Yay, 2 updates in less than a month. I'm not going to pretend for a minute that this will always be feasible, but let's just enjoy it while we can. And I did get a question in a PM asking if/when Shawn, Topanga, and Rachel would be showing up again. They definitely will be back. Not sure of the specific chapter number because that depends on editing and how much my chapters ramble on, but they aren't gone for good.
As always, thank you for your reviews and comments. Even though I don't have as much time to respond (though I try) they are always appreciated. :-)
"I love you."
What the hell was the matter with Eric? They were having a perfectly nice morning. Couldn't he be like most other guys and try to get some morning sex? She wouldn't have argued. But no, he had to go and say that.
"I love you."
Everything was going to be different. It was going to change. Angela didn't want things to change. In her experience, when things changed in a relationship it generally wasn't for the better. Now change was inevitable. You can't undo an I love you. As Nan used to say, "You can't put toothpaste back in the tube."
"I love you."
More than anything, however, she wanted to forget his smile, the sparkle in his eyes, the sincerity in his voice, and the tenderness of his touch….all of it. Because if she focused on how happy he was in that moment, she'd have to think about how he looked just seconds later. If she thought about that she'd surely start to cry. And if she cried she'd have to analyze why and examine her feelings. Did she love Eric? Hell, Topanga pointed out the supposed obviousness of her feelings when he was shutting her out but Angela shrugged it off. It was too soon. She'd been hurt too many times to simply fall in love, especially in a matter of months. Life wasn't that easy. At least her life had never been.
"I was getting worried."
The porch creaked when he sat beside her on the stairs, but Angela didn't raise her head to look at him. "I'm fine, dad."
"Fine, huh? You expect me to believe that?"
"Yes."
"You flew out of here like a bat out of hell. Don't try to tell me you had to work because you'd still be there if that were true. Friday is your day off."
"I got doughnuts," she said, gesturing to the box beside her, "cinnamon twists and sour cream glazed- your favorites."
"It took two hours to get doughnuts?"
"It's a popular bakery. There's a line out the door every morning."
"Don't lie to me."
She tapped her foot on the step. "For someone who's never around, you sure as hell seem to think you have it all figured out, don't you?"
"Excuse me?"
"You don't get to just show up and start analyzing my life."
"That's not what I'm doing."
"Then what are you doing?"
"I want to know what's going on with my daughter. What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," she exclaimed, standing. "Why don't you believe me?"
"Because I saw the look on your face when you opened the door this morning and the look on Eric's face after you ran out of the house. You looked like you saw a ghost and he-well…I've seen kicked puppies look less wounded."
She averted her gaze away from her dad and focused on the family across the street: a little girl, mom, and grandmother. Angela often saw them walking around the neighborhood. In the mornings grandma and the little girl escorted mom to the bus stop when she went to work. They reminded her of the kind of relationships she used to have with her own mother and Nan. She choked back the lump in her throat. There was no point in dwelling on the past, on how things used to be. Wishful thinking got you nowhere.
"Angela?"
"What?"
"Talk to me. Please." Alvin reached out and took her hand. "For the next few weeks you have my undivided attention. I'd like to make the most of it."
"And you'll do whatever I want to do?"
"Within reason, yes."
"What if all I want to do right now is to sit and eat doughnuts and make plans for your visit?"
"Angela-"
"You said whatever I wanted," she challenged.
He could get annoyed, but knew if he needed someone to blame for his daughter's tenacity all he had to do was look in a mirror. It was definitely an inherited trait. "You got cinnamon twists, correct?"
"And sour cream glazed."
"Then what are we waiting for? I'll make the coffee. You get the napkins."
She picked up the box and led the way into the house, grateful for the temporary reprieve. "Thank you."
/
/
"But you promised." Morgan threw her hoodie on the back of the couch, knowing the plans for the day were already a lost cause. Not that she was going to let that stop her from complaining, however. "It isn't fair!" She was going on vacation with her best friend's family next week and planned trips to the store kept getting pushed back, either because of the baby or because mom was too tired from taking care of the baby.
"Keep your voice down," Amy admonished. "I'm sorry, honey, but I'm not comfortable leaving Joshua with a sitter when he's sick."
"It's just an ear infection. The doctor said he was going to be okay."
"I never left you when you were sick." She placed the baby in the bassinet and moved the conversation into the kitchen. It was the first time he's slept since before the sun came up. "I can't do that to him."
"Can't dad watch him?"
"Dad's working. But we can go shopping tonight after he gets home. How does that sound?"
"Wow and have a whole hour before the mall closes," she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'll go wait in the car right now!"
"Morgan-"
"No, this is exactly what I knew would happen. You told me it wouldn't, but it did."
"What are you talking about?"
"You have a baby and forget all about me. Not that you remembered me much before. You would've had to stop paying attention to Cory and Eric first."
"I'm sorry things have been hectic, but that's life with a new baby. It won't always be like this. I promise. But you can't ever doubt how much dad and I love you. You're our daughter, our only little girl."
