I Promise

10

It takes three rings before he picks up. His voice sounds flat, tired. I can't believe the state he's in.

"Hey, it's Rynn," I say, not knowing where to start.

"Hey sweetie. How you've been?" he asks.

"Trying to hold up," I answer.

There's silence on the line because I think my dad finally figured out that I know.

"So she told you," he says, his voice hollow.

"Actually, I found out by myself."

More silence on the line.

"Where are you?" I finally ask.

"I stayed in a hotel overnight, but I'm moving into an apartment next week. It's got three bedrooms and overlooks the beach. It's brand new, too," my dad says.

I'm silent, because somehow I can't understand how he can manage to pay for it all.

"Your mother didn't tell you, then," he adds.

I stay quiet, waiting for an explanation.

"The day, the day that "it" happened, I got myself a new job. Much more pay. It's a big company. Exactly the big break I was hoping for in my career. They want me to design something crazy, and it's a long term position. I didn't have time to tell you that with my salary alone I was thinking about buying a house, with rooms for all of us. But then I found your mother as I drove to pick her up," he says. I can't help but feel the sadness in his voice.

And then it dawns on me. What if he knew all this time? He only recently started losing his cool constantly. And my mom has been doing god knows what these past five months with that man. So what if he knew, and he just hoped it wasn't what he thought?

"God, dad, I'm sorry," I stammer. Again, at a loss of words.

"No, Rynn, I'm sorry. I've been acting terrible these past few months. I was so stressed out at work because I kept going to interviews at the major company, and I was so scared I was going to blow it," he says. My dad talks fast, as if there is not enough time to say what's on his mind, and how sorry he is. And then I know that he is telling me half the truth, and he knew about my mom way before I did. Before my mom even knew he did.

I hear him sigh on the other end of the line.

"I'm going to visit you tomorrow, okay? I'll come with nana, Peyton, everyone," I say. And I know that I mean it. My dad needs us right now, and my mom will be happy to have some time alone with her new guy. Ugh. I did not want to say boyfriend. Maybe backstabber bastard who ruined my family was going to become his new nickname. Or Graham the cracker because he cracked my family in half. I almost snort at the last nickname. Man, I was not going to eat cheesecake anytime soon.

"I'd like that," he says.

When I hang up, we decide for him to come pick all of us up, and grab the rest of his stuff. apparently, he already managed to call in favors, and the divorce papers will be ready to surprise my mom next morning. Well, I guess she won't be so surprised.

I tuck my phone in my hoodie pocket, shivering in the chilly breeze from the beach. I sit on the bench, my long board in hand. I always think that my city is too normal, nothing exciting about it. But maybe it's just me. I have a long board, for god's sake. That's like the California necessity.

"So when you're not putting your frustrations out on the net, you board to the beach?"

I whirl around, and there's Matt, one hand on his board, another hand on his dog's leash.