by Ali Parker
“I know, and I had my own misgivings about the age difference in the beginning. I never imagined myself pursuing someone younger than me, but it’s what’s happened.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Bob demanded, the hurt in his voice taking me by surprise. “The day you found out? You could have told me at the fundraiser. Or after it.”
“I was in shock,” I admitted. “And I didn’t know what Lanie wanted to do, either. We had to take some time to think about it.”
He nodded, looking at the floor. Did he know Lanie had been at my house the night before?
Bob’s firm gaze connected with mine. “Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. How would you feel if someone your age suddenly started dating Raven?”
I tried not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the imaginary situation. “Raven is seventeen. Who knows what’s best for them at that age? That’s not Lanie. She’s independent. She knows who she is and what she wants.” My voice rose as I went on, inspired by thoughts of how great Lanie was.
“She’s focused on her career, her family. She has goals. She takes her relationships seriously. I know how hard it is to admit that a daughter is getting older. I’m dealing with the same thing with Raven. But Lanie’s there. She’s amazing. She’s an adult, fully autonomous like you and me. She can make her own decisions, and that needs to be respected. I said this already, but it’s worth saying again. Lanie is a special woman, and I can’t just walk away from that because her parents aren’t being understanding. I don’t want to lose my friendship with you. It’s one of the most important things in my life, but I’m also not going to throw things with Lanie down the drain. So surely that shows you how serious I am about her?”
Bob fell into a silence following my speech, his jaw tight and his eyes staring out the window behind me. A few more people had entered the bar, and soft chatter and the clinking of glasses surrounded us. After what seemed like forever, he turned back to me.
“You’re serious about her?”
Drums pounded in my ears. “I haven’t told her that yet, but yes, as serious as I can be at this stage.”
Bob scratched his jowl. “You’d be an idiot not to be.”
I snorted. “I know.” Was I finally getting to him?
“Maybe.” He cleared his throat. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Really?” My stomach flipped in excitement.
Bob nodded. “I reacted too quickly. When I got the news, it pushed a button.”
“Understandably,” I agreed.
“I suppose you’re not asking for my blessing since you’re clearly going to do whatever you see fit.”
“I would still appreciate it,” I choked out, feeling much more emotional than I’d expected to.
“You have it.”
The words rang in my head, each echo making them sound better. I couldn’t have predicted how good they’d make me feel.
“Thank you,” I whispered. My throat was still thick with emotion, and I roughly cleared it.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right,” I earnestly answered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to tell you about this sooner. One of the last things I want to do is disrespect your family.”
“I know.” Bob’s eyes caught mine, and I saw real honesty there. All the tension and fear I’d walked into the club with were gone. Not only had the conversation resolved this one issue, I also got the sense Bob and I were going to be even closer from then on.
Catching my hand in his, Bob gave it a hearty shake. “How about some golf?”
“Uh.” I checked my wristwatch. “That sounds great, but I’ll have to take a rain check. I promised Raven we’d do something together today.”
“She’s not into golf yet?” Bob made a face like he couldn’t comprehend such an idea.
“Afraid not,” I chuckled. “I’ve tried, but she likes to say the only game more pretentious than golf is polo.”
“She’s still yanking your chain, huh?”
“It’s been better lately. Thanks to Lanie.”
Bob studied me.
“Because of her counseling advice,” I explained.
Bob nodded, a smile playing on his mouth. “What does Raven think of the two of you?”
“I think she wants me to settle down again.”
“Huh.” Bob stood. “That wouldn’t be bad for her.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking.”
The unsaid part, which I think we both were thinking, hovered around us. Could the person I settled down with be Lanie?
On that day, there was no answer. Instead, a feeling of satisfaction existed. I’d done what I needed to. Things were great for both me and Bob and me and Lanie.
For the time being, nothing else needed to be known.
We shook hands once more, and I left the club, striding out into the chilly, sunny day, ready to embrace the rest of my life.
Chapter 33
Lanie
My phone rang as I scanned the street for parking.
“Hold on, hold on,” I murmured, resisting the urge to pull it out and see who was calling.
Finding a spot across the street from the yoga studio, I tugged the phone from my purse as the second call started.
Dad. Double gulp.
But better now than later.
“Hi, Dad,” I answered, bracing myself. We hadn’t spoken since he stormed out of the house, and Mom hadn’t been in touch either.
“Lanie, I’m sorry about yesterday.”
My jaw must have fallen halfway to my lap. I struggled to answer but didn’t know what to say. My father hardly ever apologized. He was always so positive the things he did were right.
“I talked to Andrew and figured some things out,” Dad continued. “I know you weren’t lying to me. You’re a grown woman, and you get to do what you want. That’s, uh, it’s hard sometimes for a father to realize that. To remember their kid is all grown up.”
“Yeah,” I slurred. “I understand.”
“Anyway, that’s all I needed to say.”
