The Freshman
Chapter one: Truth of my youth
I kissed Jane on the forehead and walked silently out of the room. I can't stand to think that my little girl isn't so little anymore. It broke my heart to see her leave to the prom tonight. An American tradition I resent. They shouldn't allow fifteen year olds to go around New York unsupervised all night, teenagers are naïve and stupid. That will never change. When I think of my innocent daughter and that… thing she is dating I can't bear to think of what he wants to do to her, he's so much like I was at my age. Which is exactly why Jane won't speak to me, I don't approve of her choice in boys. She says she is old enough and smart enough to choose things for her self. She won't even let me tuck her in anymore. That explains the sneaking into her room.
I walked down the hall while loosening my tie, and into my study. I grabbed the bottle of scotch off of my desk, taking a swig. I flopped onto the leather chair behind my cherry desk. I leaned forward onto my desk holding my head in my hands, whispering to myself. "Max, why can't you be here?" I'm too young to handle this by myself. I'm only twenty nine for god's sake. I rubbed my hand over my eyes trying to contain tears.
"Daddy? Are you okay?" I looked up to find Jane standing in the doorway of my office with tears in her brown eyes. Her long dark brown hair falling below her shoulders, she looks just like her mother it makes me ill.
"I'm fine I just can't find my new medical book." Jane didn't fall for it. She walked behind my desk and to the book cases full of medical books. She reached on her tip toes and pulled a book off the shelf.
"Is this the one you are talking about?" I nodded my head and she handed it to me. She looked at me with her mouth open a little as if she has something to say. Instead she just turned and walked towards the door she stopped with her back still turned to me, and asked her question.
"Dad, I know you weren't sad about the book but… is it about mom?" She turned around and took my long silence as a yes. "Dad I think I'm old enough to know about my mom now. You lied to me, I know I'm not adopted." I looked up from the papers I was looking at.
"How long have you known?" I tucked away all the tears, and looked back down at the papers not being able to actually concentrate on them.
"Since I was nine, Aunt Ella told me." Oh yes that makes sense Ella has the biggest mouth in history! "I did the math and since I'm not adopted you had to be fifteen when you had me. I've never met my mom. I don't even know her name, let alone I don't have a picture of her dad! Will you please tell me about her?" I looked up at Jane she had tears in her eyes her face red, with her hands on her hips. It almost made me chuckle, it's the same face she does when she wants a shopping spree. Of course I caved as usual.
"Okay, I think you are old enough, come sit down. I'm not going to leave anything out I'm going to give you a full unabridged story. I'll warn you it's not what you would have ever expected, but I hope you're as old as you think you are." Jane rushed and sat down on the couch in front of my desk. I closed my eyes and inhaled. For the first time ever I was going to tell the story of my true love. Max.