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not beta'd

storyline - Sultry

prompt - routine

My father served the city of Oakland for two and a half decades before calling it a day. He still has those cop instincts though, and if I don't watch it, I find myself being interrogated. But I know his routine, and I have one of my own when it comes to dealing with him.

He's been stirring the same cup of coffee for about ten minutes, watching me intently. Ignoring him, I continue eating and pretending to read the comics. After a moment he pushes the paper aside and clears his throat.

"You know I don't like this," he says.

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Dad, you don't like anyone I date. You treated all of my boyfriends in high school like small time crooks." I make a face, dragging my home fries through ketchup. "And you hated Masen."

"Masen was a schmuck." He sips his coffee. "God rest his soul."

I bite my lip so I don't smile. It's either laugh or cry, and anyway it's life, this mix of sad and funny. I adore my father, even when he's being irreverent and ornery.

"So when do I get to meet Edward?" he asks, probably expecting me to stall.

"I was thinking maybe Sunday morning, for brunch."

He nods, approval glinting in his eyes. "Lois. For pie and pancakes."

"He loves pie."

"Does he, now."

I roll my eyes. "Yes, so, be on your best behavior. He's important to me."

We move on to other topics, but he's distracted and I know he's thinking about Edward and me. Taking my cue from Edward, I told my father the honest truth upfront, the circumstances that brought us together. Not surprisingly, he didn't like it.

I'm not surprised when he sighs loudly now, clanking his spoon on to the saucer. "You do understand why I find this so disturbing, right?"

I shrug, and then nod slowly. "It's not conventional…"

"It's not right. What about honor? Where's his? He's dating his dead brother's girlfriend? How do you know he's not just like Masen?"

Cringing, I sit back. The food in my stomach feels like lead. Thanks a lot, Dad.

"Edward is one of the best people I know. If anyone was lacking in the honor department, it was Masen." I look up, rivaling his stare with one of my own. "And…whatever. Masen's gone. He can't defend himself or change things or apologize for what he did so let's just leave him out of it. Edward is nothing like him. I have never been with anyone like him, Daddy. You'll see. He's…" I trail off as I realize nothing I say will convince my father – he'll simply have to meet Edward and see for himself.

The thing is, nothing he's said is anything new. I am certainly my father's child, because every argument and concern he's voiced today echoes one I've had myself. I swear, I've never picked apart a situation or relationship the way I have with this one.

This how I know it's right. I've thought it over, weighed the pros and cons, and in the end the answer is always the same: Edward and I are meant to give this a chance. Running away because one or both of us is scared would be cowardly. So what if we have more to contend with than usual?

"I wouldn't darken your door with someone I didn't feel was worthy," I say, my voice quiet. "I've been wrong in the past, but not this time. I owe it to myself to see this through." I meet my father's eyes. "Because if he's the one, and I disregard him, I'll never forgive myself."

Edward grins over his shoulder at me, turning off of the concrete path and on to a grassy section.

His happiness is contagious, and I'm smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. We've been riding our bikes through Golden Gate Park all afternoon, something I'd never done despite living right across the Bay for most of my life.

He hops off of his bike and I follow suit, walking beside him until we find a spot to sit. As usual, the park is full of people enjoying the sunlight and open space; a bunch of little kids are playing tag, squealing as they run. Some guys are playing hacky sack a couple of feet away.

"I could do this every Saturday," I say, resting my arms behind my head.

"You should." He lies beside me, his body warm from sun and exercise. "We should."

He peeks sideways at me, and my tummy flutters at mention of we. We came so close to never meeting. When I think of how thin the thread tying our fates together is, it scares me. Although, when it comes to fate and destiny and all that maybe there is no almost. What's meant to be will be.

A sharp, briny breeze rustles through the trees overhead, snapping me out of my head. I'm always doing this, losing myself in thought. Rose teases me about it, so much so that she once bought me a tiny statue of The Thinker for Christmas.

Edward's quiet beside me, his eyes focused upward. "So you're sure you'll be able to handle the Chief tomorrow?" I tease.

"I hope so."

"I hope so, too," I sigh, grabbing his hand. "I do what I want, but it sure would be nice to have him on our side."

He nods silently, apparently a little lost in thought himself. Gone is the gaiety of our bike ride, replaced by a more somber thoughtfulness. Somehow, I know he's thinking about his brother. In the few weeks we've become a unit, I've begun to know his expressions and tones.

Knowing he's thinking of Masen makes me think of him, too. I remember things like our first kiss, and the first time we had sex. There actually weren't too many of those times, as so much of our relationship was long distance, but still. I wish now I'd never been with him that way, even though it's come up with Edward and he expected and accepted it. He was in a relationship not too long ago himself; neither of us come to the table with clean slates.

Funny how the past takes up some much headspace when there isn't a damn thing we can do about it.

I roll on to my side and prop up on my elbow. "I want to come here in the summer with you, and have a picnic when it's warm."

"Sounds good."

"There are so many things I want with you," I continue, melty with yearning. "It kind of scares me."

His eyes seem greener in the daytime. He pulls me closer, half draping me across his upper body.

He reaches up and frees my ponytail. "I want you so much it scares me, too."

you guys. the Boys on Board contest has some really, really good entries! i'm rather excited... http: / www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net /u/ 2956623/

sweet, salty summertime fare.