Between The Lines

Found

Note: This is the second of two parts.

My father never did understand time zone differences. Perhaps he did but he chose to ignore them out of spite. For whom? I don't know.

"Hello, son. Good afternoon!" He greeted me from the other line. I'm sure it was afternoon in San Francisco but I wasn't there. I was here. His phone call woke me up. 

"It's three am, dad. And I'm sure you know this."

"Oh, did I wake you? I'm sorry." I could hear his condescending sarcasm through the line. He didn't really sound like he's sorry. "So, how are you and Sarah settling in at the old place?" 

"It's alright. Thanks for offering the place for her to stay. She likes it very much." I looked around me and as my eyes got used to the dark, I could make out the titles of some of Kat's books surrounding me. My sister is a book hoarder and an avid reader. I was sleeping in her room because Sarah was sleeping in mine. We elected to stay in different rooms for a number of reasons.

"Are you and Sarah making me grandkids already?" 

"Dad!!!" I was mortified. I've forgotten how my father uses his words as he wants to and doesn't really care if they affect other people's sensibilities. I knew that he and Sarah have been talking a lot lately. I just hope he doesn't say anything that would scare her off.

"What? Do you want me to die without seeing any of my grandkids? Tell me you're working on it, son." 

"We're not even married yet, dad."

"What? I thought you kids are progressive in your thinking these days. Are you telling me you're waiting till she's your wife?"

"She insists and I support her."

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Marry her already. I'm not getting any younger, you know. I have given up all hope on Kat starting a family of her own. She's even more workaholic than I am. I have my sights on you instead, and Sarah." 

"We'll get there, dad. Don't you worry."

"Oh, come on. Even your mom and I—"

"Hey dad, I think if we sell all of Kat's books, we could actually get rich." I said, just to change the topic. I didn't like where the conversation was going.

"Don't touch anything from that house!" He exclaimed, alarmed. 

"Why the sudden defensiveness? They're just books and it's not like my darling little sister is going to mind."

"No. I've promised that house already to Sarah so everything in there is hers." 

"Uhm, don't you mean mine, dad? I'm your child, not her."

"Yeah. You see, I told her I would give you guys the house as a gift for when you get married. Know what she told me? She asked me if she could have it anyway, in case  you decide to marry someone else. That girl is smart. I tell you. So, the house is hers. You can't take anything from it!" 

And then he gave me that shrewd laugh that just annoys me every time I hear it. When my father is pleased about something, I automatically feel nervous because it usually means I'm about to be screwed over.

"I can feel the love from across the ocean, dad." 

"Oh, get over yourself. If you marry her, then you won't have anything to worry about, would you? You'll share the house with her. Conjugal property and all that. But hurry up, will you? 'cause if you don't, I'm going to marry her off to another son of mine just to make sure she adopts the Mañalac name."