Chapter Thirteen

Teenagers Are Evil

I never did meet Melissa’s son that night. An hour after I forced her to eat something, Gabby called me, revealing she and Lisa had a fight. Just when I thought things might be looking up for my ex-wife and our youngest daughter, the shit hit the fan and Gabby asked me to pick her up.

Understanding the woes of teenage angst, Melissa encouraged me to take care of my daughter and assured me she and Christopher would be okay.

Seeing her son in the flesh and how much he resembled his father was a surreal moment for me. It shocked me at how much I wanted to be part of that little boy’s life. It wasn’t so much about loving his mother but more about being there for him as well. Chris would’ve been a great father. He would’ve loved that boy more than anything and part of me wonders if he’d approve of me being in his life, taking the lead and teaching his son the things he would’ve taught him if he was still alive.

Being a man in my profession, I easily found myself pondering over the kind of man I would want around my daughters if something should ever happen to me and I came to the conclusion that no man would ever take my place. I’m not the greatest father but I’m their father.

Christopher may have never met his father, but no man will ever compare to his father. He’ll always wish he had been given the chance to meet him and to know how it feels to be loved by him. He’ll look at the man who loves his mother and wish it was his father still loving her. He’ll dream of a life he never knew, a life where his mom and dad lived happily ever after.

The best I can do is open my heart and hope I’m enough for him. That I can somehow fill part of the void his father’s death left behind. Not just for him but for the man I saved seventeen years ago too and the woman I’ve come to love.

Resolving that, I also decided it was time to come clean but finding a moment to do that was becoming a task in itself. I would’ve done it last night, but Gabby was home when she stopped over and this morning, well—we got a little carried away in the shower and she was late for work.

“Dad,” Gabby calls, drawing me away from my thoughts. Following the sound of her voice, I glance over my shoulder and watch her grab the milk out of the fridge. “I spoke to Mommy,” she reveals. “We made up, and she wants to see me.”

“That’s good news,” I say, bringing my coffee mug to my lips. “Who apologized first?”

Grabbing a bowl and the box of Cheerios, she walks towards the table and takes a seat. As she pours herself a helping of cereal, she rolls her eyes.

“There were no apologies made. I think we both are just tired of fighting. I mean, to be honest, I don’t even know why we fought. It’s like I’m overly sensitive to everything she says. Anyway, she asked me to lunch and since it’s a staff development day, I have no school.”

“You need a lift or is she picking you up?”

“Would you mind?”

“Not at all. Let me shower and then I’ll take you,” I say, dropping my mug into the sink.

“Hmm,” she says, causing me to glance at her. With one eyebrow quirked, she shoves a spoonful of cereal into her mouth and smirks.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Didn’t you shower already?”

Shit.

Being a father of two girls, the one thing I dreaded most was having to deal with boys. I left all the talk of the birds and the bees to Lisa and prayed I never had to deal with it. After all, there is nothing more awkward than having to discuss sex with your teenage daughter. Especially when it’s your sex life being discussed.

“Eat your cereal,” I grunt.

“Yes, sir,” she laughs, saluting me. “But, you should tell Ms. Moscato she doesn’t have to sneak out of the house like a gypsy.”

“Gabby.”

“I’m just saying,” she adds. “Oh, and she left her bra on the bathroom floor.”

“For fuck’s sake.”

“Exactly.”

Running my fingers through my hair, I open my mouth to tell her the conversation is over but before I can utter a word, my phone dings alerting me of a text. Grateful for the interruption, I grab the phone as my daughter continues to laugh at me.

Melissa: Hey. I wound up calling out of work. I had a few errands that needed my attention and while I had a sitter, I thought I’d take advantage. Christopher is getting dropped off at one. I was hoping you could meet me at my house and we could take him to the park.

 

“What’s the matter?” Gabby questions, causing me to lift my eyes from the screen.

“Melissa wants me to meet her son,” I mutter.

“And?”

And, I’ve got to tell her.

“I mean if I’m picking up her undergarments I see no reason why you shouldn’t meet her son. However, he’s probably too young to pick up your shorts from the floor.”

Have kids, they said.

It’ll be fun, they said.