Misfortunate Molly: Would Heartbreak, Break You?

Chapter 41 Date-Ing

I buckle in after climbing into the front seat. My dad is on the phone talking about some business stuff. I look around the parking lot not really thinking about anything in particular. The guilt from kissing that guy is starting to affect me. Not because I kissed a random guy but because Curtis's death is till so fresh. If Curtis was alive, I would not have thought about another man. But he is not. So... Stop beating yourself up over it. I shake the thoughts out.

"You okay?" Daddy asks me. He pulls off.

"Yeah. I just feel really guilty for kissing that guy. If Curtis..." I trail off in my own thoughts.

"Molly, don't do that to yourself. You're trying to find your way through this. I'm not saying I'm happy about you kissing a random person but that's your decision to make. If you refuse to talk to a therapist, please talk to me or a friend or someone. What about Lyssa? I saw her at the funeral but she didn't approach you." Her name makes my skin crawl.

"Lyssa? Fuck her. The whole time Curtis and I were together, she was trying to get close to him. She blames me for his death and said if he was with her instead of me, then he would still be alive." I do not remember if that is exactly what she said but that is what it felt like she said. "Fuck her."

"I'm sorry babygirl. I didn't know that." His voice is soft. "What do you want for lunch?" He knows food makes me happy.

"I kinda want a cheeseburger." The taste suddenly coats my tongue.

"Tom Whals?" He knows that is my favorite.

"You know it." The anticipation of food changes my mood instantly. "Daddy?" I look to him, "Do you think I will ever fall in love again. Like what Curtis and me had?"

"No," my heart drops, "I don't think you will find what you and Curtis had because no other person is Curtis. Do I think you will fall in love again? Yes, if you allow yourself to. It took me many years to let go of your mother."

"Khalessi seems nice. She's hot too!" I bounce my eyebrows at him. He laughs at my gesture.

"She is."

"What? Nice or hot?" Still grinning at him.

"Both." My daddy is glowing at the thought of her. "I would like you to get to know her. I haven't brought her around because I was afraid of how you would react. You can get... Well, you know."

"I get it but I would like to know her. Mrs. Curtis offered me to come over for dinner Thursday but I don't think I want to go to that house yet. I don't think I'm ready." To be in his space, to smell him, pictures of him everywhere... No! I definitely am not ready. "Can we have a dinner party at our house. Khalessi, the Curtis's, Taze and Dre and Sherrie? I can ask Tibby to come so you can meet her. I don't want you to worry about me being around her."

"Okay. That sounds like fun. Yeah, I think we can do that. Sherrie will be thrilled. You know she loves that kind of thing." Daddy joins my growing excitement about it. I clap my hands together and bounce up and down a few times.

The ride to dinner has light music playing the background, windows rolled down enjoying the breeze, and us talking about trips we have taken in the past. The 'Do you remember?' reminiscing with a lot of laughter. Exchanging stories and point-of-views. I miss this, going places with my dad. I was attached to his hip when I was younger. Outside of school, I was with him almost always. Sherrie would sneak me away here and there but I was mostly with my dad.

We pull in the parking lot of the mall. It is the closest Tom Whals. We have to park in the back of the lot because the food court lot is always packed. I hustle around the car to grab my dad's arm. I hate walking in parking lots. Everyone thinks they have the right of way. The large glass doors are just as heavy as I remember them to be. We walk in and stand in line. I order a cheeseburger, fries and strawberry milkshake. Dad orders a double bacon cheeseburger and a Rootbeer float. He will steal some of my fries. He knows I will not be able to finish them all. He gives them my name to call for when our order is up. We find a table to sit at and wait.