“She made a comment about if it came down to money
or her, I’d take the money. She knows that you guys have a
business and that you’re, well, we as a family, are well off, but
she doesn’t know anything else. She knows that it’s been a
sore spot with me though, so that really hurt.”
“Are you sure she meant it, or was she just reacting out
of fear?”
“I don’t know. I just thought that if she was looking for
a relationship and wanted to be in one, that she’d be ready.
That she wouldn’t panic and bolt at the slightest thing. Make
all these excuses. Look for an out.”
“Was she looking for a relationship? Were you? How
did you meet?”
I lean back. “Point taken. I was. But not in that sense.
When I met Adley, everything changed. I don’t want to say
that my feelings for her forced me to confront who I was, or
that being with her forced me to be honest. I wasn’t forced to
do anything. I wanted to. It was beyond time. I was tired of
being scared
.”
“Of me? Of your mother?”
“No. Not of you guys. Just that you…that you
would…” Jeez. Now I’m on the verge of tears and I really
don’t cry very often, but I feel it coming.
“That we’d have a problem with you? That we
wouldn’t love you anymore? That we wouldn’t be proud of
you?”
“I guess there was that fear.”
Dad’s pipe has gone out, but he doesn’t even notice it.
His face is soft and warm. In this moment, he’s my dad and I