“I really appreciate it.” Tears formed in my eyes, and I struggled to keep the emotion out of my voice. “What about Mom?”
Dad made a gruff noise. “She’s still not crazy about this whole thing. You know she just wants you to be happy, Lanie.”
“Andrew makes me happy, Dad.”
He hesitated. “I see that now. But your mom, she’s going to need time.”
“That’s what she said about you.” I laughed.
“Did she?” He guffawed. “I bet she did.”
“I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to her tonight. Lanie?”
“Yeah?”
“How serious are you about Andrew?”
The question took me by surprise. I’d hardly allowed myself that answer. “I like him. A lot.”
“All right.”
He seemed satisfied with the basic answer, already moving on to the next question.
“When are you coming back over to the house?”
“I don’t know.”
“Your mom would like to see you sometime this week.”
“I’ll make time,” I promised.
“Good.”
He paused, and I took the moment to gather my courage. “Dad, um, will you be there some evening this week? I’d really like to see you too.”
“Really?” He sounded surprised but not unhappy.
“Yeah. It was nice going to the fundraiser with you, and I’d really like to spend more time together.”
The words were hard to say. Though I told my students over and over that expressing their wants and needs was important, that advice was easier said than done.
“Let’s make a plan,” Dad said. “I’ll talk to your mother. Maybe I can come home early one night, and we can all have dinner together.”
“That would be awesome,” I smiled, knowing Mom would also love that. “Bye, Dad.”
We hung up, the grin
still plastered on my face.
What had Andrew said to make my father change his mind? I’d offered every argument I could think of the day before, and yet Andrew must have seen some angle I hadn’t.
Pulling up his name, I sent a text.
You’re a miracle worker.
The dots on the screen bounced as he typed back.
Mmm. Tell me more.
Laughing, I quickly typed a response.
My dad just called and apologized. He seems pretty happy. Whatever you said, it was the right thing. Have to run, but I can’t wait to see you again.
I’d already caught sight of Erica across the street, standing in the spot we always met at before yoga class. Putting my phone away, I grabbed my things and took advantage of a lull in traffic to run across the street.
“Like my new scarf?” Erica asked by way of greeting. She dramatically flipped the end of a scarf that was made out of enough fabric for a whole wardrobe.
“Fancy.” I laughed. “You could get lost in there.”
“That’s the idea.” She wound it around her face so that only her eyes peeked out. “Winter will never find me in here.”
“Are you going to wear that to yoga?” I opened the studio’s door for her.
“It doubles as a tool for ham stretches. So what’s up with you? Are your parents still upset?”
With ten more minutes to go before class started, we settled in the waiting area. Erica put her scarf into her bag and got busy tying up her hair.
“Believe it or not, no,” I answered.
“What happened?”
“My dad and Andrew talked.”
“And?” She looked at me with wide orbs for eyes.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “My dad called me while I was in the car and said he was sorry.”
Erica’s laugh was a sputtering one. “No. Bob Jacobs doesn’t apologize.”
“I know, right?”
“So you don’t know what Andrew said?”
“No, but I can’t wait to find out.”
“Damn, girl. Andrew is for real.”
“What do you mean?”
Erica took off her jacket and replaced it with a loose sweatshirt from her bag. “Most guys would go running after something like this, but Andrew not only talked to your dad, he stood up to his friend.” She eyed me. “That’s a big deal.”
My insides turned soft. “Yeah,” I quietly agreed. “It is.”
The door opened, and Erica briefly looked over before snapping her head back in my direction. “He’s back,” she hissed.
I didn’t have to ask. “Dirty Pirate Guy?”
“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, face glowing with excitement.
“Did he bring his pirate sword, or is he just happy to see you?”
“Shh,” she said with a giggle. “He’s coming over.”
I pressed my fingertips against my lips so I wouldn’t laugh.
“Hey,” a male voice said.
Erica sat up straighter. “Hi.”
“I’m Troy.”
“Erica. This is Lanie.”
I gave him a wave, noting that he had his dreadlocks tied up in exactly the same way Erica had fastened her hair.
“You ladies ready for class?” Troy asked.
“Absolutely,” Erica answered, batting her lashes. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
“Hey, what are you doing after class?” he questioned, gaze completely on Erica now. In fact, his back had turned to me. I might as well not have been there. “Want to get a kava?”
“A kava?” Erica frowned in confusion.
“Yeah, it’s a root from the Pacific islands. Way better than alcohol. That pollutes the system, you know?”
From where Troy couldn’t see me, I pulled a face. Erica was too focused on him to notice, though.
“There’s a new kava bar downtown,” Troy explained. “I’d love to buy you a drink, experience your first kava ride with you.”
I had to grind my teeth together to stop the laughter.
Erica smiled ruefully. “That sounds nice, Troy, but Lanie and I always go out after yoga.” She paused. “For alcohol, not kava.”
“Cool, cool.” He started to go on, but Erica cut in.
“I’m taken.”