"Yeah," she scoffed, "you'd think that would come with some perks, but apparently not."
"Knock it off." Amy attempted to wrap a supportive arm around her. "Once things are calm and Josh is a little older I promise we'll set aside some time just for you and-"
"There's never going to be time just for me!" Morgan pulled free from her mother's grasp. "The time for me would've been when Cory left for college. But he wasn't even out of the house before you were pregnant…a new crown prince to spoil because I wasn't enough for you." She clenched her fists tight and dug her fingernails into her palms. "I can't wait to go on vacation with Stephanie. It'll be nice to be around a family with parents who love their daughter and listen to her. Maybe you'll get lucky and I won't come home. I'm sure everyone would prefer it that way."
The accusations cut deep, hurting worse than any physical blow she could ever be dealt. "You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do."
"Morgan-" Before she could utter another word the teen was out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. The door slammed with a force that shook the entire house and promptly woke the baby. As much as Amy wanted to go to Morgan, shake some sense into her, and tell her how wrong she was, she couldn't leave her sick four month old to scream in pain. The only minor consolation she had was that his sobs drowned out her own.
/
/
"…then on the twenty-third there's a kite festival in-"
"Whoa, slow down," Alvin said with a laugh.
"What? I thought you loved kites. You used to take me to fly them whenever we had the chance when I was a kid." Some of the happiest memories of her childhood were flying kites with her father.
"I love flying kites, especially with you."
"Then what's the problem?"
"You're trying to schedule every second of every day of our visit."
"And? I thought you'd prefer it that way. You thrive on a schedule."
"When I'm on duty, yes." He took the notebook and pen from Angela and looked over the list she'd created. "Based on this you're hardly leaving enough time for us to sleep."
"What can I say? I want to squeeze in as much time as I can. Who knows the next time you'll manage to fit me into your life."
Alvin decided to let the remark go. For now. It would be added to the list of topics for them to discuss before he returned to base. "Scheduling all of these activities isn't going to leave much time for your own social life."
"So?"
"Eric won't be upset to not see you for a couple of weeks?"
"He'll deal." She took the notebook back. "Now for the twenty-fourth I was thinking we could drive up to Boston. The Pops are-"
"Angela-"
"Dad, leave it alone."
He watched her pick up her phone and set it down. "Waiting for him to call?"
"What?"
"You're checking your phone every two minutes."
"I am?"
"It's more like every one minute and thirty-eight seconds, but who's counting?"
"Apparently you," she grumbled.
"Sweetheart, what happened? Did you two have a fight?"
"I'm not talking about this."
"Fine. We won't talk about Eric."
Angela exhaled. "Thank you."
"But about your mother-"
"Wow…." She shook her head and laughed in disbelief. "…wow. Leave it to you to find the one topic I want to talk about even less."
"I think it's long overdue, don't you?" She stared straight ahead and said nothing, so he continued. "I know you saw her at Nan's wake. I'm so sorry I couldn't be here for you, but the army didn't think the passing of a former mother-in-law counter as an emergen-"
"What's your point?"
He leaned back in his chair. "Seeing her had to bring up some old feelings. I want to know about this." In hindsight he'd been so preoccupied with the divorce aspect of Camille leaving their family that he overlooked the long term impact of Angela losing her mother. "You can talk to me."
"You want to talk?"
"Yes."
"What do you want to talk about? Her husband? Her two kids? The damn lady bug sweater Nan made especially for my kindergarten picture day that that little girl stole?" Why she was still fixated on the sweater, she didn't know. It was silly, but it was also her sweater.
"What?"
"I don't ever want to think about that woman or our replacements."
"Angela-"
"No." She got up from the table and headed for the living room. "I'm not having this conversation."
"Yes, you are."
She spun around to face him. "Excuse me?"
"I wasn't asking your permission. I was stating a fact. We're talking whether you like it or not."
"Don't you think you're a little late to be giving me orders? You're never around. You don't get to just show up and demand I open up about all this big stuff, whether it's mom or Eric. I'm a big girl now, daddy. And you can't make me do anything I don't want to. Unlike your subordinates in the army I'm not afraid of you."
"You're certainly afraid of something. Is it Eric?"
"No," she whispered.
"Then what?"
Angela nearly jumped out of her skin when her phone rang. She squeezed past her father to answer it, praying like hell she was needed at work after all. "Hello? Wha-who is this? Morgan? Are you okay? What's wrong….okay….sure….yeah. I'll be there in a little while. Okay. Bye." She ended the call and looked around the room for her purse. "I have to go."
"What's the matter?"
"I'm not sure. I could only understand some of what Morgan was saying. She was pretty upset."
"Who's Morgan?"
"Eric's sister." She found her purse tossed onto a chair. After a few seconds of hesitation she took the keys to her grandmother's car off the hook. She's only driven it once or twice since moving into the house. She used to have to beg Nan to drive it before. It felt wrong to take it whenever she wanted even now. "I'll be back later."
