The Look Of Hope

Chapter 77: Extremely Uncomfortable

Life changed for Mary and Bobby with the homecoming dance. Boys started noticing Lydia more. This did not sit well with her father. The whole growing-up business continued to make him really, EXTREMELY uncomfortable. 

It started with her date for the dance. Some sophomore boy named Grant. Bobby did not care for that at all. "He's a sophomore. She's a freshman. He's older than her," he announced to his wife. She was busy straightening up Rhodes's nursery. "Aren't you listening? I said she's—"

Mary cut him off. "I heard you just fine the first time. Bobby, she's a freshman in high school. She's going to date and get asked out. It happens. He's only older by a year. That's not terrible."

Is she nuts? He had one of his son's rattles in his hand. He shook it at her. "Not terrible? Not terrible? How can you say that? I already told you high school boys only have one thing on their minds. It's obvious what this one wants if he asked a freshman to the dance."

Choosing to continue to organize the baby clothes, she needs to find a way to calm his nerves. "Bobby, you've got to trust our daughter. Even if you don't trust this boy, at least trust her. We've tried to raise her right and now she has the chance to prove it."

Why is she not understanding? He doesn't get her thinking right now. In a sulky huff, he left the room. At dinner, he told his daughter, "I want to meet this boy who's taking you to the dance." 

Lydia became sulky like her father. "Dad why? That's so embarrassing." She picked at her carrots with her fork.

Picking up the water glass, Mary stifled a laugh. Now her husband is getting the "you're so embarrassing" routine. He gets to see how it feels. It's not fun, at all.

But Bobby didn't care. He's dead set and determined about this. "It's not embarrassing. It's for your own good. Now, I want to meet him. If I don't get a chance to, then you can't go to the dance with him." 

Lydia's fork clanked on the plate. She turned to her mom for help. "Mother! Mother, did you hear what he said?" 

Oh, swell. She gets to be dragged into this whether she wants to be or not. Putting her own fork down, she intervened as best she could. "Lydia your father loves you and wants what's best for you. Try to remember that. Even when he's acting nuts in the head, he still loves you." Bobby gave her a severe look.

She continued. "But Lydia, your father does have a point. We've never even seen this boy. It would be nice to meet him just once." She saw her daughter's face fall at her words. "It doesn't have to be something formal. He could even just come to the vehicle at carpool and say hi." Her eyes caught sight of her husband. Bobby is far from happy. There's no winning or losing in this one. It's all losing here. 

Lydia muttered a "fine" under her breath and continued to pick at her food. Meanwhile, Bobby came up with a different sort of plan. 

As Sunday changed into Monday, Lydia begged her mother to take her to school the next day. She said Grant would meet them at carpool. But "Mom I really don't want him to meet Dad. Dad will scare him off. Please, please take me!"

Oh her poor baby. It must be so hard having a loving overprotective father like Bobby. She chuckled thinking of her husband. There's no doubt he'd embarrass her.  Seeing as how he already called Dutch asking for intel on the boy, he'd be sure to make it super uncomfortable. Dutch had asked Jed about Grant, who told him he's a quarterback on the football team and a popular guy. When Bobby was told this he freaked out even more.