Daddy Issues

72 - For her

'Fuck,' I curse.

'What do we do?' Mel whispers, sounding horrified.

'Run!'

We both head for the kitchen to escape through the back door as the key turns in the lock and the door starts to open. But we don't even make it halfway there before voices drift in from the open door. We both freeze. It's obvious we won't make it through the door and out the garden without her hearing.

I look around frantically as Mel turns to me with wide eyes. Then I point at the kitchen island, the only place I see that we can hide behind, and we both dive for it must as the voices reach the archway to the kitchen.

'... some fucking nerve showing up here. Practically ambushing me.'

'I'm sorry, Lainey. I just really need to talk to you.'

Both of our heads snap up when we recognize the second voice. The first belongs to Mom, obviously, but the second...

'Well, Dan, I think I've made it pretty clear that I do not want to speak to you.'

'I know, I know. And after this, I'll never bother you again. Please, just hear me out this one time.'

A long, deep sigh from my mother. Mel and I both hold our breaths when we hear her take a few steps into the kitchen. If she catches us here...

But fortunately, she doesn't walk over to this side of the island.

'Fine,' she relents. 'I'll give you 5 minutes.'

'Thank you, Lainey,' Dan says relieved. 'I... I want to talk to you about Emma.'

My breath halts and I lock eyes with Mel. What's the fucking chance that he came here today to try and do something about this shit?

'Shocker,' Mom says sarcastically. 'Aren't you over her by now? You've had plenty of time to hook up with another teenager.'

'She's not a-' Dan starts. But then he seems to catch himself. Clearly realizing that it won't get him any further if he starts a fight.

'Lainey, I know that we hurt you. I know. And I'm so sorry. But I... I need you to destroy that video.'

Mom scoffs.

'Of course. Are you that desperate to get back to screwing her that you actually risked coming here?'

'It's not about getting back together with her,' Dan says urgently. 'After the things I told her...'

He doesn't finish his sentence. But he must have sensed how I felt yesterday. How much he hurt me, even if it wasn't really his fault.

I can hear the pain in his voice now. Maybe that's why he's here today too, after all these months. Maybe he couldn't take it anymore after seeing how much he had hurt me.

'It isn't fair to keep that video hanging over her head,' Dan says now. 'You can't threaten with something like that. Putting something like that out there... it's a total infringement on her privacy. It's practically assault.'

'Oh, please,' Mom snorts. 'If that girl had any decency or desire to protect her modesty, she wouldn't throw her body at every other guy she meets wherever it's most convenient.'

Mel looks appalled at my mother's comment. I just feel my face heat up. It's not the first time my mother has said something like that.

'Lainey, whatever she wants to do with her body, that's her decision, but she did not know that she was being filmed, and she does not consent to having that footage get out there. I mean, come on,' he says, practically pleading with her. 'This isn't like you. The woman I got to know in all those months we spent together would never think that this is even remotely okay.'