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We’re waiting for dad to return from the bathroom

Whenhe needed to use the bathroo to climb out theand run away

Guilts stabs atin, she can smell it, smell e did…

Before we even got dad’s blessing

Dad appears in the doorway, an uncertain look on his face It’s very rare for h he’s not sure what course of action to take

My dad has always been self-assured, ready to face whatever challenges life throws at him, but now he looks undecided

It provokes a pang of regret inside of me But also hope

If he’s undecided, it means he could conceivably approve of us…

Or is that just wishful thinking?

With a sigh, he walks across the roo for his coffee and then letting his hand drop “Your mother told me what you said on the phone yesterday”

He looks ata little

“Okay, that’s… good?” I ht word to choose

Dad nods, glancing at Bennet “So you almost kissed at her party last year Is that why you haven’t been co by the house?”

“Yes, Rick, it is I tried to fight these feelings I knew they were… I knew you wouldn’t approve I kneould be a shitty thing to do But then she sentsnapped in me”

“But it was more than attraction, Dad,” I rush to say “It wasn’t just that anted to… uether”

Freaking heck, this is a conversational er his rage

“Explain it toabout”

I bite down, annoyed when the words don’t rise to ood ords, but right now all I can focus on isup, the whisper insideto be okay with this and I can’t force him to

“It was destiny, Rick” Bennet laughs in disbelief, even if the statement was his “I kno that sounds I never expected to say so like that But I don’t kno else to describe it Ever since we al with her… for the long haul Creating a faether”