Ameline took a deep breath, sitting on her couch with her laptop on her lap, Torvald at her feet, practically asleep.
It had been a couple days since she had decided that perhaps, she really should call her father. Just for closure. And yet, she still hadn't done it. And despite her attempt to distract herself with her novel, she was still thinking about it. Why?
Perhaps it was because; her father was right. When Ameline became a teenager and started growing up, she developed this partying attitude that her father didn't quite like. She'd say she would never grow up inside, that she'd always have fun, that she loved being the life of the party and on the scene. The action, the socializing, the liveliness. That was Ameline.
Her father, however, didn't see it as healthy like Ameline did. He would tell her that partiers get drunk, and have sex, and get pregnant unprepared. They could get in trouble, into drugs, into illegal stuff. And other things Ammy didn't like to think about.
The last time they'd spoken, they had a huge argument. An argument over how Ameline was getting a little too out there, and how something was going to happen to her. It was horrible, her father telling her who she was was something to be ashamed of. It got so bad, she left, and never came back.
A month later, she started getting phonecalls from her father, some scolding her, then subtly getting... Regretful. Eventually, Ameline stopped listening to her answering machine, or answering her home phone. This was when, she had almost done one of the things he had told her would happen.
She met a man at a party. Arthur. He was a bit of a punk, and the two hit it off for a while. And one day, she almost did it. She almost gave up her virginity, to someone she'd been with for only a few days. They got so close, so, so close, when suddenly- the couldn't. The realization of what her father had said, the realization something wasn't right. She wasn't the kind of person to engage in sexual activities, not ever. Up until then. Arthur had gotten her drunk once, and she had never had alcohol before. She vowed never to drink again, and that she would never have sex out of wedlock. Nowadays, she always wore a purity ring, but ever since then, she was ashamed to pick up the phone.
For seven years.
And then it happened.
The ringing of her home phone pulled Ameline's thoughts back down to earth, causing her to turn her head towards the kitchen. And yet, she wouldn't get up. Maybe it was a telemarketer, a cousin, who knew? Not her dad. It wasn't that time of the month yet. At least, from what she gathered of his messages that she never listened to- he still called on holidays, her birthday, every other month. She knew, deep down. But she never checked. Never answered. She didn't need to.
The ringing went to the machine, and the awakening horror that is /was/ her father's voice reached her ears.
There was a sigh. "Hey, Ameline... I know you never get these, or listen. But... I was just talking the other day to one of our old neighbors yesterday, and, uh... We got into discussion about some things, and I told him that you were gonna be an author. I hope that's going well for you, and I was just thinking of you, so-"
Ameline's legs flew themselves over the couch, setting her laptop to the side and waking Torvald, causing him to bark. With no control of her body, she rushed to the kitchen and picked up the phone and hit the talk button, just as he was about to hang up.
"Dad? Dad? Hello?" She called, panicking. Anxiety rushed through her voice.
There was a moment of silence, which made her heart sink. "... Ameline?"
It was him. And she was talking. And she didn't know how to stop.
"Yeah, yeah, um, I've been working on a novel for quite some time now, and I'm almost finished, I-" Tears welled and began streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry." She sniffled, choking up a little. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You were right, that long time ago, and I realized, and I- I couldn't do it, I couldn't talk to you, and you were always ashamed, and I was supposed to be ashamed, and maybe I am, and-" She let out a small choke. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
There was another silence. "So you got hurt? Drugs?" Then the pause. "Pregnant?"
Ameline shook her head, her bottom lip quivering. She sunk down to sit on the kitchen floor. "No, no, but I almost... I almost gave myself to a guy I'd only dated a few days. I was so close, but I..." She sniffed. "At the last moment, I couldn't. I couldn't do it. I'm sorry, dad. I'm sorry."
"... How long ago was this?"
She took a deep, shaky breath. "All those seven years ago. I've never even thought about doing something like that since. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She couldn't stop mumbling and whispering the apology. "I'm sorry, Henry..."
