Chapter Seventeen

"Honey, can I come in?" Mr. Roberts came pleading up the stairs- he could not stand when his precious daughter was cross with him. So there he was – like a little pup desperate for food, standing at the closed door whimpering.

"Nope." Summer cried indifferently, as she turned her music louder. It boomed through the door, that Mr. Roberts had his ears plastered against. He wondered why in his own home, there were boundaries he couldn't cross, even though he had paid for them himself.

"Summer, open the door." He hollered a little more wretchedly this time, as he raised his voice unintentionally. "We need to talk, Summer Roberts." Words were flashing out of his mouth, faster then he could decide which ones were better unsaid. "Forget it, I don't need permission to go inside a room in my house." Mr. Roberts touched the cold doorknob of the entrance to Summer's room. Summer glared at him, as she searched for the appropriate words to express herself.

"When I say I don't want you to come in, I want you to at least grant me the knowledge of knowing that I can be alone," Summer continued to listen to her music, bobbing her head occasionally to the beat, "There are reasons why I don't want you to be here right now, very plausible reasons, too." Summer shot out when she noticed that her father wasn't leaving. "Please go!" Summer said in frustration, wondering why the words that she spoke in pure English did not get through to the man.

"Summer, we need to talk." Mr. Roberts insisted, as he invited himself to sit down on the bed beside Summer. She was concentrated on avoiding her dad's stare, "Don't say anything, until I'm done, deal?" He asked. Summer nodded faintly, as she rolled her eyes – she clearly did not want to hear anything her father had to say at the moment.

"Okay, Summer, here's the deal," Mr. Roberts said in a preppy, enthusiastic voice, that did not suite the mood whatsoever, "I've gone too far, and I realise that – I guess it's just a little late for apologies. What I can offer you, is a reason why I've been doing so poorly in the 'Raising my kid and letting her go', area of my life." Summer looked up wearily, her big, beady eyes actually interested in what he had to say. Mr. Roberts smiled, thankful for such a small gesture, "When I was younger, a little older than you, Summer, I fell in love with your mom- real mom," Mr. Roberts added needlessly, "Okay, so, we loved each other – a lot. I proposed to her at a somewhat young age, and her father absolutely dreaded the idea of letting your mom go. He despised me for proposing to her, and for starting to hype and excitement of a wedding. He was cruel to me, not just up until the wedding, but far after as well. It killed me, because I knew whatever I did, my father-in-law would not forgive me for taking his daughter away. Eventually, problems erupted between me and your mom's dad, and he told your mom to choose – husband, or family." Mr. Roberts looked away, from Summer's stinging stare, "We got divorced, because my father-in-law was plain old stubborn, and couldn't stand to loose his daughter." Summer looked away as well. Knowing that the reason for her parent's divorce were the in-laws really hurt Summer, because she barely knew her mother, and now, she was stuck with her stepmother, whom she barely saw a minute of due to her sceptical lifestyle, and hefty work basis, "I told myself that I would do the same, just so I could have the satisfaction, more so consolation that my daughter would not leave me. I wanted to have my darling all to myself, forever – I guess. I was just being," Mr. Roberts thought for a second, as his explanation grew more credible than Summer ever imagined, "I was being an overprotective, selfish – dad."

Summer looked at her father painfully. Never had she heard this story before, and she wondered how much of it was true- but she really, honestly, didn't care. Any reason for her dad's behaviour was wonderful, and Summer took it as a 'sorry' from her father's side.

"Thanks, dad." Summer said in a drained voice.

"For being an overprotective, selfish dad?" Mr. Roberts asked in confusion, as it clearly swarmed his face.

"No!" Summer laughed, as she playfully punched her dad. She raised an eyebrow, with a grin on her face, "For telling me this- otherwise, I don't think I would have ever understood why you don't accept Seth. So thank you." Summer smiled, as she hugged her dad, "Daddy, Seth means the world to me, and it would also mean the world to me, if you loved him like a son; son-in-law at least." Summer begged her father, as she buried her head in his shoulder, shedding a few tears for the emotional moment they had shared.

"I'll try." Summer pulled away from the hug, as she shook her head.

"That's not enough." Summer noted, as she stared at her father- his slightly greying hair, his stern but warm face. Summer tried to understand what was going on in his mind, but she couldn't see a thing.

"I'll try, my best." Mr. Roberts added.

"That's more like it, Daddy." Summer nodded, as she exhaled.

Ryan and Marissa knocked on her front door, and soon enough Julie snatched open the door. "Surprise, Surprise, look who's home!" Julie smiled her sarcastic smile, which soon faded, "Where have you been?" Julie started to question them, "Why don't you two come in?" She then offered quickly. Marissa gave Ryan a worried look – What was going on?

Julie held the door open, walking in after the two had already entered, "Drinks?" She offered, "I mean, juice, pop?"

"I'm fine." Ryan said quietly, pressing his lips together, as he looked down.

"I'm fine too." Marissa said in her usual springy voice. "I've been at Ryan's. We talked with his parents, Seth and Summer came back home, and then we went to chat in the pool house for a few minutes, before I decided to go home. Enough?" Marissa asked shrewdly.

"It's more than enough." Julie said, as she placed a glass in front of Marissa, and a wine-glass for herself. "So, Marissa, you can talk to Ryan's well, parents so, talk to me. How was school?" Julie was completely freaking the two of them out. Julie smiled a quizzical smile, awaiting an answer.

"It was great." Marissa answered quickly, "Speaking of which, Ryan, tomorrow's a school day, so I'll see tomorrow morning, okay?" Ryan nodded.

"Good night," He looked at both Julie and Marissa. He gave Marissa a quick peck on the cheek, as he went to leave. Somehow, neither Seth nor Ryan were comfortable full out kissing in front of the parents. Once Ryan left, Julie started again.

"He's charming, isn't he?" Julie asked with a smile dawdling on her lips, "Totally boyfriend material, correct me if I'm wrong." Marissa was looking at her mother in disgust,

"Are you drunk?" Marissa asked as she got up from the table.

"What's it to you, doll?" Julie asked as she blinked heavily. The answer was YES- Julie was definitely drunk.

"I'm going to bed." Marissa said crudely, as she got up, and left the kitchen.