Kyle
Scott is learning how to be a single parent. His wife died a few
months ago, after a year long struggle with cancer. He tried burying
himself in work, but his boss (and friend) Web has told him to take a
vacation because he's worried about Kyle's health. Sent home early,
he's there when his children get home from school.
Kyle's
older daughter, Cindy, got home from high school. She was a freshman
and hating it. Squinting, she tried to focus on her father.
"Hey,
baby. Where are your glasses?" Kyle asked her.
"Don't
know. I think I broke them."
"You
think you did or you did?"
"Dad,
they're just glasses! Sheesh!"
"Honey,
you need them to see. Your vision's like mine. Not worth sh...."
"Mr.
Scott. Little ears," Carmelita said sternly.
"Um...
Not worth sharing with my children," he amended with a sly wink.
"You're going to give yourself eyestrain and headaches."
"I
don't care. Why couldn't I get Mom's eyes instead?"
"Cause
Mommy needed them, Cindy."
"Hush,
munchkin. It's called genetics. You'll understand when you're older."
"Mindy,
let's you and me go find Slycarp the cat, huh?" Carmelita
suggested.
"Okay,
Lita." She hopped off the stool, hugged her father's knees and
followed Carmelita to the backyard.
"You
need to wear the glasses, Cindy. That's not optional."
"I
don't need to hear this from you today, Kyle. It's been a long day."
"What's
this Kyle crap? I'm your father, not your friend."
"Obviously!"
She grabbed some cookies off the tray, pirouetting around the kitchen
on half point.
"When's
the last day of school?"
"Tomorrow.
Can't you keep anything straight?"
"I
know when your birthday is. I know to the minute when you were born
because my life changed the moment you popped out." He tried to
smile, but the memory was almost too much for him.
"For
the worse, I'm sure. We're all so—inconvenient."
"Is
that what you really think, honey?" His blue eyes filled with
tears.
"We're
a pain in the ass. I know. You fuss and gripe at us all the time.
We're too noisy, bugging you when you're on the phone, or trying to
work. You can't go out or do anything because you don't trust me to
babysit my own siblings."
"That's
not it at all. I love you kids. I bust my ass to keep a roof over
your heads and food on the table. I don't go out so I can spend a
little bit of time with my children. And I do trust you
with
them. I just didn't think you needed that responsibility right now."
"Oh,
Daddy! You're such a big goof!" She hugged her father, kissing
his cheek. "Mom would want you to go out, find someone new, not
sit here glued to the couch watching reruns of her favorite shows on
the DVR after we go to bed."
"How—how
did you know?"
"I
come downstairs for a drink of water or something. I see you. You
have to let go, Dad. It's not healthy. And you work too hard.
Carmelita would stay here full time if you needed. You know that, but
you never ask her. She could use the extra money and it would help
her out to get rid of that crappy apartment. You know they raised the
rent again?"
"You're
kidding. It's not worth what she pays now."
"I
know, right? We've got the mother-in-law apartment off the lanai. She
could live there."
"You
think she'd do it?"
"I
know she would. Just ask her."
"I
will. I promise."
©
2016 Dellani Oakes
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