There’s something unsettling about the way cum leaks out bit by bit throughout the day, as if my own body is reminding me of what—or rather, who—I did this morning.

This feeling gets magnified one-thousand-fold now that I’m sitting at the dining table at my parents’ house, where I grew up.

I feel like I’ve done something wrong and I should hide it—which is ridiculous because I’m an adult who’s had consensual sex with a willing partner.

On top of that, I feel like everyone can tell that I’ve had sex this morning. Hell, I had sex last night, too. And as soon as Aiden and I get some time to ourselves, I’m sure we’ll be tearing each other’s clothes off again.

But now’s not the time to be thinking about that.

Hannah has just told Dad that we're staging an intervention. He’s now staring at us with a deep frown on his reddening face.

“What do I need an intervention for?” he demands.

“This is not for you, Dad. This is for Aubrey,” Hannah says.

My heart races. We may call this an intervention, but at this point, this is just a disagreement, and Dad’s not even outnumbered. Hannah said it has to be just the two of us because that’s the best way to minimize Dad’s negative feelings towards Earl and Aiden.

As Hannah and I sit opposite our parents, gloom descends upon our old family dining table.

“What does she need an intervention for?” Dad asks, glaring at me.

“Really, Dad?” I ask incredulously, ignoring the ball of nerves in my stomach. “You’ve been trying to control my life for as long as I’ve lived. But I’m a grown-up now, and you need to stop that. Let me live my life.”

“Honey,” Mom says, “we were just concerned that you were going down a path that wouldn’t end well for you.”

“Why? Because Aiden’s family isn’t rich or well-connected like Trey’s?” I ask.

“No, I don’t care about that. Earl’s family wasn’t rich or well-connected. And it doesn’t have to be Trey,” Dad says. “But find yourself a respectable young man who can take good care of you.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me. This is not the 1950s. Besides, should I need someone to take care of me, I’m sure Aiden is perfectly capable of that, too.”

“You just wait until he starts wasting all your hard-earned money on gambling. I know guys like his dad. Their kids struggle to keep their lives together because they’re always at the casinos.”

“Aiden’s not like that,” I say. “Listen, Dad, this is the problem. I know you don’t like Aiden—I don’t understand why, because he’s perfectly likeable—but it shouldn’t matter. Your opinion should have zero impact on my love life. You don’t get to tell me who to date.”

“So, I’m just supposed to watch while you make the biggest mistake of your life?” Dad asks, his voice growing louder.

“Yes!” I yell out. “If—and this is a huge if—if it turns out to be a mistake, then I’ll live with the consequences. That’s what being an adult is about.”

“Look at you. You’re obviously still in your rebellious phase. You’re only with this boy because you know I don’t approve. The only reason you started seeing him in the first place was because your sister was away at college, and you were lonely.”

“Wow. Thanks for the psychoanalysis, Dad,” I say sarcastically. “We didn’t think you were going to just agree, and we came prepared.” I turn to look at Hannah.

“Dad, I understand you think you’re doing this for Aubrey’s own good,” Hannah says. “But Aubrey needs freedom to live her life on her own terms. I wish I didn’t have to do this . . .” Hannah pauses as the atmosphere grows tense. “Dad, until you apologize to Aubrey and Aiden, I can’t allow you to see Marcus.”

Both our parents stare at us, dumbfounded. Their mouths are open and their eyes are bewildered. “You can’t do that,” Mom says.

“I’m sorry, Mom. But I believe I’m doing the right thing, and nothing you can say will change my mind,” Hannah says. She gets up from her chair and turns to me. “Let’s go, Bee.”

When we’re back inside Hannah’s toy-ridden SUV, I say, “Thank you for sticking up for me.”

Hannah gives me a smile as she turns on the ignition. “It wasn’t right, what Dad was doing to you. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.” Hannah pauses pensively. “Does that sound like something Dad's said?”

I giggle. “Aiden noticed I said something Dad-like too, yesterday.” I tell Hannah all about it on our way home.

