The 'Good' News.
“Daddy, can we please talk about this?”, I groaned with a plea, following my father into the kitchen.
5 Winchester Lane had been home for as far as I could remember and for as long as people could tell me. The gorgeous little wooden Californian bungalow home with sweeping veranda was where I’d grown up; it was where I’d chase my imaginary friends around in the overgrown gardens and where Tilly, the families golden retriever and I would embark on adventures in the wilds of the unknown. The garden path leading in organic swirling patterns up to the front door was where I’d gotten my first kiss and the vintage, green and orange vinyl kitchen was the only place that could remind me of the sweet jam tarts my mother use to bake during spring. Since she had died, 5 Winchester Lane was home to just daddy and me - and that’s how I’d planned on having it stay, until - courtesy of my fathers new girlfriend, I’d found out only last week we’d be expecting company.
“Audrey, we’ve discussed this”, my father sighed, picking up his mug which he’d left earlier on the kitchen bench and took a sip of what now must have been cold coffee, “Anne and I both think moving in together will help progress our relationship.”
“But Dad!”, I cut him off in a snap, “This is our place. This is you know.. our home.”
“And it’s far too big for just the two of us”, he explained, “Plus we could use the company.”
I wasn’t sure whether it was just a bout of jealous over the fact I’d have to get use to sharing my father or if I was just being difficult. For 6 years it had just been the two of us - museums and movies on Fridays, holidays to Rome on weekends we’d just want to get away; he’d let me paint his nails even if he had work the next day, we’d talk about boys and dreams and music and.. now all that was going to be gone. All gone because of some woman who thought and had convinced him that moving in together would be ‘the right thing to do’. I knew Anne made him smile; and believe me, since my mother had gone, there was nothing more beautiful in the world than seeing him happy. I guess I could suck it up for a while.
“Fine..”, I let out with a heavy exhale, dropping my shoulders and rolling my eyes. My bottom lip found its way between my teeth and I bit on it, not believing I’d agreed to this stupid living arrangement.
“Excuse me?”, my father asked with a smirk on his face, as if he hadn’t heard me.
“I said.. fine.”
Pulling me in with an arm around my shoulders, I got giggly as he left a kiss on my forehead and wrapped me in to a closer hug. At least we’d still have our daddy-daughter moments. I mean, no one could take them away from us.
“I love you Audrey-pie.”
“Love you too Daddy.”
With a deep breath and a spring in my step, I stole a cookie from the jar behind us on the countertop and escaped my fathers grip; heading out of the kitchen - back to my normal routine, convincing myself that things couldn’t all turn out to be that bad. Before I’d even made it through the door though, my father cleared his throat catching my attention.
“There is one.. little, tiny piece of information I may have left out though.”
He had to be kidding me right?
“Yes Daddy?”, I called out, twisting on my heels to face him, brushing down the front of my sky-blue pleated skirt which had ruffled with the movement.
“Anne has a son.”
“Okay.”
“He’s about your age.”
