewhere with a salad bar.”
“Great. I know a place where we can get both. It’s private. A little expensive but I won’t be hounded by autograph seekers. I’ve been there several times.”
“Sounds like a winner,” Randi said, giving him a wink. “I don’t want to share you with anyone tonight. So, lead on.”