34. Tyler
THIRTY-FOUR
TYLER
Fuck.
I knew this was going to blow up in my face.
After Kylie stormed out and I tried calling her several times, I had to go to work because I had meetings with the sports admin and my coaching staff. I tried hard to focus on work, hoping that Kylie would come around and call me back when she realized I didn’t do this to hurt her, but it felt impossible. All I could think about was what a terrible father I was. I need Kylie to let me explain.
All I get all day is a text from McKenzie saying she would be staying somewhere else tonight to try to give Kylie and me some space. I didn’t even have it in me to tell her no. I want her to be with me, but I know she’s right. I need to fix this with Kylie. I need her to see that it’s not what she claimed it to be.
I’m not a predator.
McKenzie is an adult.
It’s consensual.
Right?
I’m all messed up right now, second-guessing every decision I’ve ever made. But I can’t say that I regret being with McKenzie. Not when it feels so right.
I need Kylie to give me a chance to explain.
After my meetings, I head home to an empty house. I wait for hours for Kylie to come home. I call and text her, but she doesn’t respond. Finally, I give in and text McKenzie to see if she’s heard from her.
Tyler: Any word from Ky?
McKenzie: No :( She hasn’t responded to me. I told her I’d be staying somewhere else though.
Tyler: Ok. I’ll try to find another way to get a hold of her.
McKenzie.: I’m so sorry
Tyler: Not your fault. I need to fix this.
McKenzie: I’m here if you need me.
As a last resort, I suck up my pride, call Hayes, and ask him if he has Jake’s number. College athletes tend to hang in the same circles so I knew if he didn’t have it, he could get it for me.
Which he does.
So, I call my daughter’s boyfriend at almost midnight to see if she’s with him.
“Hello?” Jake answers.
“Jake. Coach Danvers here.”
“Oh.” His tone indicates he knows something.
“Is Kylie with you?” I ask.
“Yes.”
Annoyance rubs at me with his short, one-word answer. I know I fucked up, but Kylie is still my daughter. “Can I talk to her?”
There’s some shuffling and whispering in the background before he comes back. “No. She doesn’t want to talk right now.”
I sigh. I can’t force her to talk to me. “Ok. But she’s safe?”
“Yeah. She’s staying here tonight.”
I hate the idea of my daughter staying in a house with a bunch of hockey players, but I don’t have a leg to stand on right now.
“Alright. Thanks.”
He hangs up. As much as I hate that she’s there and not here, I’m glad she has somewhere to go.
I finally head upstairs and attempt to get some rest. It’s the first time I’ve been alone in this house in months. I’ve lived alone for as long as I can remember, but I’ve grown used to having Kylie and McKenzie here.
The silence is deafening.
I stop by Kylie’s room. She’s got clothes scattered across her bed and a few textbooks. She’ll have to come back eventually, so I need to give her time. I know that. It just kills me knowing she’s mad. I want to fix it. As her dad, it’s my job to fix things, not create the problem.
My next stop is McKenzie’s room.
Her bed is made up. Her bag that was in the corner of the room is gone. Her phone charger, her school stuff. Everything is gone.
She must’ve come back at some point during the day to get her things because when she left this morning, she only had a few books and her laptop.
It feels so final being in this empty room. Like maybe she’s not planning on coming back.
Everyone is leaving me.
Maybe I deserve it.