While Elliot is having a meltdown about our parents dating, I see the happiness in my father’s eyes. Janine makes him happy and you can see it written on his face. It’s taken him two decades to even meet up with another woman so this is a big step for him, that alone gives me reason to support him fully. If only Elliot could see it. And while he’s outside with his mom on the deck this is the perfect opportunity to talk to my father alone.
“She makes you happy, doesn’t she?” I’m blunt.
“She does. Honey, no one will ever replace your mother,” I stop him mid-sentence.
“I know you would never want to or intentionally would replace her, but daddy, it’s been so long, you need to follow your heart, do what makes you happy again, feel that love again. No one could ever replace Mother, the love of your life, your soul mate, and I’m sure Janine doesn’t expect that, I just want to see you happy again.”
“After the heart attack, I had a lot of time to think. I’m not going to be around forever and do I really want to die and not having loved again? Especially when it’s a woman that is willing to give this a chance? She hasn’t had it easy either,” I nod remembering Elliot’s back story, “we distract each other from the pain we feel, and that alone led us to where we are now. We’ve kissed, nothing more, and I don’t know if either of us are ready for that step, but for now it feels good to have her as a close friend that enjoys spending free time with me. We still live our own lives but when it gets lonely, we know the other is there to get through it, do you understand?” I’ve never seen this side of my father and as surprising as it is, it’s a refreshing side to see.
We’ve had a great conversation about our futures and as I observe the conversation on the deck between Elliot and Janine, I’m not sure it’s going the same for them. They look as if they’re arguing, more along the lines Janine lecturing him, but I wouldn’t know for what. And instead of seeming like a stalker, I make way to interrupt them and not listen in on their conversation, “Everything okay?” I’m subtle but you can sense the tension between the two.
“Everything is great, babe,” Elliot kisses my cheek and I watch Janine walk away and enter into the house and into my father’s arms.
“I feel like I interrupted an important conversation,” I pry but without being too obvious.
“No, I just had to wrap my head around this, it took me by surprise, I’m sure it did you too,” he tries to change the subject.
“Actually, I think it’s great. My father hadn’t loved anyone but my mother and maybe if he can get past that, I’ll be overly happy for him. They’re adults, Elliot, you’ll have to let them do their thing and figure it out on their own. You can’t intercept.”
“I know, I know. It just caught me off guard, that’s all,” we hug and plan to say our goodbyes and head back home to sleep on this; it was a little much for one day.
Arriving back in the city, the bright lights distracting Elliot’s driving, I try to strike up a conversation about his thoughts, but he ignores me. He’s been a little standoffish since we left and I’m sure it has to do with our parents, but I don’t want that to interfere with our relationship and if we don’t address it, it’s just going to get weirder with each passing day. And while Elliot ignores me I decide to vent to my best friend Isabelle via text messages. Her opinion on the ordeal – they’re grown-ups and everyone is entitled to love, and fuck, every man needs a little va jay jay and every woman deserves that dick – her words not mine. Giggling after reading her messages.
“I’m sorry,” I hear him say.
“What?” I play dumb to have him say again, girl tactic.
“I’m sorry I was such an ass,” he takes my hand into his as we sit at a red light.
“Don’t worry about it babe, I understand this isn’t easy for you, but I promise you, my father isn’t like that, he won’t just leave her or cheat on her, he will treat her right and if they can’t make it work, I’m sure they’re smart enough to figure that out on their own and can discuss it like adults. We just have to trust that a little,” I comfort him hoping it’s the right words.
“You’re absolutely right. I had no right to act like a dick though,” he apologizes again.
“Just make up for it later,” I grin at him.
“With pleasure,” he leans in to give me a long passionate kiss, while we wait for the red light to turn green, but that comes faster as we’d expected, the cars behind us honk and are clearly getting annoyed by our long make out session as some start to even move around us.
“Shit, when I kiss you, I forget everything around me, even time.”
Those words make me tingle.