The Princess and The Game's Rebel (Book 2)

Elephant in the Room

|Paul's POV|

After talking to Zach, I went and checked on the girls before going to my bedroom. I took a shower and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Once I was finished I went down to my man cave and decided to give my dad a call. He's always my voice of reason and I need his opinion on how I should handle Zach.

Speaking of, I know what his mother told me and I'm sure he was into something he had no business doing when he lives in Florida. I can't punish him for something he did before I was in his life, but I'm not going to put up with him gambling now because it's a risky business. Who's to say he is? I have no actual proof.  A bank card doesn't say anything. His facial expression when I asked him about it said it all.

The phone rang a few times before my dad answered.

Hello.

Hey dad. Hope I'm not interrupting anything.

Hey son. Just sitting here watching TV. What's going on?

Just need your advice on a situation with Zach.

I'm all ears.

I talked to his mother today and she told me she heard from a friend that Zach was into gambling when he was in Florida. Steph had done laundry and found a bank card of his and gave it to me and I told her I'd handle it. After asking Zach about it, he didn't admit to gambling, but he didn't deny it either.

There was silence before my dad spoke again.

So, you took the approach of  "innocent until proven guilty?"

When you put it like that, I guess, yeah. I just feel so lost with him sometimes. I move forward in the right direction, think I'm making a breakthrough with these kids and then they go and do something underhanded.

Are we still talking about Zach?

Why wouldn't I be?

You said kids.

Dad, you know what I mean.

I know that you're upset with Izzy and Jamie for their Spring Break trip, but son, you need to get over it.

What do you mean?

Get over it. They're 18, they left the country. They could have done far worse. Should they have said something, sure. Still, you can't be upset with them for not telling you every little thing. Sometimes being overbearing can put you in a position like this.

Dad...

Look, I get it. I was the same way with you and your sister. I had to let the reigns up a little bit and that's why the both of you are so open with me now.

I've tried that with Izzy...

You tried it for what, one conversation? It's an adjustment you have to make. Has the past year and a half been crazy? Absolutely. It's nothing you can't handle though.

I didn't say I can't handle it.

I didn't say you couldn't either.

Here he goes.

So, you're telling me that I should let this situation with Izzy go. No discipline, no nothing.

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's fine to tell her that you would like to be in the loop, but she's just like you, stubborn and bull headed. You two can get real irrational and act out of spite.

She didn't go to Mexico out of spite.

No, she didn't. You're right about that. She went to Mexico because she wanted to and she's at an age where she can make her own decisions. As for her behavior, that was out of spite.