All because I liked a BOY?

Weekend Apart

The weekend came too soon.

Jeff stood at the door, watching as Megan loaded Isabelle into the backseat of her car. He forced a smile, waving as his daughter looked back at him with wide, uncertain eyes. This was the first weekend that Isabelle would spend at her mother’s since Megan had pushed to reconnect. A knot tightened in Jeff’s chest.

“Be good, okay?” Jeff called out, trying to keep his voice light, even though it felt like a weight was pressing down on him. “I’ll see you soon, baby.”

Isabelle clung to her stuffed bear, her lips trembling as she looked back at him. “When will I see you again, Daddy?”

Jeff swallowed hard, walking up to her side of the car. He knelt down, stroking her hair gently. “It’s just for the weekend, Izy. You’ll be back home before you know it. I promise.”

She nodded, but her grip on the bear tightened. Tears welled up in her eyes, and it nearly broke Jeff’s heart. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly. “I’ll miss you. But I’ll be right here when you come back. Just think of all the stories we can share when I see you again.”

Isabelle sniffed, trying to be brave. “Okay, Daddy.”

Megan gave Jeff a small nod from the driver’s seat, trying to offer some form of reassurance. "I'll take good care of her."

Jeff managed a tight smile, but his heart wasn’t in it. He watched as the car pulled away, waving until it disappeared down the street. Then the silence of the house engulfed him.

For the first time in a long while, the house felt too big. Too empty.

Jeff shut the door, leaning against it as he let out a slow breath. The absence of Isabelle hit him harder than he expected. He had gotten used to having her around, her laughter filling the rooms, her presence making every day just a little bit brighter. Now, the quiet seemed almost unbearable.

He wandered through the house, trying to busy himself—tidying up the living room, fixing a quick lunch—but no matter what he did, his thoughts kept drifting back to Isabelle. How was she doing? Was she okay without him? Was Megan handling everything all right?

By late afternoon, the quiet became too much. Jeff sat on the couch, staring blankly at the TV. It was the first time in years he had a weekend entirely to himself, but it wasn’t the freedom he had once craved. It was loneliness.

He reached for his phone out of instinct, almost ready to text Megan to ask how Isabelle was doing, but stopped himself. He had to trust that Isabelle would be fine. She needed to spend time with her mother, and as much as he hated to admit it, Megan had the right to be in Isabelle’s life, too.

But it didn’t make the ache any easier.

The hours crawled by, and by nightfall, Jeff found himself pacing around the house, wondering what Isabelle was doing. Was she having fun? Was she missing him as much as he missed her?

Then, just as he was about to head to bed, his phone buzzed. Megan.

“Hey,” Jeff answered, unable to mask the concern in his voice.

“Hey,” Megan’s voice came through, sounding oddly soft. “I just wanted to check in… let you know that Isabelle’s doing okay. She had a little trouble falling asleep, but she’s out now.”

Jeff sighed in relief. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ve been… I’ve been thinking about her.”

“I know,” Megan said quietly. There was a pause, and then she continued, “I… I was thinking, maybe I could keep her until Monday afternoon? I’ll bring her back after lunch. It’ll give us more time together.”

Jeff’s immediate reaction was to say no. He was already counting down the hours until Sunday evening when he could see Isabelle again. But Megan’s voice sounded hesitant, almost pleading. She was trying, in her own way, to rebuild a connection with Isabelle, and part of Jeff knew he had to allow that.

“Monday afternoon?” Jeff repeated, his tone tight.

“Yeah,” Megan said softly. “I promise, I’ll bring her back right after lunch.”

He wanted to argue, to tell her no, that he needed Isabelle back sooner. But something in her voice—the fragile hope—made him pause. Maybe this was as hard for Megan as it was for him.

“Okay,” Jeff said finally, though his heart twisted at the thought of another day without his daughter. “Monday afternoon. But don’t be late, Megan.”

“I won’t,” she promised, sounding relieved. “Thank you, Jeff.”

.
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Sunday evening settled in, and Jeff found himself staring at the quiet living room. Isabelle’s absence left a void he couldn’t ignore, and even though he tried to occupy himself, the silence weighed him down. Just as he was about to grab his phone to scroll through endless feeds, a call interrupted his thoughts.

It was Ethan, his best friend. “Jeff, you have to come out tonight. I just got promoted—big party at the club.”

“I don’t know, Ethan,” Jeff replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s been a long weekend. Izy’s not here, and I’m just not in the mood.”

“Exactly! You’ve been moping all weekend. You need a break. Come on, man. Don’t make me celebrate alone!” Ethan’s voice was upbeat, persistent, and clearly not taking no for an answer.

Jeff hesitated. Going out felt wrong somehow, especially with Isabelle still gone. But Ethan wouldn’t let up, continuing to push until finally, with a resigned sigh, Jeff gave in. “Fine. One drink. I won’t stay long.”

“Deal! I’ll see you there in an hour,” Ethan replied, hanging up before Jeff could change his mind.

An hour later, Jeff found himself at the entrance of a bustling club. The music thumped through the walls, the heavy bass making his chest vibrate. He could already hear the faint sound of people laughing, cheering, and dancing. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for the loud scene, but he promised Ethan, and there was no backing out now.

Stepping inside, the flashing lights and packed dance floor overwhelmed him at first. It had been a while since he’d been in a place like this. The noise was chaotic, and he felt a bit out of his element as he made his way through the crowd. But as soon as he spotted Ethan, waving wildly from a booth, some of his nerves eased.

“There he is!” Ethan grinned, pulling Jeff into a quick hug. “I knew you’d make it.”

Jeff smiled awkwardly, sliding into the booth. “Yeah, well, don’t get too used to it. I’m not staying long.”

Ethan laughed, shoving a drink in Jeff’s hand. “We’ll see about that. Have a drink, loosen up!”

At first, Jeff sipped cautiously, scanning the crowd. The atmosphere was intense, filled with energy, but slowly, with each passing minute, the tension in his body started to fade. The music was loud, but it was almost comforting in its way, drowning out the thoughts that had been running circles in his head all weekend. Before long, Ethan dragged him out of the booth and onto the dance floor.

Jeff resisted at first, but Ethan’s enthusiasm was infectious. He gave in, moving with the beat. The drinks flowed, the music thumped, and soon Jeff was laughing and letting go in a way he hadn’t in ages. The worries about Isabelle, the uncertainty with Megan—they all melted away for the moment.

By the time midnight rolled around, Jeff had completely lost track of time. He was laughing with strangers, enjoying the energy of the night. For the first time all weekend, he wasn’t consumed by thoughts of Isabelle’s absence or the mess with Megan. It was just him, the music, and the freedom of being lost in the moment.

As the night wore on, Jeff realized how much he’d needed this. It wasn’t just about the party or the drinks—it was about feeling like himself again, even if only for a few hours.