Hi everyone! I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to update! We need to have some more people here writing some stories hehe. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter and thank you once again for reading and reviewing.
Sean shifted uncomfortably and stuffed his hands into his pockets, his eyes looking down at his feet as he lightly kicked a small pebble on the ground. He knew that he didn't actually do anything wrong, but being a Donahue, he always felt that there was some kind of standard that was always expected of him, and that didn't include making out with his girlfriend on the side of the road.
"So, is this what he does? He just takes advantage of my daughter out in the open where everyone can see?" Mike questioned as he pointed an accusing finger at Sean, who was still looking down at his feet.
"Dad! Relax. We just stopped here for a few minutes on the way back to the car." Sue said as she pointed at the bottle of fluid that was still sitting on the ground. "How did you find us anyway? You didn't answer when I tried calling you." Sue continued.
"I umm..." Mike stammered.
"Oh my God! You're still tracking me on your phone, aren't you?! I thought you were done with that!" Sue scoffed.
"So what? I want to know where my daughter is. And this isn't about me." Mike said. Sue rolled her eyes at his comment and exhaled loudly.
"Well we should get back to the car so we can still make it to the party at the Donahue's. Are you ready to go, Sean?" Sue asked. Sean nodded and quickly picked up the bottle of fluid and started walking back towards the road.
"Wait just a minute. Just get in the car. Both of you." Mike said and Sean and Sue complied. They drove in awkward silence back to Sue's car that was still parked right where she left it. Mike and Sue stepped out of the car first. As Sean was about to open his door, Mike blocked it and said "You stay here." Sean nodded and closed his door once again. He shrunk down in his seat, slightly worried about what was happening here. He watched as Mike worked on Sue's car and heard the sound of the engine starting back up. He could see that they were speaking, but was unable to make out what was being said.
"We'll meet you in Orson. I want to have a little chat with your boyfriend." Mike told his daughter. She knew that this would happen eventually. Her father always struggled with expressing his love for her, but one thing that was obvious was that he was very protective of her. He had never been a big fan of any of her boyfriends in the past. A part of her thought that he would think differently about Sean, but she never really knew what was going on in his head. Sue got back into her car and quickly sent a text message that simply said Sorry...Sean replied back with a nervous emoji.
Mike and Sean drove in the car for a few miles before either of them began speaking. In the rear view mirror, Sean could see Sue driving behind them on the way back to Orson.
"So...you really like Sue, do you?" Mike asked. Sean was a little confused about the question at first, since obviously they were dating already and everybody knew that.
"Yes, sir. I really do." Sean replied. He wasn't sure if he should say more, but he decided that he would. "Actually, I love your daughter, Mr. Heck." Mike had an unreadable expression on his face and exhaled sharply.
"Love? Aren't you two a little young for that?" Mike asked. "I don't want this to end up like it did with her and Darrin." Mike shook his head in disgust. He had never cared for Darrin and was especially angry when he tried to marry his teenage daughter at the time.
"I'm 23, Mr. Heck...and no offense but Sue isn't a little girl anymore." Sean realized instantly that he shouldn't have said that, but there was no going back now. Mike sighed and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Mike replied as he leaned his head back on the headrest.
"You've known me for how long? Practically my whole life?" Sean asked. Mike nodded and thought about the first time little Sean Donahue came over to their house to play with Axl. Even then, he was probably the most well behaved child he had ever met. He smiled slightly at the thought.
"Yeah." Mike replied. He was never big talker after all and didn't want to say all of the positive things that were running through his mind.
"I would never do anything to hurt Sue...or any of the Hecks. All of you have always been like a second family to me...I hope that one day we will all actually be a family." For the second time today, Sean worried that he said too much. He was also surprised that he was also thinking about marriage again. Why did he keep thinking about marriage? To his surprise, Mike did not completely flip out.
"It's too soon for that...if you're saying what I think you're saying." Mike replied in a calm voice. He was also surprised by the level of calm in his own voice. He didn't like the idea of Sue growing up, but he also couldn't hate the idea of Sean Donahue being his future son in law, especially after some of the other guys that Sue had dated.
"I know. I just hope you're okay with seeing a lot of me." Sean said and he chuckled. "Because I know that Sue is the one." Sean said.
"Well, you do make her happy. That's what I want, for her to be happy." Mike said. Sean smiled and reached out his hand for a handshake.
"Thanks, Mr. Heck." Sean said as he held out his head. Mike hesitated at first but he extended his arm.
"Sure." Mike said simply as he shook Sean's hand.
Sean was already standing in the driveway when Sue pulled in. She quickly got out of the car and ran into his arms. Sean picked her up off of her feet while he embraced her and he kissed her softly on the lips before setting her back down on the ground.
"Oh my God, I am soooooo sorry. Is everything okay? I don't know why he gets like that. He just doesn't..." Sue blabbered before she was cut off by Sean's finger on her lips.
"Everything is great, don't worry Suzy Q." He said with a big smile on his face as he pulled her against his chest and rested his head on top of hers. Sue let out a sigh of relief as they swayed back and forth alone in the driveway. He always had a way of calming her instantly. She didn't know why she was surprised that he would be able to sweet talk her dad. He was Sean Donahue after all.
"Ohhh my goodness, aren't they just precious?!" Nancy exclaimed to her neighbor and best friend, Frankie Heck as they peeked around the curtains of the Donahue's living room window.
"I know! I still can't believe it!" Frankie squealed as she shoved one of Nancy Donahue's delicious appetizers in her mouth. "Is this Gouda?" Nancy laughed off the question with a waving hand gesture and skipped over to her elegant wooden bookshelf, grabbing an over-sized binder.
"I know this is silly, but I already started planning, just in case! You know how I just LOVE planning parties!" Nancy said as she flipped through the pages of the binder. Frankie nearly spit out her mouthful off food when she noticed pictures of weddings dresses and table decorations.
"You're already planning their wedding?" Frankie said in awe as she flipped to the next page where she saw an order form for doves.
"I just like to be prepared!" Nancy defended with a smile.
"Well...maybe you can add these." Frankie began to say while she rummaged through her purse, revealing a pile of crumpled up and stained brochures of wedding venues she collected at an informational booth near the city limit.
"Sure...I'll just stick these in the pocket!" Nancy hesitated, then stuffed the brochures in the back pocket behind all of her other neatly gathered papers.