- Happy Father's Day! – I cheered my father when he entered our apartment dressed in his white apron.
- Oh, thank you buddy. – He gave me a manly hug and taped my back. – I thought you would go out tonight. – He left the apron over the washing machine, like he always did, and saw the present I left there.
- Nah… - I pretended that I hadn't seen his surprised face. – Rose is hangin' with her folks tonight. And I wanted to pass some great time with my old man.
- Yea, yeah. – He shushed me while smiling, totally forgetting about what I was saying about my girlfriend. – Son, this is amazing! – He was holding Mike Jordan's Bulls shirt in front of his face. –Where did you find it?
- Ebay, man. – I told him holding up my phone.
- Thank you, son. – He gave me another hug to, just later, look suspicious at me. – Wait. How much was that?
- Don't worry, Dad. – I gave him my best smile. – I saved the hole year for this. – He relaxed a bit. – Besides… You're the best father on the world. You deserve the best.
He chuckled and opened the fridge.
Yeah… The dinner… I forgot about it.
- Let me guess… - Dad wondered, looking at the blankness in our fridge. – You bought me a Jordan's epic shirt, but forgot to go to the market.
I tried my best smile.
- I'm sorry?
He laughed again, shaking his head.
-John Juergens… I don't know what I'm gonna do with you.
- We could just sit and watch the game. – I told him, a little uncomfortable with the say of my hole name. – I'll ask for some popcorn to Bunny. Is she still in the shop?
He stared at me with a concerned look, but didn't say anything about that subject.
- Yes. She is.
- Okay. So… I'll come back later. Choose the game. – I said before I closed the door.
You know… My name is John Juergens Underwood. I'm fifteen years old and live with my father since my fourth birthday in this little apartment upside a butcher shop.
I'm a result of one night at my father and mother's irresponsibility at high school. Aunt Ashley likes to address me as "the wonderful mistake of Amy". I don't get mad at her… She just likes to mess with me sometimes... Like I do to her when I call her the "younger Angelina Jolie".
My father is Richard Underwood, but every human being in town just call him Ricky. He's thirty one now and I can assure you he is the best father on every world. Why I would be so sure? Well… He was just a boy when he was left to take care of a child alone. When my mother wanted to have an abortion, he was the one to stop her. When my mother tried to give me away to someone, he was the one to convince her not to. He took me home when my mother left me to live her youth in New York. He never went to college just because he wanted me to live near my grandparents. He was there in the birthdays, Christmas, first days at school…
My mother, Amy Juergens, left me with my dad to go to College. She went to Julliard and, when my father was changing diapers and going through sleepless nights everytime I got sick, she was playing her french horn, going to parties and dating other boys.
She used to call every day. But then the daily calls turned into weekends calls, than just birthday calls. I always saw her at Christmas tough. When dad would drop me at my grandparents house and I would stay one long week with mommy, talking about the year and how I was doing.
I didn't like to be reminded of her son. She wasn't my mother at all. She gave me birth, but didn't raised me. Besides, dad would always tell me that I needed to remember and respect her, 'cause, no matter what happened, she was my mother and she loved me.
Yeah… Right…
He can call me Juergens whatever he wants. I am just John Underwood.
- John?! – Someone woke me up from my daydreams. – What are you doing here, kid?
- Hey, Bunny. – I gave my father's boss the best cocky smile I had. – I was wondering if you could lend me some popcorn?
- Will you return it to me later? – She asked. My smile faded. – Just kidding. – She gave me a little bag full of tiny corns. – Go tell your father is my father's day present.
I laughed at her and turned on my heels to go upstairs.
Dad was talking on his phone.
And he was serious.
- All right, I will talk to him. See you tomorrow. Bye.
I walked to him and handed the popcorn.
- I brought the popcorn.
- Put the game on. – He smiled. – I will cook it.
- Okay… - I sat on the couch and turned on the TV. – Dad?
- What?
- Who was on the phone?
I could tell that he was thinking hard about something. After some time in silence, he spoke:
- You mother. – I scoffed. – She asked my help for something.
Well… That's new.
- What she wants now? – I asked with no emotion. Turning my attention back to sports channel.
- John… - Dad started while shaking the pan. -… Don't talk about your mother like this. – I just rolled my eyes. – And… Well… She was asking to me help her find a house.
- A house?! – I yelled. – Why does she need a house?!
- Hey! Don't yell. – He was serious now.
- Sorry.
- She was transferred from the New York Philharmonic. The government will start some kind of music program here and she is like the head of this project.
I forgot to tell you all… My mother is a big one in the Philharmonic world.
- So she's coming back?
- For good.
Fuck…
This is not going to be good.