"-And then my boss told me he loved my plans for a faster processing time for the security program we're designing," Freddie told the family later that evening as they sat in their favorite Mexican restaurant.

"Congrats, baby," Sam said, dipping chip in salsa and popping it in her mouth. "That's great! Not gonna lie, I don't know how you sat in a meeting about a security program for eight hours without passing out from boredom, but nice job."

"Yeah, for a guy who works in his pajamas, I guess you're still pretty important around there," Lauren grinned.

"I guess I can take those as compliments," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "What about you, Heather? Did daddy do good today?"

Sam looked down at their daughter, who was sitting in her lap, completely passed out.

"I think she's ready for bed," Sam chuckled, shifting Heather to a more comfortable position. "She tired herself out today at work with me dancing all around during the rehearsal I was running."
"She had fun then?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, she loved it there," Sam nodded. "Hey, I was thinking maybe we could put her in some dance classes like Lauren had when she was younger."

"Oh yeah, I used to love taking dance lessons," Lauren nodded.

"Well maybe you should take it up again," Freddie suggested. "I mean its only been three years since you quit. I'm sure you still know your stuff. And then that way you can quit cheerleading."

"But I like cheerleading," Lauren told her father.

"Yeah, there's no point in her doing dance again if she doesn't like it anymore," Sam nodded.

"I guess," Freddie said reluctantly. He took a bite of his quesadilla. "So how was school, Lauren?"

"Pretty good," Lauren replied. "I got an A on my trig exam and we started combustions in chemistry."

"Oh, remember when we learned about combustion in high school?" Freddie said to Sam.

Sam frowned. "I don't even remember taking a chemistry class."

"Sure you do," Freddie said. "Remember when you blew up a beaker full of chemicals by 'accident' just so we'd all have to evacuate the school and you'd miss your English test?"
"Oh that was in chemistry class?" Sam said as Lauren laughed. "Thought it was in French."
"Why would you have a beaker of chemicals in-never mind," Freddie said, shaking his head as Sam handed him Heather, who was still sleeping. "Hey, maybe we should box up the rest of our food and head home so we can get Heather to bed."

"Yeah, good idea," Sam agreed. "Let me see if we can get another order of these chips to take with us, though…"

….

Later that evening, while Sam was upstairs, Freddie sat on the couch with Lauren watching their favorite T.V. show. It was an old western program that they had found flipping through channels one day seven years ago, and ever since then, every Wednesday night the two would sit and watch it together.

"Wow, it looks like this horse chase is gonna be real intense," Freddie said, staring at the screen. "Huh, Lauren? Especially since-Lauren?"

Freddie looked over at his daughter who wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to the show. Instead she was staring down at her cellphone, grinning from ear-to-ear as she texted away.

"Hey, who you texting there?" Freddie asked, muting the television.

"Huh?" Lauren said, quickly looking up. "Oh, just my friend."

"Well which friend?"

"You don't know him," Lauren replied.

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "Him? 'Him' as in a boy him?"
"I think that's the only kind of 'hims' out there," Lauren frowned.

"Oh," Freddie said slowly. "Well…what's this boy's name?"
"Dad…" Lauren groaned. "Why does it matter?"
"What? I can't take an interest in my daughter's friends?" Freddie defended. "Especially since you seem to be so eager to talk to them that you'll risk missing one of the best moments of Tales of the Dude Ranch? I mean we've been waiting for this episode for weeks."
"It's a repeat, dad," Lauren pointed out.

"It-It is?" Freddie said, turning back to the screen. "Oh…it is."

"I think I'm gonna head up," Lauren said, getting to her feet.

"What? Come on," Freddie said. "Just because it's a repeat doesn't mean we can't watch it again."
"I know, but I actually have a ton of homework," Lauren told him.

"You do?" Freddie said. "Um, well alright then. School comes first. But next week I'm sure there's a new episode."
Lauren smiled and kissed his cheek. "Can't wait."

As Lauren went upstairs, Freddie watched her disappear. Maybe he was just imagining things, but lately it seemed like him and Lauren were growing apart. There had been a time when all she wanted to do was spend every minute with him. Now it seemed like she couldn't wait to get away…

Freddie turned off the T.V. and went upstairs. He could hear Lauren's voice coming from behind her closed bedroom door.

"No way…he said that about me?" her voice carried. "That's so sweet! What do you think that means? Oh my God…this is huge!"

Freddie let out a sad sigh. He then walked over to the room next to Lauren's. He stepped inside and saw Heather laying in her small princess bed, fast asleep, clutching her favorite stuffed bear. Freddie tiptoed over and gently kissed the top of her head.

"Do me a favor, Heather," Freddie whispered, pulling the covers that she had kicked off of herself back over her body. "Don't ever grow up."

After he left the toddler's room, Freddie retreated into his own bedroom. Sam way lying on their bed, already in her pajamas, playing around on her computer.

