𝐀𝐢𝐧'𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭

Chapter 26: Pirate Pitchfork and Captain Catfish

Fiona turned the page of her book one evening as the saccharine sun was falling low in the sky. She sighed, running her little finger elegantly over the words on the page: "I love you". She was about to retreat into another silly daydream when a timid knock came on the door.

"Fiona?" It was Daddy, though as far as she was aware she'd done nothing to warrant a punishment. Daddy didn't frequent Fiona's bedroom, either. It wasn't that he was neglectful or ignorant; but he was normally too busy with lesson plans to spend too much time chatting with his daughter.

Robert Twickenham twisted the doorknob when Fiona bade him enter, his kind, tired eyes twinkling as he did. Fiona couldn't help feeling suspicious. Her mind was tempted to race, and she clumsily dog-eared the page she was on to make room for him to sit next to her.

Daddy sat beside her on the bed, smoothing the bedspread that had wrinkled around him, almost as an afterthought. Then he took a deep breath and stared at the floor as he twiddled his fingers.

"I don't want to be the parent who's intrusive, and who pries into everything... but I've never done this before, Little Bird – never had a teenage daughter, that is – and you'll have to forgive me for... being rather rubbish at everything..."

Fiona nodded cautiously. Where was he going with this? Surely it had nothing to do with John?

He took another breath. "I, er – noticed a boy walking you back here the other day." Damn.

Fiona felt her own face coloring. Her father's eyes had never left the floorboard they'd been staring down, and his own cheeks were reddening as well as she glanced over at him.

Robert finally turned directly to his daughter. "Is he a friend?"

Fiona took a gulp and nodded slowly.

"He's not the boy from around the corner, is he?"

Fiona nodded meekly again. "John."

Daddy raised an eyebrow. He shifted slightly so he was facing Fiona properly, waiting till he had her eye contact.

"Is – er – is this John just a friend, or is there – er – something else I should know about?"

Fiona felt her breath catching, but from somewhere deep within her she found the courage to keep talking. She wasn't even sure it was her own voice, merely an advocate from somewhere else.

"He wants me to be his... bird. Y'know... his girlfriend."

It was impossible to tell who was more surprised – Daddy at such sudden news, or Fiona at her own audacity. She chanced a look back at her father, who appeared as though he too were puzzling over the right words to choose.

"And... how do you feel about that?"

Well, this required no heavy thinking. "It makes me very happy," Fiona breathed.

Daddy finally nodded. "Little Bird, you're sixteen. You're not a baby, and you're old enough to know what makes you happy... And if this boy is what matters to you right now, I think I want you to do what makes you happy."

Was he really saying that? She couldn't have heard right. That was all? That had gone remarkably well...

"But I would like to meet this John sometime, if you're going to be spending so much time with him."

Fiona nodded on autopilot. "Yep. Sometime." It was all she could muster without stuttering, her poor face rose-red and her head pounding relentlessly with all that had just happened.

Daddy, who could sense when Fiona needed time to think, rose from the mattress, and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his daughter's head. "I love you, Little Bird. And I trust you."