Can I...?
Charlie is thirteen years old.
Charlie plopped down on the couch and looked over at her father. "Hey, Daddy, can I-"
"No," Miles answered flatly, not moving his eyes from the television screen.
"But you don't even know what I was going to say."
Miles sighed, looking over at his daughter. "But I do know that whatever you were going to say was something I wouldn't like, which is why you called me Daddy." He swiveled his head back to the screen and said, "whatever it is, the answer is no."
Charlie glared at the side of her father's head, then at Bass who was currently trying not to laugh. She forged on, knowing that the initial approach never worked on her dad anyway. "Can I get my tongue pierced?"
Beer sprayed from Miles' lips while Bass choked on a handful of M&M's. "What?"
Charlie leaned forward in her seat, all dignity forgotten as she begged. "Please, Daddy? Please, please, please!"
Miles' eyes were as round as dinner plates. "Hell no, you can't get your tongue pierced!"
"But, Jamie said-"
"I don't care what Jamie said. You're Charlie, and Charlie does not, and will not ever have her tongue pierced." Miles was using his deadly 'I'm the boss' voice, which only served to make her angry.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Charlie said, "well, when I turn eighteen you won't be able to stop me. I'll be able to do whatever I want."
Miles stared at his baby girl, the anger dissipating to be replaced by concern. "Honey, why do you even want it? I mean, they stick a needle through your tongue. It hurts."
"I know that," she snapped, "but Jamie got her tongue pierced, so why can't I?"
Miles and Bass gave each other matching confused looks, but Bass was the one to voice what they were both thinking. "Charlie," he said slowly, "who's Jamie?"
She rolled her eyes like she thought it was a stupid question. "She's on the varsity softball team, and she has a car."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Miles got up from his chair and sat down on the couch, pulling Charlie close and kissing the top of her head. "Honey, clearly Jamie is older, so-"
"Yeah, she's sixteen! And everybody loves her." The obvious envy Charlie had for the older girl wasn't lost on the two men.
"Exactly, Charlie. She's sixteen and you're still just a kid," Bass tried to reason.
She stiffened. "I am not a child, I'm thirteen."
Bass put his hands up in mock surrender. "I know, I know, I'm just saying that there's a big difference between you and her."
"Obviously," Charlie said, looking slightly dejected. "All the boys love her and none of them even want to talk to me." She stared at her hands in her lap, fiddling with the hem of her softball t-shirt.
Miles and Bass looked at each other. One one hand, Miles was glad that boys wanted nothing to do with his daughter, but he also understood that Charlie was dealing more with her own insecurities than actual boys. Bass raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking him what he was going to do. Miles gave him a little shake of his head, letting his friend know that he had no clue how to proceed with what was likely going to be an awkward conversation.
Bass rolled his eyes at his helpless friend before turning his attention to the teenage girl befoe him. "Listen, Charlotte. Boys are... stupid. Especially sixteen year old boys, which by the way are too old for you anyway, their minds are really only focused on one thing." Charlie raised a questioning eyebrow and he gave her a significant look, hoping that he wouldn't actually have to say it out loud.
She quickly furrowed her brow and squirmed on the couch. "Ew, Bass."
Both men blew out breaths they hadn't realized they'd been holding. Bass smiled at her. "Exactly, Charlie. Don't go trying to impress stupid, older boys. It's not worth it. Someday, some lucky guy will love you exactly the way you are. Hole-less tongue and all."
Charlie met his eyes shyly. "Really?"
Miles chuckled, a low and affectionate sound from deep in his chest as he squeezed her to him, kissing her head. Bass gave her one of his winning smiles, "someday, Charlotte. I promise."
Charlie smiled brightly at him and turned to giver her father a kiss on the cheek. She jumped up from the couch and said, "I'm gonna go call Lauren and tell her it's a no-go on the piercing."
Miles and Bass watched her go, Miles punching his friend's arm once she was out of sight. "Nice save."
Bass winked at him. "Oh, you know me. I've got a way with the ladies."
Miles raised his eyebrows at him. "Yeah, it just better not be on that one," he pointed in the direction Charlie had disappeared just as she came back into the living room with her cell phone plastered to her ear.
"Hey, Daddy, can I dye my hair?"
Miles fell back against the couch, groaning at the ceiling while Bass roared with laughter.
A/N I did this really quick during my lunch break, so apologies for any mistakes. Thanks for reading! :-)
