Hidden Melodies

Epilogue - Charlie

Copyright by Joelle Blue ©

Fifteen years later

"Excuse me, what?" I bark after my wife's horrible revelation. "Oh hell no. Absolutely not."

"Charlie, she's fifteen. You knew this was going to happen sometime."

"Uh, not for at least five more years. Why are you smiling? This is not funny. I think I'm going to have a heart attack." Oh, now she's laughing. "My daughter, my beautiful, innocent, perfect daughter, is going on a date? No. I think I'm in the twilight zone."

"Cole's going on a date?" Lorena asks from the doorway to our room. She was born two years after Cole and is all too wise for her age. She has Ellie's dark hair and calm temperament.

"No," I yell just as Ellie says "Yes."

"Who is she going out with?" Lorena asks Ellie, completely ignoring me. These women are all going to team against me and take over. Thank God Lucas was born. He may only be ten, but at least it's a little extra testosterone.

"Diego," Ellie replies.

"WHAT?!" I roar. "He is seventeen! What is happening?" I think I might start hyperventilating. "If he picks her up on a fucking motorcycle, I might just lock her in her room. Yep, actually, let's do that," I say as I make my way up the stairs toward her room. Going on a date with a boy two years older than her, is this for real? No. Nope.

"Cole," I call as I knock on her door incessantly.

"Charlie, stop this. She's almost sixteen, she'll be fine. Diego is a good kid," Ellie soothes, seeming to have followed me.

"He is two years older than her, and at fifteen, that's like a lifetime."

"More like fourteen months. He just turned seventeen."

"Semantics," I wave her off right as Cole opens her door. Her red hair is smooth down her back, her freckles frame her face, and she's so beautiful, it cements my feelings about her going. Hell no.

"You are not going tonight. Why didn't I know about this? Huh?"

"This," she flails her hands around at me, "is why, daddy. Why can't I go?" She pouts.

"Uh, I could list thousands of reasons. Number one, you are too young. Number two, he's too old. Number three..."
"Babe, enough. You know Diego, he'll be respectful. I told her she has to be home by ten and keep her phone's location on, okay?"

"How are you okay with this?" I ask Ellie.

Ellie looks at Cole with a smile. "Keep getting ready, love, I need to talk to your dad." She proceeds to drag me to our room and shut the door as I pace.

"Why are you acting like this, Charlie?"

"She's too young."

"She's young, yes, but she's smart and responsible. If she wasn't, I'd completely agree with you."

"When did she grow up, Els?" I ask, voice cracking. She steps toward me and wraps her arms around me tight. I hug her back.

"It kind of snuck up on us, huh?"

"Yeah," I whisper and kiss the top of her head. It really did. I feel like just yesterday I was helping coach her t-ball team, now she's an on the varsity soft ball team. Now, instead of wanting to cuddle with me on the couch and watch a movie, she wants to go out with Diego.