"What smells so good?" Dad called out as he walked into the kitchen. He had a case of beer in his hands, so his first stop was the fridge. "And what are you cooking up here, Baby Girl?"

I turned away from the stove to offer him a taste on the spoon I was holding. "I promised you a home cooked meal."

"And this is…?"

"Homemade barbeque sauce. The buns should be finished baking any second now." He stared at me in disbelief causing me to laugh. "I started making dinner for Uncle Terry and I when I was in ninth grade. I've had some time to hone my skills."

"That I don't doubt. I just… I didn't expect this much effort from you, Nena."

I pulled the sauce off the stove and poured it into an awaiting dish to cool down before we ate.

"It almost sounds like you don't think you're worth the effort, Daddy."

"It isn't that," he replied as he helped me move some of the dishes from my kitchen island to my small kitchen table. "I was getting worried you didn't think that I was anymore."

My head hung down as I swallowed back some tears while I placed the baked buns on the counter. I hadn't meant to hurt my dad, but I should have known he would have felt the unintentional blow back of me pulling away from anyone associate to my… my ex-boyfriend anyways.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy. I never meant for you to feel like that. Me… me pulling away… It wasn't just from you, it was from everyone at TM. I just… It's how I deal with a break up. It's all on me. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm SO sorry."

He waited until I passed him a plate with the fresh baked bun on it before he answered, "That's what I was hoping this was all about."

We then started building our meals in silence. He had already pulled out the coleslaw I had made and a couple of beers from the fridge, so we were all set to eat. Not that I had an appetite at all. Throwing up felt like a much more appropriate course of action right now.

Dad started digging into his sandwich and paused mid-chew when he noticed I hadn't touched my food. He didn't have to say anything before I offered, "Juice and Rat got back today."

"That's what I heard. Did…? Did he say something to you?"

"No," I replied while shaking my head a little too fast. "I… I didn't give him a chance."

He washed another mouthful down with a long drink from his beer bottle. "Did you want me to have a little chat with him?"

"No. No, Daddy, I don't," I replied with a chuckle at the murderous glint in his eye. "That isn't necessary. Him and me… The break up? It really was all my idea. But… even thought I know we needed some time apart, it doesn't mean that it doesn't sting. But I'll be fine."

"Alright. So, what is it that you need to tell me that is causing you to lose your appetite?" He smiled softly then added, "Because this tastes as good as it smells, and I can hear your stomach growling."

I pushed my plate away because he was right. Smelling the food made me hungry, but it did nothing to ease my nausea. Even though my stomach was doing summersaults, I couldn't help but smile. "It really isn't anything that bad. I'm just nervous because… because I love you and I hate thinking that I might do something that makes you think that I'm running away from you or pushing you away."

"As long as you talk to me, I won't think that. So? What has you so nervous, Baby Girl?"

I finished my beer then reached across the table to hold his hand. "Tino got me tickets for a few California League games. I talked to Gemma today and she okayed me taking a couple of weeks off."

"A baseball trip? Alone? That's what has you nervous?"

The suspicion in his tone was so naked that it made me blush. "Yes, Daddy. Tino is just making sure my name is on the list for free tickets. He used to do it in Tacoma and Everett for me all the time. Hell, when Cindy had her bachelorette weekend in Whistler, he got us tickets in Vancouver too. But, if you're worried about my safety, no, I won't be solo for the whole trip."

"NOW you have my attention."

That comment made me laugh out loud. "Bakersfield has a team… I called Grandma and asked if she would be up for a visit."

"You called my mom?"

"I did. And before you get upset, I asked her not to say anything to you because I wanted to tell you about it myself first. But we do talk every birthday and Mother's Day at the very least… and have since I found out about you… I thought it was high time that we meet face to face."

"I've thought that for a while too," he finally said in a voice so low and gravelly that I new he was trying to hide his true emotions. "But I didn't want to pressure you into visiting her if you weren't comfortable or ready for it yet."

"Daddy, she's family, so of course I am. But more than that… she's family who has always been there for me, no matter what. Who do you think planted the seeds for me to call you and ask you about moving down here?"

"My mom did?"

I coughed out a laugh around my beer bottle at the look on his face. I never would have thought that he would be surprised by that piece of information. He was such a Momma's Boy (trust me I know I'm the only person on the planet that can say that and live to see the next sunrise) and it amazed me every time that he was shocked when his mother was the first person to back him up and remain in his corner.