It was a lot to take in, for Henry, the father. All this flew through his brain. His daughter was crying, spewing apologies, and admitting he was right. All these years, what did he miss? "I... I'm the one who's sorry, Ammy. I'm the one who should be sorry. I was... Horrible, and I shoulda never told you to be ashamed of who you are, or were. Because the Ammy back then, would've never cried over something her Daddy did. The Ammy back then didn't care." His voice was quiet, and tired. This slightly alarmed Ameline.
She shook her head slowly, as if he'd be able to hear it through the receiver. "No, no... I'm usually so energetic and I still... I still dance on tables." She let a pathetic laugh slip from her lips. "I've been thinking about you the past week or so, too... And this has happened. You don't need to be sorry, you were right, you were right..."
"Ameline, please." He weakly hushed her through the phone. "It's okay, it's okay... We make those mistakes. I didn't realize it. I didn't want my little girl growing up, growing up so fast in front of me, and... Getting herself hurt. But I suppose, I did that to you myself. You should be proud of the optimistic and energetic girl you are... I'm sorry."
"And I'm sorry for being so stubborn and scared to let you know- anything." She breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm her almost hysterical voice down. "You're... You're forgiven. Things happen. But I'm still sorry."
"I... You're always forgiven to me, Ammy. I deserved every last phonecall that I never got."
There was another silence.
"... I have a purity ring now, y'know..." Ameline mumbled softly, twisting it around her finger. "I'd actually... Like to get married, one day, I found... Maybe have a son or daughter..."
She could hear Henry breathe in to talk over the phone. But still again, another pause. "... That's... That's good. I'm proud. I'm sure your mother will be too."
Ameline's mother. Not something that she often talked about, and certainly wouldn't with her father. Her parents were divorced, her mom was a little scandalous, to be honest. Her mother lived with Ameline's grandparents, and her grandparents helped Ameline pay for the house she was living in. It used to actually be their place to say when they went on summer trips to California.
Ameline cleared her throat. "... I'm sure. I even, uh... Have a boyfriend. Now."
She heard her dad choke, probably on Ginger Ale- it was his substitute ever since he quit drinking beer. "... /Boyfriend/?"
"Boyfriend." Her panic-mode revved up again. "Please don't be like Alfred! Please don't! He hasn't talked to me in a month or two ever since he found out- he broke into Ji-hu's /apartment/! So I yelled at him, and he's just so- he'll be out for murder if he finds out we're dating now!" Henry was about to speak, but Ameline cut him off. "Dad, just listen, and trust me..." She breathed calmly. "Ji-hu isn't the kind of guy I would get into trouble with. He's sweet, he's charming, and he's kind of adorable, in his 'manly' way." She laughed a little. "He's great, he's there for me, he's supportive, and... I can tell he really cares about me. Dad, I love him a lot. I'm so head over heels, that boy has me summersaulting."
At this, they both let out a small chuckle.
"... Dad. I need you to trust me on this. He's a good man. He's actually a Forensic Etymologist for the FBI, and I'm just... An author. You just have to trust me, that for once, I know for sure what I'm doing."
Henry paused, then sighed. "... Like I said. Growing up, but this time... I don't have to see it. Alright. I'll try. It sounds like- you really are crazy about him, and I can do anything to stop you, especially not in Florida."
"... Do you- do you know how mom is doing?"
Her dad was quiet a moment. "... Last I heard, she was doing better. Your grandparents got her into rehabilitation."
"That's... That's good." Ameline swallowed and nodded. "Do you think... Do you think, Dad, that... I can call you more?" Tears began to emerge again, her voice faintly showing it. "I just, uh- I'm sorry that I cause you to miss so much, so..." She couldn't help it. "I'm sorry dad. I'm sorry. I love you."
This time, the silence was longer. Longer than the others. Little did Ameline know, her father had taken some quiet, deep breaths and wiped a tear or two from his eyes. "I love you too, princess."
She would talk another hour, lightening up and becoming easier to laugh as the conversation went on. Then, she told her dad she would talk to him very soon, and hung up, smiling.
She turned her MP3 player back on and started to blast 'Here's To Never Growing Up' by Avril LeVigne, hopping up on her table.
She was Ameline Mari-Beth Jones, the Party-In-A-Can, and it was good to be back.