Of My Eyes

Of My Eyes Part 6

"Julie, are you thirsty?
Why don't we grab something to drink and retreat to the living room to talk?"

"Frank, that sounds good.
I need to have a little bracer to begin sorting out all that has happened tonight."

Leading the way downstairs, Julie settled on the couch while I grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Uncorking the bottle of wine, I poured each of us a rather liberal dose of vino.
Dropping my butt onto the couch and taking a deep breath, I allowed myself to sink into the cushions.

"Julie, this has been one hell of a week, ever since this snipe hunt began, I haven't had the opportunity to sit back and take stock of the entirety of the situation.
We went from a normal family dealing with all the little things that come up on a daily basis to hunting for creatures that crawl through the walls.

The only reason I'm not having a nervous breakdown is the fact that these things seem harmless.
But more importantly is the girls, if I present to them a parent who is on edge and fearful, then that is what they will become themselves.

I think I did the right thing by creating a search for the truth, a drive to understand that which is presented to them.
Julie, there are days that I wonder if I am a good parent.
It's so hard being a single parent, not only do I have to provide a stable home for them, I still have to spend a lot of time away from them at my job to save enough money to make certain that they never suffer from want.
When they were born, I thought to myself,
"I hope I don't fuck them up too badly as they grow up."
So far, I think I have done a fair job at parenting."

"Frank, from all that I have seen, I think you are a very attentive parent.
In school, the girls are well behaved, and their grades are in the top five percent of the curve.
What I do see is that they didn't get that way on their own.
The only place they could have learned to be that way is through you.
So regardless of how you may feel, it is my opinion that you are a very good and attentive parent, so don't be so hard on yourself."

"Thanks, Julie, sometimes I need to hear words like that.
It's hard to step outside myself and look objectively at my life."

Sitting there with Julie, I was struck by a sense of normalcy, sitting around at the end of the day relaxing with nothing to do but chilling.
It struck me as something that I found missing in my life.
I have been alone so long that I have forgotten what it was like to have a partner.

"Julie, this may seem a bit forward, but would you like to join me this Saturday evening at a dinner my company is throwing to celebrate a very successful year?
It's a rather casual affair, but the people are nice, and they put together a rather nice party.

I know that this is rather forward of me, but I don't have anyone else I could ask.
I've been so busy this last year, what with work on restoring this house, the girls, and work, that I just haven't had an opportunity to socialize."

"Frank, I would be honored to accompany you.
As a teacher, I have very little time to get out of the house.
With all that is demanded of me at school, with nonstop classes, the only time I have to grade papers and tests is when I'm at home.
That takes up most of my evening, preventing me from spending time on myself."

I was so prepared to get shot down that I had begun to formulate a sincere thanks anyway response that I had my mouth open to speak before Julie accepted my invitation.

"Frank, what's the matter?
You look surprised, I might even say stunned that I said yes."

"Julie, to be honest with you, I have been out of the loop so long that the idea of asking someone out on a date utterly terrifies me.
That being said, I am thrilled that you will join me for the evening.
These gatherings are dress-up, suit, and tie affairs."