"Yeah, she did. Ever since Liz died, she's been telling me I should move to live closer to you. The only time she didn't was when I was at school because she knew I was there on scholarship. But… she did say that if she could afford it, she would pay for me to go to a school that would be closer to you."

"She never told me that."

I moved to the chair to his right side so that I could hug him. "And she never will because she doesn't want you to feel the financial burden. Even though you don't think she does, she knows the sacrifices you've made for her. But she only told me about school like it was a threat to keep me in line. Seriously, Daddy, everyone thinks you're scary, but have never had the 'pleasure' of talking with Gran."

He laughed at that then said, "And everyone here thinks Gemma is scary."

We shared a laugh at that because Gemma did sound like a pussy cat compared to my dad's mother. He then ate a couple more bites before he asked, "So that's all you're doing? Visiting my mom and watching some baseball games?"

"Ideally that's it. But…" I got up and pulled out two bottles of beer from the fridge. After I passed one to Dad, I twisted the lid off my own and continued saying, "But in all honesty, I'm not ready to face Juice yet, so it's the perfect excuse to visit Gran. Plus, if she hates me, I'll still have like six other cities to visit where I can lick my wounds in peace."

"She won't hate you," he said with so much conviction that I couldn't help but to give him a suspicious, dubious look. "She won't, unless you insist on cussing like a trucker in front of her."

"I can hold my tongue!" I cried out incredulously. "Oh… my… God! You haven't introduced her to me because you don't think I'm lady like enough!"

"No," Dad countered a little to quickly. "That isn't it."

"Yes, it is!" I cried out with a chuckle. "She's why you've barked out the…" I tried to lower my voice to mimic his gravelly tone, but I know I failed miserably. "MIA! LANGUAGE! Every time I said the F word, isn't she? Don't lie to me, Dad! Especially not now."

"Why ESPECIALLY not now?"

"Change of topic aside," I replied with a cheeky bite. "I've been an open book with you. No one, not even Gemma, knows that Juice and I broke up. You are…well were the only person who knew I broke up with him today."

"And who else knows?"

"I'm pretty sure Chibs figured it out and I sort of told Gemma so that she would understand why I needed to get away for a bit. But enough about me. Back to you, Daddy. Was I right?"

He squirmed in his seat a bit before he answered, "Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"Yes. I know you can behave yourself and be a lady around Mom, so I was actually more worried about what she might say to you about me."

"About you? Daddy…" I squeezed his hand that I was holding then continued, "After everything I've seen and hear from Uncle Terry and the MC about what you've done for me… after the ugly truths JC… err… Juice told me… After you paid for Liz's private room and cancer treatments… after you've done nothing but make sure I had the best life possible, you think she could say something that would turn me against you?"

He smiled sadly then replied, "You haven't met my mother."

"And yet you still love, honor and cherish her. Dad… Don't forget… I have Liz as a shining example of the world's shittiest mom while I have you as my example of the scary, protective Dad. Tell me, what else Gran can throw at me?"

"Oh… well…"

"She already told me about your father. You have to know I don't give a shit about any of that because we use Spanish terms of endearment for each other all the time. So, I have some Venezuelan blood in me. It's no big deal to me. And it can't be for her… Plus it's a good excuse when I have a bit of fire in my blood."

"Good to hear, but that wasn't what I was going to say. Your Grandma…" He paused dramatically. "Your Gran's a total neat freak, so you'll have to keep not only your room, but your luggage, your dresser drawers and your bathroom completely spotless while at her house."

"Seriously? Dad! I can pretend to be OCD while I'm at her house. If what I usually do doesn't work, then I'll adjust and figure it out." I stared at him for a couple of seconds then asked, "Anything else?"

"You'll have to eat her disgusting, bland food."

Again, I laughed because I didn't know what else to do because that was something else for which I had planned. "Or I can offer to cook as a thank you for letting me stay with her. She gets the bland meat and potatoes while I splash some hot sauce on my own."

Dad stared at me in wide-eyed disbelief for a few seconds before he answered, "Well… it sounds like you have all the bases covered."

"When I make an argument, I try to make sure to look at it from all angles." I finally took a bite out of my own sandwich before I added, "Anything else you think you need to warn me about, Daddy?"