One Night ✔️ Editing

Chapter Twenty-Four

When I left Klein's class, I pulled out my phone to check for any messages from my mother. To my surprise there were none. Weird. I quickly grabbed my bag from my locker and stepped outside to look for her car. It was normally parked right in front of the school.

Part of me was curious as to where she could be, because she was always so punctual. The other part of me was doing backflips. I could walk home and enjoy myself!

As I came up on the driveway of my house, I saw my dad's SUV was parked in it. He should've been at work around this hour. Things seemed to be getting wackier as the day went on, but I let it go.

"Pa?" I called out, dropping my bag to the floor in the entryway.

"Mijitaaaaaa," (Darliiiinng.) he responded from upstairs. I laughed to myself. What was this man up to?

"No tienes que trabajar hoy?" (You don't have to work today?) I asked.

I waited for him at the end of the staircase and when he came down... man, it took everything in me not to laugh.

"Pa!! What are you wearing??" I exclaimed.

"I won't be offended if you laugh. I know it's ugly," he told me, and we both burst into fits.

He wore a pair of dark red plaid pants and a tucked in mustard collared shirt. The Chelsea ankle boots on his feet were for an entirely different occasion.

"Seriously. Please tell me what's going on."

"Well, David called earlier and he wants to go out to have a drink. He said bedrest has been making him loco." (Crazy.)

I laughed. "Fresh air will do him some good, but it's only 3 o'clock. Isn't that early for drinks? And do you really think that was the right look for a guy's afternoon out?" I teased, giving him a once over.

"Who says we're drinking heavy? I enjoy a late afternoon mojito as much as the next guy."

"And are you sure the next guy likes himself a mojito? Maybe he's a Long Island iced tea kind of fella," I said, fighting a grin.

"And what would my daughter know about a Long Island iced tea, hm?" he asked, scrutinizing me.

"Enough."

He laughed a genuine belly laugh and pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead. I merrily wrapped my arms around his torso and rested my head on his chest.

"As long as it's not Tequila. That stuff will get you messed up. How are you?" he continued.

"I'm good. Really, really good," I admitted. I felt the happiest I had in a long time.

"I'm glad."

"How are you?"

"I'm doing well, but I obviously need help." He pulled away from me, gesturing to his outfit.

"That you do. I think I can help you find something that screams a little less 'golf instructor' and something a little more 'casual but stylish dad.'"

"Vamos!" (Let's go!)

It took a while, but my dad had finally gotten situated with a much better outfit and I was up in my room catching up on a book. I was at the part where the main character, Ainsley, was finally about to confess to lying to her love interest Jackson about her feelings towards him, right when I received a text from Joseph. It was so hard to pull my eyes away from the pages. So terribly difficult.

Joey 😝

6:10 p.m./ Good evening, Mariposa.

6:11 p.m./ Good evening, Mister.