Teach Me

Later

   When they got to Y/N's parents house, Y/N ran up to her room, much to Yolanda's dismay. Yolanda kept yelling to her, not at her but to her. She wanted to talk about what she "witnessed" but Y/N was just sick of her shit.

   Y/N shut her door, locked it, and laid on her bed. She hear a knock at her door. "I don't want to talk, mom" Y/N said stoically. "It's me, honey" Dan said calmly, behind the door. "Oh..." Y/N got up, unlocked, and opened the door for him. Dan came in and sat in her chair,
Y/N closed and locked the door so Yolanda wouldn't come in.

   Y/N sat on her bed and sighed, Dan just looked at her and laughed. "What?" Y/N smiled back. "Nothing, just... some things never change. Us and her..." he shook his head and laughed, Y/N did so as well. "Yeah, she's a lot sometimes" Y/N said, lifting her brows.

   "You're telling me" Dan rubbed his face. "In all seriousness though, we know she loves you. Right? You know that?" Dan said, giving her the benefit of the doubt. "Yeah dad, I know that" Y/N nearly rolled her eyes. He always defended her or made excuses, even though she was being shitty. She should be the one to apologize for her behavior but he always did for her.

   "Dad, you don't have to make excuses for her anymore..." Y/N said. "I'm not making excuses. Did you hear one? I just said that she loves you. That's all..." Dan defended himself. "I know she has a way of showing it but... she loves us both so much. It quite literally consumes her" Dan laughed.

   "It's what made me fall in love with her, the way she loves the people close to her" He explained. Y/N was silent, just listening to him talk. "She loves hard and she's intense... that's why I knew she'd be a good mother to you...and your brother. That's how I knew she would make a great partner" Dan smiled.

   "People have their faults. They make mistakes and they get stuck in their ways. She is not faultless, she is not innocent in that way... but she loves harder than anyone I've ever known and that... that love trumps all of it. It trumps insecurities, beliefs, all odds... it has no limits. I don't know if you've realized that but... it's limitless, her love" Dan shook his head.

   "She will love you, first and foremost. That's the end of it" he looked at Y/N. She shook her head, speechless. "So, no matter what you throw at her... she may react imperfectly, she may overreact or try and force her beliefs on you initially but... when you give her time, her love will overcome all of that. Her love is stronger. Her love is god like... don't tell her I said that" he laughed.

   "She wouldn't like me comparing her to god but to tell you the truth... between her and him... I'd always choose to believe her, to trust her..." he laughed. "Anyways... I'm not asking you to do or say anything. I'm not assuming anything or casting judgement. I just need you to know that I love you, first and foremost, always and... your mom does too. I know this" he kissed the top of her head.

   "Find out for yourself and we'll figure out the rest but Y/N, always make sure you choose what YOU want. Okay?" He smiled and patted her leg. "You're my baby girl, no matter how old you get..." he put his arm around her. Her eyes teared up. "Thank you, dad. That means more than you'll ever know...." She smiled up at him.

   "There's that smile... you know, Y/N every time I see that smile, I see that baby looking back up at me. It'll never matter how old you are" he laughed. "I don't know if you love that, but that's the honest truth" he got up to leave. "Dad..." Y/N stopped him.

   "Yeah baby girl?" He asked, taking his hand off the door knob and turning back to her. "I'm... I'm... Dad, I'm..." she had a hard time getting it out. "I know baby, and I love you. Not despite it... but... with it" he looked at her. "You... know?" She laughed.

   "I know. I've known since you were ten" he laughed. "Your mom has always denied it but... I think she's been waiting for the day you would come home with a girl" he laughed. "You think?" She shook her head. "Yeah, I do. I know your momma, she... doesn't always know herself but... she knows" he smiled. "You'll see, if you decide to tell her or rather... when" he shrugged.

   "Oh, I don't know if I will...." She looked at the wall. "You will... you love her" he said. "I know but that doesn't mean I have to tell her" she rolled her eyes. "No... you love her, so you'll have to tell your mom" he tried to elaborate. "Dad, just because I love mom..." he interrupted. "Not mom. I wasn't talking about mom..." he grabbed the door knob.

   "Who do you mean?" She looked at him, pretending to be shocked. "Who do you think I mean, pumpkin?" He laughed. "She loves you too" he smirked. "Cate??" She looked at him, doe eyed. "You tell me..." he laughed. "Dad why are you so cryptic???" She sighed.

   "I'm not cryptic, you're just not telling yourself the truth" he sighed back, mockingly. "You look at her the way I looked at your mom. YES CATE! Jesus, Y/N..." he rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him. She started laughing as soon as he left.

   Then she realized.... She does love her. Cate loves her and she loved Cate. She didn't just want to date her... she loved her. It seemed silly to love someone so fast but she did. Maybe she always has, deep down. Isn't that crazy? You can go you're whole life knowing someone, and not know they are the one you're going to love. It was her.

   She didn't need to wait and think it out. She knew it, even her dad knew it... So, she picked up the phone.