Life Of Two Best Friends: High School CHPT 36

Chapter 37

‘A minivan, when did we get a minivan? ‘ I walk up to the front door and hear little giggles inside. ‘Huh?’ Opening the door I see dad sprawled on the floor with a little toddler crawling on him, and an infant rolling around beside his leg.

“Oh, welcome home George,” a female voice came from the kitchen. “Honey, your son is home!”

“George. I didn’t know you would be home today; I would have come and gotten you from the airport,” Dad said getting up and walking over to me for a bear hug. “What do think? The house might be little different, but we needed a change through these years.”

I didn’t really look around when I first came in, my eyes were still glued to the children in the living room. Looking around, ‘Wow! Nothing is the same.’ Every bit of furniture, decoration, etc. was different. Like every ounce of my childhood or mom’s influence was gone. I set my bag down in the entry like always,

“George, dear, please put your belongings in your room. I really do hate a clustered entryway,” the female voice said again from the kitchen.

“Okay.” So, I headed towards the stairs.

“Oh. Your father didn’t tell you. We had to take over your room for a nursery. All your belongings have been moved to the guest room. Honey. You should have told him.”

I was starting to dislike that female voice. I turn and head down the hallway to the guest bedroom. Opening the door…‘Really!?!’ She did say all my belongings were moved, but I thought they would have set my room up; instead everything was in boxes crowed around the bed. ‘Hold in the frustration.’ I realized that Dad had not followed me; exiting “my room” and going back to the living room, I see Dad once again on the floor with the little kids. “So are you going to introduce me?”

“Oh, right. Sorry Son. My time has been completely controlled by these two; they are precious but can be a handful.” Dad said just as the toddler crawled up and suddenly turned my dad’s head back in the direction of the toddlers face and whispered something. “That’s your older brother. No need to be worried.” Dad scooped up the toddler and came towards me.

‘Brother?’

“Son, this is your little brother Kyle Matthews,” the little boy looked at me like I was a stranger invading his home. “And that one down there,” Dad turned and pointed to the little blob of a person still wiggling on its back, “your little sister Alice Matthews.”

I was shocked. Why wasn’t I told any of this. It’s not like I was too far or too busy to come visit. If I had been told my dad was getting married, I would have left college for a bit, to have been there. If I had known my stepmom was expecting, I would have been there. But I wasn’t even a thought to my dad. ‘What is going on?’ “Dad. Why didn’t you tell me…about…any of this…”

“I thought I did. I probably thought you were too busy, and wouldn’t really care since you are grown up. Also your new mom said to not to disturb your new life with our issues. I thought her reasoning was good.” He walked away from me and back to the floor with the toddler and infant.

“Yes. George dear, we did not want to disturb your new life away from home,” again the female voice.

‘Don’t blow up at your stepmom!’ I was standing in the living room but I seemed to be invisible to my Dad. ‘How is it possible for my dad to be so happy without me in his life anymore.’ Everyone was still ignoring me. ‘Fine. Whatever. If I’m going to be ignored I might as well go see my friends.’ I grab my keys and wallet. “I’m heading out for a bit,” no response. “Dad?” Nothing. So I give up and head to the front door.

“Dear! Our daughter is rolling over. Come quickly!” Dad yelled for the female in the kitchen, completely treating me as non existent.

“I’m coming!” the female chimmed and I heard dishes dropping and scurrying feet.

Not wanting to see the face of the female that has turned my life upside down, I leave my home. Stepping out into the bright…

“Son! Wake up! You forgot an alarm! You need to pick up Matthew. Son!?”

I was being shaken, quite hard. So now my dad is concerned about me. I open my eyes to my dad pouring over my body with his hands shaking my body.

“Son. Why are you still asleep? You were mumbling about, ‘not wanting to be home anymore,’ but that doesn’t matter. You are late! Get up. I’ll get you some breakfast and get your jeep started,” and Dad dashed out of my room and it sounded like he ran down the hallway.

“What is his deal.” I sat up and looked around. I was in my room. My actual room. In my bed. ‘Oh. Crap!‘ It was a dream. That figures. ‘But why was Dad so panicked.’ Looking at my alarm clock I see why, seven-thirty. I had thirty minutes to get Matthew and get to school. I jumped up and threw clothes on, and packed my swim bag.

“Hurry up son!” Dad’s voice echoed into my room.

I grabbed my stuff and rushed down stairs. Dad shoved a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich in my mouth, handed me my keys, and ushered my out the door. “Bye…D”

Dad closed the door before we could say goodbye. ‘No matter. I’m late!’ I throw my stuff in the back, and jump in quickly to go pick up a probably very worried Matthew.

Life Of Two Best Friends: High School CHPT 35

CHAPTER 36

Finally home. I headed into the kitchen to grab a quick snack before the crack down on homework. “Dad? Are you still home?”

“I’m upstairs,” Dad’s voice echoed down the stairs, “can you come up here a moment?”

Heading upstairs, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to just start. “Wow! Dad you look good.” Dad was wearing a nice fitted navy blue suit. He must have had a haircut and beard trim. “Why are you so snazzy for the party?” heading to the bed to relax as we talk.

“I have a date.”

I hesitated before sitting. ‘A date?’ I look up and Dad is looking at me. “What?”

“Are you good with me dating again?”

