Chapter 18

"Dad?" Heath asked the next morning.

"Hmmm?"

"I, uh, want to apologize for all the trouble last night."

"Don't worry about it; what's done is done. For what it's worth, the grounding was more your mother's idea than it was mine."

Heath was taken aback. "It was?"

Brian managed a smile. "Yep. Now you know where I stand on this fighting stuff, but I have to admit there's nothing better than a girl that's comfortable being herself."

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely. Why do you think I was into your mother so much from day one? Look, Heath, pretty girls are nice to look at, but when one like Kellie or even your mother comes along, those are the ones that are considered keepers. "

"Yeah, got to admit Kel didn't care what anyone thought of her last night."

"That's a good thing," Brian agreed. "See, boy, a real woman is one that not only burps, but also announces it to the world and tells you what it tastes like."

"And can pack a good punch," Heath nodded. "Who thought such a cute girl would be so cool and a good kiss….." He stopped himself.

"Whoa, hold it! What's this about kissing?" Brian raised an eyebrow.

Heath blushed a little. "She kind of laid one on me right before you guys picked us up last night."

Brian began to laugh. "Well, imagine that. Boy gets his first kiss and you weren't even going to share that with me?"

"I thought I was going to be grounded more if I did. Besides, she kissed me, not the other way around."

"Then that says something, boy. You have something going for you."

"Yeah," Heath grinned. "I guess so."

"Tell you what. Let me have a talk with your mother. I can't guarantee anything, but since you weren't directly involved in that melee last night, I may be able to convince her to cut back on your grounding time to just a few days."

Heath shrugged. "A week isn't that much, Dad, but okay."

"Well, how about I take the punishment for you going to see your new girlfriend for a little bit before she goes home on the off chance Mom finds out I let you go?"

Heath lit up. "Can I really?"

"Yes, but be back here before your mother comes home."

"No problem!"

"In the meantime, if Mom happens to come back early and asks where you are, I'll say you're taking a nap."

A short time later:

"Daddy, do you know how much trouble Mom could give you for letting Heath see Kellie? He's supposed to be grounded!" Audrey cried.

"She's going home tonight," Brian explained. "And the boy's happy for a change. It wasn't like he was directly involved in that fight anyway, at least according to a few people. If your mother has a shit fit about him saying goodbye to Kellie, so be it. I'll take the punishment for him; I'm a big boy. Hell, it isn't the first time your mother's screamed at me and it won't be the last."

"You're getting soft in your ripe old age," Audrey teased.

"Yeah, maybe I am. Hey, I thought you were out with Bryan. Did you two fight or something?"

Audrey smiled. "Not really. He um….asked me to the prom."

"Oh God."

"Could I borrow the Visa? I need to go buy a dress and stuff."

"Oh God."

"Daddy, really, is that all you can say?"

Brian sighed. "How much are we talking here?"

"Well, Bryan's picking up the tab on the bigger things like the limo, tickets and dinner. I need a dress, shoes, bag, my hair done–"

"Jesus Christ, your mother didn't even go through all that for our wedding. What the hell?"

"You didn't go to a prom, did you?" Audrey asked.

"Not exactly. Frankly, I didn't do much of anything except either sit in the back of the classroom or the back of the cafeteria by myself most of the time."

"And make dirty movies with claymation farm animals and the claymation farmer," Audrey added, giggling.

"Wait, who told you that?"

"Grandma, who else? She had a lot of good stories about you, including the clunker car you drove that you could only get in and out on the passenger side door. You were a real stud, huh?"

"Ha ha ha, very funny. I will have you know I've come a long way from that time, little girl."

"So, do I get the Visa?" Audrey begged. "Please, Daddy?"

"All right," Brian relented. "On two conditions. One, you keep your grades decent and two, don't go nuts with this thing. Just because there's a five thousand limit on this card doesn't mean you can spend the whole amount. Got it?"

Audrey kissed his cheek gratefully. "Thank you! I will love you forever for this."

"Yeah, yeah, again, don't go nuts. I'm not World Bank and Trust Company. And don't be picking out a dress that makes you look like a hooker, especially when it's on my dime."

"Right," she nodded, "Like that would ever happen anyway."