An uncomfortable pause followed.
“Ah,” Troy said. “Right. Well, that’s cool. See you on the mat.”
“See you in Nirvana,” Erica answered.
I waited until Troy vanished down the hallway to speak. “Dude.”
She grimaced. “I felt bad letting him down.”
“Yeah, right.” I laughed. Seeing the serious look on her face, I fell quiet. “Oh. You’re being serious.”
Erica nodded. “Yeah.”
“But you loved flirting with him.”
“Flirting,” she stressed. “But once he asked me out,” Erica fell into the kind of reflective, quiet moment I never saw her in, “I realized how silly I was being.”
“Oh.” I stared at her, still not quite sure what to say.
“Matt is all I’ll ever need.” She shook her head.
My eyes burned. “Aw, Erica.”
“I know, right?” She dabbed at the tears collecting in her own eyes. “It’s so sappy.”
“No.” I smiled. “It’s perfect.”
“You’re going to have that, too, you know.”
I bit down on my lip. “Yeah, one day.”
“No. With Andrew,” she earnestly said.
“What are you, a fortune teller?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, I just have working eyesight.”
I ran my thumbnail across my lip, thinking about it all. Erica was voicing the very thing I wanted. It was too soon, though, and I was too chicken to admit some things.
“I told you before, Lanie. It’s inevitable that you and Andrew will end up together.”
“You never said that.”
She waved her hand. “Whatever. The thing is, I said things close to it. Andrew is the kind of guy you’ve always needed.”
I looked down at my lap, fingers twisting and heart swelling. Though I’d tried to be casual about Andrew from the beginning and not get my hopes up, the time had come to admit the truth. I wanted something deep and long-lasting, and I wanted Andrew to be the one to give it to me.
Maybe my dad coming around was a good sign, a hint at better days to come. The world was getting behind me and Andrew.
My best friend had found her happy ending. Perhaps, just maybe, my turn came next.
Chapter 34
Andrew
Cranking the stereo’s volume, I cruised into my neighborhood. The street lights were coming on, taking the day into the first minutes of dusk. After talking to Bob the morning before, every minute following had been nothing less than perfect.
Seeing Lanie again—and this time with Bob’s approval—meant that I’d been in a good mood all day long. Work had flown by, and the only time I’d felt any sense of irritation was when I looked at my phone and found no texts from Lanie.
Call me spoiled, but I wanted to hear from her each and every hour.
As the garage door opened, my phone rang as if on cue.
“I was just thinking about you,” I answered.
“Good things?” Lanie asked with a laugh.
“Bad things,” I growled. “Really, really bad things.”
“Oh. That’s, uh.” She cleared her throat, and I laughed.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Just making some dinner. Is it okay that I called? I wanted to, you know, say hi.”
“Stop. Hearing your voice is the perfect ending to my day.”
“That’s sweet,” she cooed. “So, hey, can I ask what you specifically said to my dad? I know I shouldn’t intrude, but I can’t stop wondering. Feel free to tell me if I’m overstepping any boundaries here.”
“Leave it to a therapist to mention boundaries.” I glanced at the door leading from the garage into the house. Raven was in there
, and Karen would be leaving any minute. I was praying neither one of them came out and interrupted our conversation.
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Only in the best way.”
“Hm. Okay. I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll let you off the hook.”
“To answer your question, usually I would keep what happens between me and Bob secret, but this involves you as well.”
“Uh-huh?” Lanie encouraged.
“I told him the truth. I said you and I have something special, and though he is also important to me, I’m not going to give you up just because it makes him unhappy.”
“Wow,” she breathed. “You really stood up to him.”
“He took it better than you might think.” I shot another glance at the door. “So what are you doing this week?”
“Well, it’s only a half week of school.”
“Huh?”
“It’s Thanksgiving week.”
I bit back a curse. Damn. Somehow, I’d forgotten all about Thanksgiving. That meant Raven only had three days of school as did Lanie.
“That’s right,” I affirmed. “What are you doing for it?”
“Well, we usually go to my aunt and uncle’s house, but they’re going on vacation this year. They’re gonna spend the weekend at some cabin by a lake. I forget which one.”
“Sounds nice.” I was already thinking about what it would be like to take Lanie to a place like that.
“Yeah. So it’s going to be a small thing this year. I’m sure my mom will make up for it by going totally crazy on Christmas.”
An idea was forming in my head, its corresponding question sitting on the tip of my tongue. Before I even mentioned it, though, I would need to speak to Raven.
“Does that mean I’ll get to see you at some point?” I asked.
“God, I hope so.”
“You sound … what’s the word for it now?”
“I believe the kids at school say thirsty.”
I grimaced. “They shouldn’t be talking like that.”
“Tell me about it.” Lanie giggled.
The door opened, and Karen came out, a bag of trash in hand. Spotting me, she waved.
“I need to go,” I told Lanie. “Let’s talk soon and make some plans.”