I didn’t really know. I know my parents will never get back together, and I wouldn’t want me dad to do that anyways. But do I want him to date? I looked up at the man I admire. He was worried; it was all over his face. Remembering Dad holding Lily that day, I remembered thinking it would not bother me if I had a little sibling. To do that you need a wife. Realizing my answer, I stood and walked over to my still worried Dad, “I am good with you dating again. I want my old man to be happy, and if that means I get a new mom in the process I’m good.” I turned him to the mirror and draped my arm over his shoulders; which was difficult to do since Dad is considerably over six-foot. I could still sense Dad was hesitating, “I am good Dad. After seeing you with Lily I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to have a sibling. If you go that route; you won’t have to be worried about my approval.”

Dad chuckled, “You are thinking way ahead of me. But sure, I could always try to give you a sibling if it works out.”

This talk was getting weird. “Okay. So you good?”

“Yes. Thanks son for the approval. I am nervous. This is my first date in almost twenty years. I know you don’t have experience, but any tips? For dating in the modern world?” Dad asked as he fixed his collar for the third time.

“You kind of have a trump card. Just introduce yourself and she will probably be happy. However, I will say it might be better to find someone who doesn’t know you; because, then you know she likes you for you and not your fame. Just a thought,” shrugging not really knowing if that is actually a thing in the real dating world. Just things I’ve seen from movies. Still, all this dating talk was strange for me to be talking about with my dad; making it seem like roles are reversed. Still, I was happy to help him. “You should probably get going, it’s getting late. You can never be late to a date or you never live it down.” I started ushering him downstairs and to the front door.

“But…son…I…” Dad tried to talk.

“No buts. Just go,” throwing his keys to him and pushing him out. I stood by the door until I heard his corvette start and zoom away. ‘Good.’ “Now. To my homework.”

…

I finished my homework and was getting ready for bed. I was brushing my teeth; looking myself in the mirror and I saw my expression. I couldn’t fool myself anymore. It bothered me. Not the idea of Dad dating so much, just that to me it seemed too soon. I just lost my mom. I know Dad has been losing mom for a while. So to him it’s been a long time. Also, I really shouldn’t be feeling this way with a woman who left me. I want to be happy for him, moving on after his toxic marriage. I just don’t really know how to describe what I’m feeling. ‘If any of you reading understand, I wish you could tell me.’ Well I can’t keep thinking about this. My bed is calling me. See you all tomorrow.

Life Of Two Best Friends: High School CHPT 34

CHAPTER 35

Silence. It was a different kind of silence. Like she wanted to talk, but was holding herself back… Maybe since this is the first time, it has been just the two of us in the jeep, since my almost confession. ‘Wow! That was so long ago.’ Or maybe she was uncomfortable? Which I don’t understand. We are now just good friends, even family; I don’t see the issue. “You good? You seem uncomfortable.”

“Yeah. I’m good. Just trying to adjust to my new…title…but I’m fine. Really.” She answered while looking out her window.

‘Sure.‘ “Okay, good,” is all I could think of to say. So once again, silence began. Thankfully my phone started ringing bringing some noise into the jeep. “Can you hand me that?”

Jenny laid back to reach my bag behind me and dug out my phone.

Seeing the name as my dad I answered, “What’s up Dad? I am driving at the moment; I’ll put you on speaker,” placing the phone into the hands-free stand. I looked to Jenny, but she was already staring out the window. ‘Nevermind.’

“Son. Would you like to accompany me to a music party at my company? Some people I know have been asking about you, and I would like to introduce you to them if possible?” Dad paused.

“I would, except I have a mountain of homework. Also finals is in two days. I wish I could though; I would have liked to meet new people.”

“No problem Son. I must confess, one of my coworkers has a daughter, and they wanted to introduce you to her,” Dad chuckled.

“Oh. So now you are a matchmaker for me,” I laugh, “I know my dating life as been a bit nonexsistant, but I didn’t realize I needed a blind date.”

“I’m always looking out for you, Son. Maybe in my future I can expect to receive a daughter-in-law?”

Hopefully dad was not expecting one soon. Still, he did seem to use a honest tone. “Not now, and not today. Sorry, I’ve got to keep my grades up for my transferring. But please extend my apologies to my expected date. I’m almost to Jenny’s house; I was pretty much told by Coach to take her home,” laughing and turning onto Jenny’s street.

“Okay. No problem Son. I’ll relay your excuse. Bye Jenny. Bye Son,” and he hung up before either of us could answer.

Silence. ‘Silence is so boring…’

Putting an end to it, I pull into her driveway, “well, here we are; ask anytime, if you need a ride. You aren’t out of my way. See you at school tomorrow,” I had tried to say when she was in the car, but she exited as quickly as possible. ‘I wonder how much she heard?’

Jenny turns and smiles through the windshield and then walks towards her front door.

I was about go in reverse, when I noticed Jenny had stopped and was starting to walk back towards my window. Rolling it down, “You forget something?” I search the seat she was just in.

“No. Are you…really…are you…?” Jenny mumbled and then she let her head droop down looking at the ground.

‘Huh?’ “I didn’t get any of that? What’s up?” I reach out and touch her shoulder trying to get her to look at me. Jenny’s head raised and met my eyes; there “was” something bothering her, but I had no idea what. “You…”

“It’s nothing. Thanks for the ride George,” she stepped back letting my hand fall, “I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” and with that she walked to her door and went inside without looking back.

‘I still don’t understand girls. I don’t know if we guys are ever supposed to?Whatever…’ “Homework here I come!” pulling back onto the street and heading to my house.