Bad Taste (Part II) // Colby Brock

238 - Rebecca

The last of the guests left the bar shortly before our group did, and I waved through Colby's window at Jake and Tara as they drove off back to the house, while we followed my father back to his own place. Angela had left before us, saying she needed some time alone; I understood, so I let her go without argument.

We were going to see my father for a very important reason, for something I'd been waiting for for a while now. The main reason we weren't waiting any longer for this was because we didn't want to settle into a false truth, as it would have to be destroyed to make room for this new development.

My dad still lived at home, though he admitted this evening that he was thinking of leaving. It wasn't about the place reminding him of Mom—she was hardly ever there—it was just that the house was so big and he was so small. Neither Angela nor I lived there, and the rooms had never been completely filled to begin with. Now that it was just Dad, he didn't see a point in living somewhere meant for a large family.

Like Angela, he was considering building a house for himself to be able to live comfortably, somewhere big enough for him and small enough to make him feel like he fit. I respected the idea, but of course I wasn't following in either of their footsteps.

Dad drove further up the driveway than he usually did, allowing Colby to slot in comfortably behind him. I looked at him through the window as he climbed out, and sent him a gentle wave that told him to go into the house alone, that we'd catch up. He gave me a soft nod and walked away, so I looked at Colby.

"You're really leaving us?" I asked.

"I am."

"You know you don't have to."

"This is personal between you and your dad," he insisted, as he had continued to insist lately. "I can't be a part of it, even if you want me to be. You can tell me after—it'll be a surprise." I'd heard this argument before, but I didn't care much for surprises.

"Will you come as soon as I call?"

He nodded, "I'll just be driving around the area for a while. I could do with thinking over some things."

"What if my dad wants to talk to you first to make a decision?"

"Baby," Colby sighed, taking my face in his hands, "why're you worrying about this? He's your father, you've talked to him alone before."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that. I'm not worried about him, I'm worried about... what he'll say. I don't want bad blood with my father."

"He's been incredibly accepting, all things considered."

"But this is something he's never wanted," I pointed out.

"Look," Colby shifted into a position that faced me more, "your father didn't want both of his daughters to be lost to vampires. You can understand that, can't you? And when he found out neither of you are crazy anymore, he also discovers that Angela is going to stay human. That changes everything. He could still have a grandchild, could still continue his family name into the next generation. All the while, he'll get to keep both of his daughters for the rest of his life.

"You have to trust that he'll see that, and if you don't, you won't have the confidence you need to actually convince him. If you're trying to convince yourself, too..."

"Okay, I get it," I sighed. "It just feels too soon to ask to be a vampire right after Mom's funeral. Doesn't that feel... I don't know, dirty?"

"I don't think so," Colby shook his head. "Awkward, maybe. But this is your father. The guy's been through worse."

"Exactly, I don't-" I was cut off by Colby's lips on mine, and whilst I'd usually accept this surprise, I almost slapped him away from me. But he convinced me to keep kissing him, to get lost in the electricity that passed between us.