As much as Dad can be a jerk, we’re still family, and obviously both Hannah and I have a little bit of him inside us.

Honestly, I love both my parents, even though one of them is a mean bully, and the other one is a passive onlooker. I just need them to love me a little less.

And even though things seem bad right now, it feels like we’re going in the right direction.

But regardless of what happens next, I have Aiden now. Even if my parents continue to oppose us, I can be happy as long as he’s with me. That makes me feel invincible.

* * *

Just as Hannah predicted, I get a phone call from my dad, just a little over one week since the intervention.

I’m back in San Francisco, and so is Aiden, and we’re living in my apartment while we figure out our next move. Aiden’s still working at the hospital with me, but he’s also asking around about vacancies in the corporate world.

In fact, Aiden’s at the hospital right now, and I’ve just gotten home from getting groceries. That’s when my phone rings. I have to set the plastic bags down on the kitchen counter before I pull the phone out of my bag.

As soon as I see “Dad” flash up on the screen of my phone, my heart jumps. This is either very good news (he gives up and agrees not to mess with Aiden’s job or his mom’s debt) or very bad news (he’s already gotten Aiden fired and also unleashed debt collectors on Aiden’s mom).

“Hello,” I say as I pick up the phone, trying to sound as casual as possible, even though it feels like there’s a wildebeest stampede in my chest.

“Aubrey,” my dad begins, “I won’t interfere with your boyfriend’s job. I suppose I won’t need to anyway, seeing as he’ll get fired on his own when his addiction takes over.”

“Nice to hear from you, Dad,” I say sweetly as I grin from ear to ear.

I know my dad’s being a jerk right now, but that’s because he hates to lose. Which means I win. We win—Aiden, Hannah, Marcus, and maybe Earl, too. This is a big day.  

“I’m happy to inform you that Aiden has no addiction problems and no signs of future addiction problems. What about the money?” I ask directly.

“I’m willing to consider the sum that I gave Mrs. Black a donation,” Dad says.

I roll my eyes. How noble of him. Fine, let’s pretend he didn’t use that money as payment to further his own agenda.

“Thank you. That’s generous of you,” I say in a saccharine voice.

“Now, would you please call your sister and tell her what I just told you so she’ll let me see my grandson?” Dad asks. I can hear the hint of exasperation in his voice.

I laugh. “Of course, Dad.”

I was going to call Hannah anyway.

So that’s my dad’s admission of defeat.

Yeah, it’s not much, but this is my dad we’re talking about. That’s probably the best I can ever expect from him.

Later, Hannah tells me he was supposed to apologize, too.

“I’m not surprised he didn’t,” I say. “Have you ever heard him say ‘sorry’?”

“I just thought he could start. It’s never too late, right?” Hannah asks, ever the kind-hearted optimist.

“It’s okay, Hannah. It doesn’t matter. I don’t need Dad’s apology. In fact, this whole week that I spent without any contact with Dad . . . It’s made me realize something: I don’t need him. And neither does Aiden. We would’ve done okay, even if Dad had ended up going with the nuclear option.”

Hannah goes quiet. When she speaks again, I can tell she’s smiling. “Seems like Aiden’s a good influence on you. You haven’t needed Dad for a while now. I think it just took you some time to get used to it. You were always so smart I had no doubt that you were going to make it on your own as soon as you graduated college.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. The only reason you had to rely on Dad was because you couldn’t work while studying on his dime. I have no doubt that you were going to work your ass off to finally be free from Dad.” Hannah laughs. “I still remember his face—it was all red—when he told me about how you were working part-time at some convenience store behind his back.”

“Yeah.” I giggle. “That’s where I met Aiden.”

“I always knew that something was going to happen not long after you graduated, because it would take time for Dad to get used to the new dynamics.” Hannah pauses. “Just be patient. Dad will come around. And if he doesn’t, that would be his loss. You’ll be fine.”

“Yeah. I know.” I smile. “Thanks, Hannah.”