Under The Surface [Editing]

Chapter Seventeen This Wasn't Supposed To Happen

Soon as Nathan and my mom left the room, I turned to my dad. He looked so vulnerable in the hospital bed. I hated seeing him like this, hooked up to an IV and the beeping monitoring devices. I didn’t like how they made my dad look weak, when he was far from it.

“What do you want to talk about?” I asked sitting down in the squeaky chair next to his bed. My dad looked up at me and smiled warmly.

“Did you have fun at the dance?” He asked. A casual safe question first. Though I couldn’t be sure how safe it was as I was sure my expression softened at the memory of the fun I did have at the dance. A soft curl erupted on my lips.

“Yes I did actually.” I spoke fondly as the sensation of Nathan holding me came fresh and vivid back into my mind.

Looking at my dad he was watching my reaction closely which instantly had my face heating up with fresh color from my embarrassment. Unsure of what to expect as his response from my revealing tone, I sat fidgeting, waiting. My dad nodded, and took my hand.

“I am glad you had fun Dawn.” He smiled again. There was something different in his face though, as I suspected he knew something was different about me. He would not be pleased with my choice, that is if I had even made that decision yet. I thought about the way he made me feel…I suppose in a way I had.

“Your mother is dropping the custody filing.” He announced with relief in his voice.

I leaned back in my chair absorbing his words. In a way I was a little disappointed, I was expecting a fight and a little part of me was looking forward to battle. I knew it was best for my father though for the whole problem to be over. Anger filled my mind at the thought that even still this could have been avoided, his heart attack, if she never had filed in the first place.

“Too little too late.” My father knew what I meant.

“What’s done is done Dawn, I am going to be fine, she feels guilty enough as it is.” He was trying to be the better man. I was mature, but maybe not mature enough.

“Not guilty enough why is she still here?” I asked getting a little defensive.

“Well you can’t take school off, I won’t let you so she is staying to help me during the day when I get released from the hospital, just until I get healed up.” He added knowing that I would not like this if the hesitation in his voice was any indication.

“You know she is just going to try and manipulate you into getting Nathan out of the house.” That was the smart thing to say and I am sure it told my father that I did not want him to leave.

“I told her that was not going to happen, you two are good for each other.” He instantly cringed, his words revealed much about what he saw going on between us. While he didn’t like it as a father, he always treated me with respect and I had proven time and time again that I was responsible when it came to boys.

And, well, there wasn’t much going on yet to speak of anyway….was there? What was going on between Nathan and me?

“So is she going to stay at the house?” I asked grumbling ignoring his implicating comment. He laughed out loud at the question.

“Hell no.” His amusement was infectious and I giggled with him.

The relief that began to flood through me had me feeling optimistic about the current events taking place in my life. Something I have not felt in a long time. It had been almost three months since Nathan intruded on my life and into my heart, and so much had happened. I hoped things would settle down for awhile. At least so I could put some of these feelings into perspective.