Kathryn stomps into John's office. He looks up from his computer.
"What do you need, honey?"
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
He furrows his brow. "I don't know, what did I do?"
"Your daughter has been home for two days now, and you have barely spent ten minutes with her."
"I thought she was trying to readjust to Kansas time. I just thought that she was sleeping."
"John sometimes you drive me insane."
"Look Kathryn, I'm sorry, but I have been really busy lately."
"She was gone for two and a half months. You aren't the least bit interested in how her trip went?"
"I asked her about the trip at dinner."
"Two days ago."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Something, anything. She is our daughter, and you act as if a homeless person moved in upstairs. Why are you ignoring her?"
"I am not intentionally ignoring her, I have just been busy with work."
"You don't get it."
"Get what?"
"She was gone for two and half months. Don't you think that she might want to talk to you? Don't you think she might want to discuss her trip with you, or her plans for college?"
"I don't know. You make it seem like I am avoiding her. I'm not. I have been right here. She knows where to find me. In fact, if I didn't know better I would think that she is avoiding me."
"John you have got to get off the computer, and pay attention a little bit more."
"Am I missing something?"
Kathryn rolls her eyes. Her face turns red, and her nostrils flare.
"You need to get your priorities straight," she warns.
"My family is, and always has been my priority."
"Then act like it."
"Kathryn I have to vote on this bill tomorrow."
"What is it about?"
"Property tax," he answers.
She raises her voice, "So let me get this straight, a bill on property taxes is more important than your daughter? How do you think that makes her feel?"
"That isn't it at all. Daphne is very rational. She knows that I am busy with work. I am sure that she understands."
"Really?!"
"Yeah," he nods.
"So you haven't noticed anything different about her?"
"No. What are you talking about?"
"Nothing, never mind."
"Her homemade pasta was the best that I've ever had, and that sauce she made, was perfect."
"Let's talk about the sauce she made," Kathryn insists.
"I didn't know that tofu could taste so much like beef."
"It can't. John it was beef."
"Oh I guess that I didn't realize, because she ate it."
"I know."
"And she had that steak. She must have come to her senses while she was in Italy, and decided to give up the whole vegetarian thing."
"That is what you think happened?"
He shrugs "I don't know."
She storms out of the room.
The following morning at breakfast Kathryn doesn't even speak to John. Bay comes down and gets some coffee, and a muffin before school. Daphne eats her breakfast, and heads for the door.
"Where are you headed?" John looks up from his newspaper.
"I have some errands to run."
"You know I really want to spend some time with you. I've been really busy at the office. Maybe you could help me this afternoon, and we could go to dinner afterwards."
Daphne shakes her head, "Thanks, but I can't." she grabs her car keys, and leaves the house.
John returns to the paper. He sits at the kitchen table. Kathryn puts the dirty dishes in the sink.
"Unbelievable," she mutters.
"What's unbelievable?"
"You are," she answers.
"What did I do now? I'm trying to make an effort. Isn't that what you wanted?"
Kathryn shakes her head.
"I know that helping around the office isn't the ideal quality time, but I am busy, and I could really use her help. She does a great job."
"John sometimes you are so self-absorbed that I can't stand you."
"Whoa! Where is this coming from?"
"John your daughter is pregnant, and you haven't even noticed."
He stares at the paper for several moments. What she's just said finally registers with him. He puts the paper down, and looks up at her.
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me."
He shakes his head, "What do you mean my daughter is pregnant?"
"Our daughter," she corrects.
"I don't understand. Is this some kind of joke? You're trying to see if I'm paying attention to what you're saying?"
"Clearly," she raises her voice, "You aren't paying attention at all."
"Are you being serious?"
"Why would I say that if it wasn't true?"
"I just thought that you were testing me."
"I wish."
"You know that for sure?"
"Yes."
"Bay told you that?"
Kathryn furrows her brow, "What?"
"Didn't you just say that Bay is pregnant?"
"No," she shakes her head.
"You just told me that my daughter is pregnant."
Kathryn shakes her head in utter disbelief, "Not that daughter."