Air leaves the room.
Troy and I glance to Marion.
She is frozen. Doesn’t even blink, pouty lips parted in shock.
David chuckles nervously, “See, that’s the reaction I expected to get.”
“Did you propose already?”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
“Mar…”
“Who the hell is my new stepmom and why haven’t I met her before you put a ring on it?!! Explain!”
Chapter Fifteen
Mar
My father has this weird expression that’s a combination of sheepish and proud. And I want to slap it off his face.
“Dad, I’ve heard nothing about a woman I’ll have to spend holidays with for the next however many years!”
“The rest of your years, one hopes,” he jokes, then loses the smile. “I’m sorry, Mar, but it wasn’t that serious at first and then things sped up without my realizing it. You’re a grown girl, now. You don’t meet everyone I date.”
I stand up, mind-blown. “Dates and weddings are two very different things, Dad!”
“Look, I didn’t want you to meet her because I didn’t think you’d approve.”
I flatly ask, “How old is she,” crossing my arms.
His eyes sharpen. “At least I didn’t cheat on your mother. It was the other way around!”
“She’s that young, huh? How old?”
“She’s older than you, don’t worry.”
“How old?”
We glare at each other and he snaps, “Twenty-five.”
I drop my arms. “Nice. Great.” Glancing around for support, I find Jack and Troy grievously bearing witness to something out of their control. Neither is accustomed to that sensation, and neither enjoys it. But as I stand here, struck dumb by the news that my father is tying the knot with a stranger, it dawns on me. “I have news, too, Dad. I am in love.”
Jack bristles, and looks at Troy like he wants to punch him.
My roommate is staring at my father, preparing himself for a right hook from him instead. While Jack was gone, Troy and I didn’t have sex. We haven’t even kissed ever since that one day. But we’ve become very close and I think he was hoping to ask his investor and friend if we could date now. Or someday. The chemistry is insane and he wants more.
So do I.
I’m done waiting.
Dad, unassuming, wants to know more. “Really? That’s great, hun. Who is he?”
“Your best friend.”
A vacuum sucks the air from the room. Jack’s eyes go wide. Troy glances to him, the fury exchanging hands.
Dad can’t quite understand what I’m saying. He tilts his head. “Come again?”
“I’m in love with Jack, Dad. Jack is who I want to be with.”
He laughs, glances to his buddy and back to me. “Oh Mar, you’re hilarious. Look honey, I know this is upsetting news but you don’t have to one-up me by saying this preposterous thing. Nice try.” Shaking his head, he adds, “First of all, aside from the obvious reason why that’s out of the question, he’s too old for you. And don’t throw my girlfriend’s age in my face. You know what I mean. And second, Jack’s too much of a player to ever fall in love. He’s a confirmed bachelor who’s hardly ever here. You’d have done better by saying you loved Troy. That I would’ve believed.”
Jack shifts his weight. “She’s in love with me, David. And it’s mutual.”
My heart fills up with helium that turns my voice into a chipmunk’s, the noise I make unrecognizable as my own.
Dad’s smile fades with the slow-motion speed of one who is catching up to reality. He blinks at Jack, and punches him so fast no one sees it coming. The blow cracks Jack’s nose and turns his head toward the door.
Troy steps forward, but knows this isn’t his place. He throws a look to me, filled with questions we don’t have time for.
“You piece of shit bastard!” Dad hollers and goes to punch Jack again. The swing is avoided this time. The next is caught.
“David, calm down. You’re not one to judge.”
This throws my father into a rage. He starts wailing on Jack with punches that don’t get resisted this time.
“Daddy, stop it!” I shout, over and over.
Troy pulls him off, locking him into a choke hold strong enough only to keep him steady but still able to breathe.
Bloody-faced, Jack stares at Dad.
“I’m sorry, David. I’ve been trying to fight it. But she’s right. I love her. And if she means it that she loves me, too, I want to do something about that.”
“Have you touched her?!”
“No. Not yet.”
He’s leaving out what little we did, because he’s not an idiot.
This answer calms Dad down a bit. His muscles relax and Troy gauges whether or not he can be trusted.
Jack waves a tired hand, “Let him go. He’s good.”
Dad shakes out his arms as soon as he’s free. “Yeah, I’m great. This is just great.” He looks at his bruised knuckles. “I have to go to work like this!” Eyeing Jack he mutters, “First my wife cheats on me, then my best friend goes after my little girl.”
“Your little girl?!” I cry out. “Oh please! Dad, I’m sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but I have been holding you up ever since Mom left. I’ve been the parent! You are the child. And I’m almost as old as your soon-to-be wife, so don’t say I’m your little girl anymore. You’re sneering. That’s amazing. You’re sneering at me.” Lowering my voice, I try the gentle approach. “Dad, wouldn’t you rather me be with someone who really cares about me? Someone you like? I don’t even know who you’re marrying!”
“She’s pregnant.”
I blink at him. “Did you just tell me that to get back at me!? See, this is what I mean? You think you’re the adult here? Try again.” I almost say, no wonder Mom left, but I’m not that cruel, even when I feel this triggered. “Is she really?”
His frown shifts a little. “Yes.”
“That’s why you’re marrying her?”
“Yes. But I do love her, Mar.”
Sucking my lips into my mouth I shake my head, trying to find something to say. “We are a modern family. Yay us.”
Troy is standing by the wall with his head down, arms crossed.
Jack wipes blood from his nose and walks to grab a Kleenex because it’s coming down pretty heavy.
Dad blinks to the tile floor and sighs.
I take a deep breath. “I’m starving. Anyone want to go to lunch?”
Chapter Sixteen
Troy
David and I are both pretty fucked up over this, for very different reasons. The last thing I want to do is eat.
Don’t know what I was thinking getting my heart involved when I knew she wanted him. I should’ve seen it destined to come to this. Jack wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to avoid her, even throwing me at her, if he didn’t care more deeply than he admitted to me.