Chapter 15 Bellatrix #2
Mom joins in, hugging me right where I’m sitting. She wraps me up from behind while my dad holds me from the front. This is crazy because they are not huggy people.
I take a chance and spill the rest. It’s easier to deliver news I know they won’t like while they’re hugging me, supporting me, and seeing me, all while giving me room to keep telling them what I need to tell them.
“The boyfriend who offered me the job is a new boyfriend. We…uh…just decided we were going to date. I know you’re going to lose your minds, and it sounds bad, but believe me, I’ve already been down that road mentally, and so has he.
He’s older. Like, way older. He might be Mika’s dad. ”
I glance over Dad’s head, and right now, those flamingos with their wide eyes look absolutely scandalized. They really want to escape.
“A sugar daddy?” Dad looks at me, so hopeful that this isn’t the case. He takes my hands, holding them tightly.
“No! Not a sugar daddy. When I met him, I didn’t know he was Mika’s dad.
I figured it out pretty darn fast and told her about it, and she thought we’d be a good match.
She’s been all for it even when we were cautious and careful.
We still will be. We would never want to hurt anyone or each other.
He’s a good man. Maybe I’m a weirdo for freaking liking older men, but that’s where I’m at.
I swear he’s not taking advantage of me, and it’s nothing freaky for the…
for the sake of being freaky.” Wow. I was doing okay up until the end.
Mom caresses my hair. She hasn’t done that ever, not unless she was combing it back to rake it into a tight ponytail or scrape it into a tidy bun for my piano recitals. “We’re bad communicators. All of us. We never meant to hurt you. We’ll work on it.”
“We don’t want you to feel alone,” Dad agrees. “You’re our daughter, and we love you so much. We’ll find ways to make that clear.”
I feel bad that I’m this surprised at my parents listening to me, hugging me, and supporting me.
I know a lot of families don’t do this. I had a great childhood compared to what some kids go through.
I know how lucky I am, and I want to keep that in mind.
I know my parents don’t mean to be insensitive.
They’re flawed people, just like me, and they always have been.
Moms and dads don’t have all the answers.
But I never expected this. As I said, it was my fault for not being willing or able to talk about it before now.
I didn’t want to hold a grudge or keep this festering. That was the point of talking tonight.
“I know,” I whisper. “I love you guys. And we’ll be okay. You can worry because you’re my parents, and it’s natural, but don’t worry about this. We’ll figure it out.”
“I’m just so glad you still have fucks left to give.” Dad doesn’t swear. Ever. I look at him with a whole different set of eyes. “If you didn’t care, that would be terrible. This wouldn’t be fixable then.”
“I have…umm…cares to give,” I tell him, my eyes stinging. “So many cares.”
“I’m sorry that I hate your wallpaper,” Mom sniffs.
I laugh and pat her hand. “It’s okay. You don’t have to like it. We just have different styles.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve tried to sway your decisions. I’m sorry if you’ve felt that I dictated to you or talked at you or down to you.”
“Mom.” I crane my head back so I can see her properly and make good eye contact.
“In your life, if you’re not giving orders, people could die.
You’ve had that responsibility for so long that it just naturally bleeds into the rest of your life.
Maybe. It would make sense. I have felt that way, but I know you weren’t doing it to hurt me or make my life worse. ”
Dad gets up and rests his hand on my other shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay, Bellatrix? If you say you are, we’ll trust your judgment. You’re an adult, and that’s only right, but you’re still our daughter. Worrying is our job, as you said.”
I smile up at both of them. “I’m okay. I promise.” I motion to the food. “I know the conversation probably put us off of it, but let’s eat. This is way too much to keep for leftovers.”
They do sit down, and they do eat. They even help themselves to corn, though they both shave it. I smile all the way through without having to force a second of it.
My parents aren’t going to change who they fundamentally are, and that’s okay. That was the whole point of this conversation. I can’t do that either. We just need to learn how to appreciate that about each other.
They both decline dessert, but they help me clean up. Dad even inspects the wallpaper in the living room and the bear from hell while my mom helps me with dishes. As they’re leaving, they each give me another hug. I consider that a huge leap for our family.
“Let us know when you’re going to be playing,” Mom says. “We’ll come and hear you. I’ll take time off.”
Whoa. Now, that’s a mega gigantic leap.
“I’ll let you know as soon as I know. I’d love to have you both there. I think I’ll be playing several nights a week, so something will work with your schedules, even if it’s not the first night.”
Dad pauses at the door. “What was your ex-boyfriend’s name and address again?”
I shake my head rapidly. “Oh, nope. No way. I’m not letting you go after him legally. Just let it be. He’s not worth the effort.”
He doesn’t like that, but he reluctantly dips his chin in agreement. “What’s the new one’s name? Just so I can do my fatherly duty by sending him a warning that he had better treat you right.”
“You can talk to him when you come and see me play. He’ll probably be bartending.”
“Is that how he got you the job?”
“Something like that.”
My parents haven’t put it together that Rowleigh is rich.
Super rich. I don’t want them to worry, but I also want them to meet him and know him for just him.
Not that the money would make a difference, except they’d worry about me more because of the age difference and the economic disparity that could lead to an imbalance of power that leaves me at a disadvantage.
I also don’t want to give them fuel for the sugar daddy theory because it’s absolutely not correct.
“Have you used the printer yet?” Mom looks hopeful, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings.
“I have. It’s pretty fun and weirdly addictive. Maybe I’ll be able to start printing things for sale soon, but if not, you’ll both get some very interesting Christmas presents this year.”
They leave with smiles, but the big difference is that I’m smiling too. I wave from the doorway as I watch them go to their car, and after they’re gone, I take a deep breath. I feared the worst in the form of a family apocalypse, but it never happened.
I want to share this wonderful news with one person first. We still haven’t had our official first date since I wanted to talk to my family before it happened. That might be old-fashioned or weird, but it was important to me.
I’ve missed Rowleigh like crazy. More than just like crazy. It’s all the crazy with a side helping of crazy. A crazy order of fries that’s not complete without crazy gravy.
The only good thing about having a few days to miss him was that the absence definitely made the aching in my lady bits grow stronger, and I had time to go out and buy something special just for him.
I’m not sure if he wants to eat leftover ham and ice cream cake or if he’s even free tonight or tomorrow, but I’m not going to wait another minute to call him.
At the very least, I can tell him that things with my parents are going to be okay.
I know he was anxiously awaiting this dinner as much as I was.
Because he sees.
He cares.
Because I’m special to him.
Because what we both want is to have the chance to fall in love and then deeper and deeper in love.
I still can’t believe I had the lady balls to say that, but I couldn’t not say it either.
I want to tell him again. By spending time with him, by listening to him, by doing the little things.
By talking, laughing, flirting, playing, and just being close.
Starting with ham, corn on the cob, and a very naughty piece of lingerie that I’m not even sure how to properly put on. It looks like it’ll give me the pussy wedgie to end all pussy wedgies, but it’ll be worth it.
I hope.
And just to be clear, the ham and corn on the cob are a separate surprise. For after. Or before. Preferably after the pussy bisecting lingerie has been shed.