Collide

Nineteen

I rolled over in bed to see that Brennan was already awake.

I couldn't believe that we actually had sex together.

"Good morning." I rubbed my eyes.

"Today's the day, huh?" he asked me.

Thursday wasn't exactly up in the air. I was finally going to be able to see my dad. We'd been planning this for over a month. Today was going to be a strange day. It was something that I brought up to him for the first time after that happened.

It was ten in the morning.

I sat up. "Yeah, I'm going to go take a shower first.'

Brennan nodded. "I'm going next door to do the same. What time is everyone coming back from the city?"

"Not until noon." I responded as I got out of bed. "I'll be quick."

I couldn't believe that I was going to meet my dad. The same man who everyone presumed to be dead or missing in action.

He told me that he only had a little time away, and I planned on taking in every moment.

I showered, Brennan did the same, and he drove me down to a secluded canal.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Brennan asked me as we sat in his car.

I slipped on my sweatshirt. "No, I need to do this alone. Plus, I don't want to freak him about. Just be on guard in case my grandparents or Logan call."

"Thank you though." I kissed him on the cheek and got out of the car.

We were meeting at the Sunset Ave canal fishing area. When I was younger, he used to take my sisters and me out here a lot to fish.

Even though we all hated fishing, my dad made it fun. He would pack us sandwiches, sing goofy songs, and name every fish we caught (and released) something goofy.

Now here I was at almost eighteen years old, wishing I could feel that free and innocent again. I missed being oblivious to how cruel life is.

"Ryan?" a voice called out.

I turned around to see him behind me.

My dad.

The last time I saw him, he had a buzz cut. Now his salt and pepper hair had grown out. He had more wrinkles, he wasn't wearing his beloved designer items, but he had the same blue-green eyes that my baby sister had.

I hadn't seen Dylan's face in a long time, but his eyes reminded me of her.

He was wearing a plain black t-shirt with basketball shorts.

The Lorenzo Giudice I knew would never be caught outside in athletic shorts.

"I can't believe it's you." I covered my mouth.

The moment he wrapped his arms around me, I lost it. My dad, pappino, superhero was actually hugging me right now. It'd been a year without my parents or Dylan. Being able to hug him met the world to me.

"Luce dei miel occhi." he whispered as he hugged me.

It was an Italian phrase for the light of my eyes.

"I missed you so much, Ryan. I love you so much." he pulled away. "Let me look at you! You're so grown up."

His face went soft. "My baby girl is almost eighteen."

I wiped the tears away. "I'm so happy to see you. I love you too, dad."

"Let's sit down and talk." he pointed over to a bench.