"You going to sleep already?" Freddie asked, looking at the clock on his bedside table. "It's not even ten yet."

"I know, but I don't feel that great," Sam replied. "Was it just me or was that food at the restaurant tonight spicier than usual?"
"I think it was just you, baby," Freddie replied, sitting down next to her.

"Dang," Sam mumbled. "Guess I'm reaching that age where I can't eat six enchiladas and feel fine. I feel like my stomach's gonna explode."

"Want me to go grab you an antacid or something?"
"Nah, I'll be fine," Sam said. "Hopefully…Anyway, what are you doing up here? Isn't yours and Lauren's show still on?"
"It was a repeat," Freddie said heavily. "So Lauren went up to do some 'homework'."

"Ah," Sam nodded.

"Can you believe it?" Freddie said, shaking his head.

"That she had to do homework?" Sam frowned. "Um, yeah. They give you a lot of the stuff in high school."
"Oh she's not doing homework," Freddie snapped. "She's up there on her phone talking about some boy!"

"Oh, you mean Scott?"

"Scott?" Freddie repeated, jumping to his feet. "Who's Scott?"

"The guy she's liked for the past three months," Sam replied.

"You mean she tells you about boys?"

"Sure," Sam nodded. "Apparently he's on the football team. He seems like a decent kid. He's in a lot of her classes and he volunteers at an animal shelter."
"Well how come she's never mentioned him to me before?" Freddie asked.

"Aw, it's nothing personal," Sam told him, closing her laptop. "You're her dad; no girl wants to gossip about boys with her dad. It'd be weird."

"Yeah, but…I dunno," Freddie sighed.

"Come on," Sam said, putting a comforting arm around him. "Don't get upset over this."

"How can I not get upset, Sam?" Freddie mumbled. "It's like I'm being shunted aside for boys and texting and all this other teenage junk."

"You're being crazy," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "Lauren's still a daddy's girl. You two have one of the best relationships I've every seen."

"It just seems like lately she's been growing apart from me," Freddie said.

"I'm sure all parents feel like that with their kids when they become teenagers," Sam pointed out.

"No, I think it has to be me or something," Freddie said. He looked down at his lap. "Do you think maybe I'm losing my bond with Lauren because-because I'm not her biological father?"

Freddie rarely brought up the fact that genetically, him and Lauren had no relationship. He hated thinking about it, and had made a vow back when he had discovered the news that he would never let that get in the way of loving Lauren as though she shared fifty percent of his genes.

He had never told Lauren about this; some nights he would stay up late with Sam, discussing when the right time would be to tell her this, or if she ever did need to find out.

"Hey," Sam said firmly. "You know that has nothing to do with anything. You may not be her father by blood, but you've been the best father Lauren could've ever hoped for. You've been there for her through her whole life and you love her so much. And she loves you just as much. You're not losing any bond between you guys."

"But it seems like just yesterday she was coming in here asking me to tuck her in," Freddie said softly.
"Well Freddie, she's not a little girl anymore," Sam reasoned.

"Yes she is," Freddie muttered.

Sam gave him a small smile. "Look, I know you're trying to ignore the fact that Lauren's growing up-"

"I'm not trying to ignore the fact-"

"Yes you are," Sam told him. "That's why you're so upset that she gave up ballet, where she danced around in a nice tutu, for cheerleading."

"Well I know how guys think about cheerleaders," Freddie said. "And have you seen those uniforms? There's barely any material on that skirt! What guy would rather have his daughter wearing that instead of a proper tutu?"

"And it's why you're so freaked out about her talking to boys," Sam continued. "And God forbid she even bring up dating to you-"

"When did anybody say anything about dating?" Freddie exclaimed, his eyes bugging out of his eyes now.

"Look," Sam said. "Trying to keep Lauren from growing up isn't going to keep it from happening. It's just gonna really start to ruin your relationship with her; she'll start fighting with you and you'll wind up feeling about ten times worse than you do now."
Freddie leaned back against the pillows on the bed.

"I-I don't want to stop her from growing up," Freddie said slowly. "I know she has to. I just really don't know what to do. It's like you said; she's not a little girl anymore. How am I supposed to keep up with her anymore? I don't want to lose her."
"You're not gonna lose her," Sam assured him. "I told you; she loves you. And even though she's not six and wants to play dolls all day anymore, there are still ways you can spend time with her. Maybe one way is, you know, easing up on this whole driving thing."
"What do you mean easing up?" Freddie frowned.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Dude. You expect her to know more than the people who test you for your license. It's a little much. She knows the basics from driver's Ed! You know how much she would love it if you just took her out one day and let her drive around? Even it was just for a few blocks."

"Well…" Freddie said thoughtfully.

"Freddie," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "I know your mom was the poster parent for being overprotective, but don't you go down the same route."

"Fine," Freddie conceded. "Tomorrow when you get back from work I'll take Lauren out driving."