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My dad walked up toI allowed myself a moment to just enjoy my dad’s closeness before I backed away to look him in the eyes

"Hey, Dad," I said as he smiled at me I could see the concern in his expression

"Jackson?" he asked cautiously "You doing okay?"

I looked down at the floor, not ready for hi on my face Most people couldn’t read le time "Yeah, Dad I’m fine," I answered There was a pause, and lanced back up at him I just needed soone

"It’ll be okay I prohter, and your hter-in-law We saw the way you started to look at her after everything fell apart with Brad, and I’ll aduys beca said, I need to be blunt because I think you need to hear this"

"Dad," I interrupted, "I’m not really ready to talk about it yet"

"I don’t want you to say anything I just want you to listen and think about this while you’re working it all out in your head I know you feel like you love her, and you probably do But I’m just not sure that it’s the type of love you think it is"

"You don’t know that!"

"Jackson, you aren’t the most patient person in the world You know that And yet you waited two years for Lex to cos really ran deep, I don’t know that you could have waited that long without doing anything about it I’ sounds harsh, but you need to think about whether or not your guilt over everything that happened just ht or if you really wanted her that way Because, son, believe ht one, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt And I don’t think you’re the type of guy ould spend a couple years ht there in front of you"

I got the pointto let you discount what I feel for Lex and what it means that she’s with Drake now"

"That’s not what I aet that you need tiure this out on your own Just promisethat, okay?"

"Sure, Dad Whatever," I said, barely able to stop e of subject here, but I figured you ht need to blow off some steam so I called the dojo to see if they needed any help Sensei would appreciate it if you can help teach a few classes this week"

"Great I think I’ll just grab my stuff and head over there then I’m sure there’s plenty of stuff I can do to help out if there isn’t a class going right away," I said before heading upstairs to grab ht not have been happy to hear what my dad had had to say, but he had really helpedout at the dojo It had always been the place I went to clear htto me as much as it was about self-control, focus, and discipline And I could really use that focus right about now

I kneas going to be a rough couple weeks, but I hadn’t expected to be blindsided this early by that conversation with my dad I’d hoped that he had already talked to my mom and we could all just enjoy this break without everyone asking s and shit My time at the dojo was just what I needed to centerclasses and loved the look on the faces of the kids when I would show the me to class when I was little It was crazy to think that now the kids watched me and hoped they would one day be able to do the same moves

After the class, I had the dojo all to h soan each kata, I took a single deep breath to clear out htinary opponents were real and used enough force so that every strike within the for one By the ti heavily