I drove like a seventy year old woman all the way to their house and barely heard half of what was being said. I’m not exactly scared of her dad, but I have a healthy dose of respect for him. I’d learned a long time ago that his bark isn’t nearly as frightening as his bite and his bark packs a punch.
This isn’t the way I’d planned my reentrance into their lives. I wanted to meet with him first and have a heart to heart conversation. I wanted him to see how much I’d grown in the years I’d been away, impose on him that I was an adult, more importantly that I’m someone worthy of his daughter.
Caitie hadn’t mentioned going away to college again in our last few conversations, and I figured her parents hadn’t given her the okay as yet so didn’t bring it up. Though she’s been a bit down the last couple of nights on the phone, I just put that down to that asshole Brian messing with her.
So I’d wanted to have a talk with Mr. Lyon to try to convince him that it was okay, that I was more than capable of taking care of her. Now he’s caught me picking up his daughter from school without his permission. Not sure how that’s gonna go over.
“Your dad’s behind us.”
“What, where?” She almost broke her neck looking back before turning around again. I didn’t like the look on her face when she did. “Something wrong?”
“I’ll tell you when we get to the house.” Catalina made a weird sound from the backseat and I caught her eye in the rearview mirror. She put her finger to her lips and shook her head before turning around in her seat to wave at her dad.
We reached their house and I pulled in just ahead of her dad and his friends. The sight of them pulling in on their bikes, caging the truck in brought back memories of that night so long ago when they’d shown up at my house. I’m pretty sure it’s the same guys.
I didn’t let my nervousness show as I walked around to let her and Catalina out of the jeep. “Go on inside, I’ll be there soon. It looks like your dad has something to say.” I didn’t risk losing my life by trying to kiss her with him watching. I’m not stupid I want to live long enough to hold my first kid in my arms.
I waited until she said hello to her dad and her uncles and went inside, looking back over her shoulder every five steps before turning my attention to him. “Mr. Lyon how are you?”
“Boy, what were you doing with my kid in your ride?”
“Uh, I picked her up from school, sorry I didn’t get your permission first…”
“That’s not all you did at that school is it?” I looked up at him sharply. How could he know? “How did…?” There’s no way word could’ve gotten to him that fast. Unless…
“I was there.” He didn’t say anything else for the longest while, just stared at me in that way of his.
“I’m guessing the kid you checked is the one who’s been bothering her?”
“Yes sir he is.”
“She told you about him?” I read a whole lot in that one question.
“No sir she didn’t.” He studied me to see the truth in my words but I’m pretty sure he knows by now that I don’t have the balls to lie to him.
I’ve always played it straight with him because I know, one slipup on my part and he’d make my life a living hell. Not to mention what it would mean for my relationship with his daughter.
“Go on inside, I’m sure my kid’s waiting for you.” What? I wasn’t sure that I could trust his laid back attitude but I hurried to obey after grabbing the bags with her gifts from the trunk. They all stayed there, straddling their bikes with those same looks from four years ago.
“Todd, Caitie told me you were here.” Mrs. Lyon opened her arms for a hug as soon as I walked through the door and I stepped right in. How can the two of them be so different, her husband and her? Her warmth enveloped me as she wrapped her arms around me before stepping back to smile up at me.
“I was just on the phone with your mother the other day and she didn’t say a word about you finishing early. I wasn’t expecting you for at least another week and a half. The cleaning company haven’t been by the house yet, I have no idea what state the place is in after the renters left and I promised your mom. You’ll stay here for the night, I’ll go have a look tomorrow.”
She said all this in one breath while holding onto my arms. “Thank you!” I wonder if she’d given any thought to her husband’s reaction. “You don’t have to go to that much trouble, I can bed down there tonight and see about getting the place cleaned up tomorrow.”