The O'Connells

Dad

The events of this story took place before Aleah's dad passed away

also this one hits home for me.

Billie- 24
Aleah- 23

(Aleah's pov)

"Love do you have the guest list finished yet?" Billie asked me.

"Uh yeah, yeah here you go." I said, clearly distracted as I handed her the paper.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied, which never works Billie sees right through me

"Leah, what is it?"

"Nothing."

"Aleah." She said sternly, but gentle.

I sighed and turned around in my chair as she sat on the bed.
"Okay. It's just my dad."

"What about him?"

"Billie I'm getting married, we're getting married and I haven't talked to my dad since he threw me out of his house for dating you."

"Love where is this going?"

"When I was was a little girl, I dreamed of the day where my dad would walk me down the isle and give me away." I say, getting up to sit beside her.

"Ohh, you're upset that he won't be there."

I shook my head. "But that's just the thing, Billie. I want him to be there."

"I thought you hated him."

"I do. But he's still my dad. As shitty and as much of an asshole he is, Billie I want him at my wedding. At our wedding." I say, starting to get a little emotional.

"Do you have any way to contact him?"

"No, but I'll ask my mom. She has to have something."

~

My mom ended up contacting my dad and telling him that I had something to talk to him about. And now here we are, sitting outside a coffee shop that I was too nervous to go in.

"Oh, Billie I dunno if I can do this."

"You can. I'll be right outside watching you, I promise. And if anything happens I want you to signal me okay?"

Part of me wondered how this would go but the other part already knew it wouldn't end well.

"Alright. Promise you won't leave."

"I swear. Go on."

I took a deep breath before getting out and waking inside. He was sitting with his back facing me so I walked up to him and tapped his shoulder.

"Hi dad."

He looked at me for a bit before motioning for me to sit down. "So what's this about?"

"Um..I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay, so talk."

"Uhh..do you remember Billie?"

"The dyke with blue hair?"

"Yes." I said as I closed my eyes briefly. "Do you remember her?"

"Yeah she's the reason you were the way you were when you were a kid."

"Dad that's not how it works."

"You never started acting like that until she came along."

"Well that's because--" I stopped myself from arguing with him cause that definitely wouldn't end well. I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm not here to argue with you about the past."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I'm getting married!" I blurted, now annoyed that after all these years he doesn't seem to want anything to do with me. All he cares about is getting to the point of why I'm here.

His face turned to shock and confusion as he processed what I said.
"When?"

"Two months from tomorrow. Umm...Billie proposed."

"Wait..you and her...are gonna get married?"

"Yeah. And...I would really like it if you could be there."

"Nah, nah I'm not doing that." He said, shaking his head.

"What? Why not?"

"Cause, Aleah I'm not into all this weird gay shit you're doing. It's weird and uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable?"

"Yeah. It's uncomfortable for me. Listen kid, i'm glad you're getting married and all and I would love to walk you down the isle if...you were marrying a guy. The way it's supposed to be."

It was in that moment that I realized there was nothing I could do. Nothing I could say, or do or show him would ever make him come out of his old ways.

He was never gonna change, and I was a fool to think he would.

"Dad, I love Billie. And she loves me and it's been the way since we were teenagers, it's not gonna change. And you being uncomfortable isn't gonna make me not be in love with her. Nothing can change this."

He sighed deeply.
"So you're seriously going through with this?"

"Yes dad, I am. And I wanted you to be there...I wanted my dad there at my wedding to walk me down the isle and give me away 'the way it's supposed to be' but if seeing me in love with another woman makes you that uncomfortable then just...don't come." I told him, tearing up.

"Le-Le--"

"No. You don't get to call me that anymore. Not after what you did."

"Aleah I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You're not sorry because if you were sorry, you would grow the fuck up and realize that your daughter is gay and she is going to marry the woman of her dreams whether you like it or not. Dad this isn't the world you grew up in any more. People are gay, women love women, guys love guys and there is nothing wrong with that. All you should want for your kids, for your daughter--your only daughter--is for me to be happy. And I am happy. Billie makes me so happy and if you weren't such a fucking asshole and stuck around long enough you would see that."

By now I was crying through my words and I had gotten the attention of a few people in the cage and decided it was my time to leave.

"You know what? I'm done with you. I tried, I did. I tried to be nice and forgiving but it seems you can't do the same so I'm gonna go. I'll be sure to send you a postcard from our honey moon."

I got up and marched outside and into Billie's car, plopping myself down as I wiped my eyes and tried to get myself to stop crying.

"You okay?"

"He's not coming." I choked out while staring straight ahead at him in the cafe.

"I'm sorry my love, I know you really wanted him there."

"It's fine. He doesn't wanna change then there's nothing I can do. I was stupid to think that he would actually come."

"Hey, easy. Love it's not stupid to want your family at your wedding. Regardless of what they did."

"Well, he's not coming. So can we leave please?"

She said nothing else, giving me some space as we drove off with soft music playing through the speakers. Her silently but comfortingly holding my hand the whole ride home.

~~~~~~~

A/N: damn this really got me