Hey! This is Adventures of Edwin Venturi, version 2. First off, I'm removing George's continued trips to the strip clubs, and second ... well nothing yet, but keep in touch!

Goldbug

Chapter1: Discombobulated

– Edwin – (this denotes the point of views)

"Edwin!"

"Yeah Dad?"

"Lizzie's at Tae Kwon Do. Cab you pick her up?"

"Sure."

Hey, I'm Edwin Venturi. Welcome to my world. I live here in London, Ontario, and, believe me, with my brother Derek and stepsister Casey off to college, life is sweet – except when you are in the middle of your teens, or if you have to be the family's new chauffeur, or if your dad is secretly visiting the shady district because of his mid-life crisis.

… Which reminds me …

"Uh, Dad,"

"Mmm-hmm"

"Can we talk?"

"Sure."

I led him to the dining room.

"Dad," I began, "You need lay off the strip clubs tonight, please!"

Dad spat out a mouth full of coffee.

"W-What?" he stammered, "I-I don't go to strip clubs."

I glare at him.

Finally, he sighed in defeat. "How did you know?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Dad you're drinking coffee at seven in the evening, you must be staying out late. If that wasn't obvious enough, you're dressed in clothes you normally go to parties in, and I know there are no family parties this late in the night. Nora's not coming with you, so I'm guessing you don't want her to know where you going. Also, there a few places that Nora will disprove, and one of them, I'm sure, is the shady district down on La Poma Avenue. There's a large red ink spot on your wrist. And I know a place on that street that gives out a little red stamp to each of its patrons, which leads me to suspect you had such a stamp on your hands. So that must be where you've been going."

Dad gaped at me. " How did you know about Von Bayro's Burlesque?"

"I have a friend who is a nut at knowing everything on that street."

He finally stammered out, "And you deduced all that?"

I nodded. Dad's mouth quirked up a bit. "Who are you, Sherlock Holmes?"

I chuckled, "No, I'm better, but seriously, you need to stop going to those clubs. I don't want you to ruin your marriage like this. Please."

He sighed and sat down like a broken man, "Alright. I'm sorry, it's just that, sometimes I've been in so much stress lately. My children are growing up, and I just wanted to forget the fact that I'm growing old. I just feel so…discombobulated. You understand, right?"

I smiled, "Dad, I can say this on behalf Casey, Lizzie, Marti, and even Derek: Even when we've all grown up, we're still your children. We will always look up to you and Nora."

"Thanks Ed. I love you."

"Love you too, dad." I embraced him, remembering all those years ago when these arms comforted me in times of great distress. I'm gonna miss this!

When we broke apart, dad had a funny look on his face.

"Now, we have another problem," he said, "I just drank two cups of expresso and I'm as excited as a porcupine meeting a pineapple!"

I laughed. "Don't worry, you'll figure something out. Hey, Nora's probably waiting for you to crash her poker group!"

Dad nodded, "You know something? I think I'll do just that!"

And with an excited beat, he jumped up and headed to the garage. I watched him with amusement as he peeled out of the driveway like a teenager off for a date. Heh heh, the irony of it all, he looked twenty years younger!

I chuckled and grabbed my own keys… now, to fetch my favorite stepsister.