I’m not thinking aboutthat, Dad! I mean, talking about being with a woman like they’re your girlfriend. You haven’t done that in a very long time. And there’s a spring in your step.”“A spring in my step?” I can’t help but laugh at that. “Given that I’ve felt like I’m in a slump, I’m surprised there was a spring at all.”“Granted, I’ve seen how low you’ve been and felt bad about it.”“How come?”“Because I love you, and I wish to help.” Regina frowns. “I hate seeing you sad.”I don’t think I can love my daughter more than I already do. She is far too sweet for her own good. I’m not looking forward to the teenage tantrums that are on the horizon. I’m sure that they’re not too far away.I squeeze her hand before I grab some fries and dip them in the barbecue sauce.“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s not your responsibility to make me happy all the time. You’re my daughter, not my mom.”“Grandma was concerned as well. She wasn’t sure how she would cheer you up, either.”“Grandma w
I laugh at that comment.“I wouldn’t be surprised if you did. You are quite outspoken when you want to be.”“Someone has to be.” picks up some fries. “So what—are you going to make it official? I’m guessing, with how distracted you’ve been recently, you haven’t asked her to be your girlfriend.”“It’s easier said than done, Regina. It’s not like I can go up to her and actually ask.”“We do it at school all the time.”“Does that mean you’ve got yourself a boyfriend?”Regina laughs.“Not yet. But I’ve had guys come up and ask me on a date. I haven’t been out with anyone in a while, but it’s good fun.” She munches on her fries. “I'm just saying, Dad. If a thirteen-year-old can come up to me and ask me out, then a grown man like you can go to an adult woman and ask her on a date. Or ask her to be your girlfriend, whichever you want.”I shake my head.“Things change when you grow up, honey. It’s not that simple.”“Sometimes, that’s all you need. It must be embarrassing to have a teenager wi
Going downstairs, I find Dad out on the front lawn taking the dead roses off the bush. He looks up and gives me a warm smile. Then he straightens up and walks over to me.“Hey, sweetheart.” He keeps his pruning shears away from me and gives me a one-armed hug. “How was your nap? When I passed your room earlier, you were snoring away like a steam train.”“I was not!”“Well, you were. I take it you needed that.”I groan and lean into him, my head on his shoulder.“You could say that.”“Do you need me to get you anything? Your mother’s pregnancy was rough on her, and she found that a small bowl of ice cream worked wonders when she felt like crap.”“Ice cream? Isn’t that too much sugar?”If it works, I’m not going to argue.”I had already told Dad about my pregnancy, trying not to break down in the car when I called him. Dad was surprised, but he took it well. He did ask if the father knew, and I had to lie to him and assure him that it wasn’t Nathan’s baby. Dad doesn’t like Nathan after
“I know, and I do remember that offer. But I’ve got it handled.”“Are you sure? You don’t need to worry about your pride here. I’m your father.”I know that, but I feel awful asking anyone else after being so independent. It makes me feel like a scrounger. Dad says he knows I’m not, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.A car pulls up outside our house, distracting me from saying anything in return. It takes me a moment to realize who has arrived and is getting out of the car. My heart sinks. Oh, God, really? Did he have to follow me here?“Oh, great.” Dad has seen him as well. “Do you want me to get rid of him?”“No, I’ll do it.” I hesitate before walking past him. “Just be prepared to use the garden hose on him if he doesn’t bugger off.”“Why the garden hose?”“So you don’t take a swing at him. Getting him wet would be better than getting in trouble for smacking him.”Dad grunts.“You like to take the fun away, don’t you?”I ignore that as I storm over to Nathan, who is approachin
Michael “There’s her dad’s house,” Katie says as she points. “Helen said it had some rose bushes in the garden with a red front door.”“And it looks like she’s already got a visitor,” I grumble as I pull up behind a black sedan. I can see Nathan and Lucia arguing on the sidewalk with a man I’m guessing is Lucia’s dad standing on the lawn with his arms folded and a garden hose in his hand. He looks ready for a fight. I can only hope he doesn’t turn that hose onto me.“Wait here, Regina.” I undo my seatbelt. “I don’t want you getting in the middle of this.”“Why?”“Just…do as you’re told, will you?”Regina sighs and sits back with her arms folded.“Okay, fine.”Grateful that my daughter is listening, I get out just as I hear Lucia shouting at Nathan.What are you talking about? No, of course not! Why would I waste my time and get back with a cheater?“Because I love you.”Well, I don’t love you!” Lucia snaps. She looks like she doesn’t know whether to lose her temper or burst into tear
“Could you put the kettle on and see if you can make Lucia a cup of tea? Then give us some space.”“Sure, Dad.” Regina hesitates. “Is it going to be okay?”I hope so. I send her a smile as I urge Regina to sit down.“I’ll be fine. Off you go.”Regina disappears, and Lucia frowns up at me.“You remember that I prefer tea to coffee?”“Of course I do. How can I not know when you’ve got teabags all over your apartment.”“Hey! No, I don’t!”“Close enough. I do pay attention to these things.”I sit beside her, and I have no idea what to say for a moment. How do I start this? Maybe with what I heard when I arrived. That would be a good starting point.“So…” God, I sound like a fool starting this. “You’re pregnant.”Lucia looks nervous, shifting a little away from me.“I am,” she mumbles.“And it’s my baby?”She doesn’t verbally respond. She nods, and I see the tears in her eyes. I’m about to ask why she’s about to cry when Lucia suddenly starts speaking so fast she’s almost tripping over her
“I think we can sort something out there. You don’t have to worry about that.” I tuck her hair behind her ear. “There's no doubt we’ve got a few issues to iron out, but I want to be with you. The fact that you’re pregnant with my baby is not the driving force, either. It just ends up being a bonus, that’s all.”“Does that mean…?”“That I want to raise the baby with you? Yes, I do.” I tilt her face up and kiss her softly. “I’m not asking you to marry me. I’m just asking you to be my girlfriend. Because I want to be with you—would you agree to that?”“Do you think I can say otherwise when I’m in your arms, and you’re kissing me like this?”“Okay.” I release her and step back. “How about now? Can you give me an answer?”“Micheal!”“What? You said you struggled to give me a proper answer when I was holding you.”“That’s not…” Lucia groans. “God, you’re an asshole.”“There is a teenager nearby, Lucia.”“I’m sure she’s said worse than that.” Lucia regards me thoughtfully. “You really mean i
Micheal darkly reflected, undermined every normal, congenial intercourse between intelligent adults. They infiltrated people’s lives even before they entered the world, then took over like tyrannical dictators. Nothing was safe from them.Micheal brooded over these truths as he drove through the tunnel under Sydney Harbour, taking the shortest route to Paddington and the Royal Hospital for Women. He wished Maurice had been satisfied with hearty congratulations on the birth of his son. It was totally unreasonable of him to insist Jack actually come and view the new pride and joy. Paternal enthusiasm run rampant. Micheal wondered how long it would last.One by one his friends had succumbed to the lure of fatherhood, only to find themselves knocked off their happy perches of being the main focus of attention in their households. They’d groaned out their misery and their complaints to him, envying his freedom from the chaos they had brought upon themselves.“Good sex is impossible.”“You