"We're not done talking."
"Whatever."
/
/
"…and then she ran out of the house like it was on fire. I don't even know if she got her other shoe on before she left."
"That sucks. Then what happened?"
"It was just me and her dad standing there."
"He didn't ask for an explanation?"
"He was even more confused than me. And that's saying something because I don't know what the hell is going on. All he knew was she was running away from me and I was standing in his dead ex-mother-in-law's kitchen in my underwear." Eric ran his hands through his hair. "What could I have said that would've made anything better?"
"Yeah, the etiquette books didn't cover that topic."
"Thanks, Jason, big help, man," he fired back sarcastically. "I'm so glad you came over."
"Well, sorry, I wasn't handed my script when I entered the apartment. Tell me what you want."
"I want those few seconds."
"What few seconds?"
"Those few seconds after I told Angela I loved her and she smiled at me and the look in her eyes…" He shook his head. "…it was like it was the best thing she ever heard." Eric had no doubt she was going to say it back. It was written all over her face. To have her flip like a switch and literally run away from him was a nightmare.
"And then she stared at you like you were Freddy Krueger." Jason ducked the empty water bottle that flew at his head. "Hey, those were your words. Don't get mad at me."
"Again, you're not grasping the being helpful part, are you?" He leaned back against the couch and stared at the ceiling. "I'm just not going to talk to anybody until Feeny gets back from his honeymoon."
"You're using me as a Mr. Feeny replacement? Oh, buddy, are you screwed."
"Shut up." He covered his face with a pillow and groaned. "I'm so stupid. Why did I say I love you? It's too early. I've never said I love you to a girl."
"Sure you have. I remember you saying it all the time in high school."
"Please, that was, 'Hi, I love you, you're pretty. Want to go out with me?' With Angela it was, 'I love you. My life is a billion times better with you in it than it ever was without you. Let's always be together.'"
"You said all that?"
"No, but I meant all that. But she-she ran away." He sighed. "What does that say? Whatever it is it can't be good."
"Sorry."
"What did your girlfriend do after you said I love you?"
"Dana said it first."
"Really?"
Jason nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. "She's very take charge, very type A, and I swear she's had her life mapped out from the time she was four seconds old."
"And she still dated you?"
"I guess I was her rebellious phase."
"What did you do after she said it?"
"I said it back because I was sitting there trying to figure out how to put the words together when she blurted it out."
"Then?"
"Then we made out in the car until I accidentally leaned on the steering wheel, honked the horn, and woke up her whole house."
"See, that's how it's supposed to work. One person says I love you, the other person says it back, and then there's lots of making out."
"Have you called Angela?"
Eric shook his head. He wanted to pick up the phone and call her every two minutes until she answered and either returned his feelings or gave an explanation for running out. But he hadn't dared to yet. "What am I supposed to say: Hi, it's me. I still love you. Why did you run away?"
"You're not even going to try?"
"What else can I do? She knows how I feel. The next move is hers'."
/
/
"Angela, what are you doing here?"
"Morgan called and asked me to…" It was obvious Amy had been crying. Her efforts to cram tissues into her pocket didn't hide that. "…are you okay?" Angela followed her inside.
"Oh, I'm fine. It's sleep deprivation. Josh finally starts sleeping through the night and then gets an ear infection. And Morgan is…well…" She shook her head. "Watching your kids suffer is a particularly cruel level of hell."
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong? Is there anything I can do?"
"Actually…if you don't have any plans today, there is something."
"Sure."
Amy went over to her wallet and took out a credit card. "Here."
"What is this for?"
"Morgan's going on vacation with her friend next week and since the baby's been sick I've been unable to take her shopping. And after the fight we had earlier I'm sure she'd rather be with anyone besides me."
"I'm sure that's not true. You're a great mom, Amy."
"I like to think so, but-" She heard her daughter coming down the stairs and shoved the credit card into Angela's hand. "Just make sure she has a good time. Please?"
She nodded. "I'll do my best."
"Thank you."
/
"Why does it smell like old lady in here?"
Angela glanced at Morgan out of the corner of her eye. It was the first thing the girl had said since they left the house. "Because this was my Nan's car and I haven't driven it much since she died."
"Sorry."
"Don't worry about it." Another minute or two passed quietly. "You can change the radio station if you want."
"This is fine."
"Okay."
"Aren't you going to ask me?"
"Ask you what?"
"Don't you want to know why I called you?"
She made a left turn into the mall parking garage and searched around for a spot. "I figure you'll tell me when you're ready."
"Really? You're not going to give me the third degree and threaten to lock me in the car until I tell you?"
"Believe me, Morgan, I'm the last person who's going to force you to talk, especially today."
"What does that mean? Why today especially?"
"Let's just say you're not the only one having parent issues."
"Oh."
Angela tapped her hands on the steering wheel and muttered to herself, "Sure, idiot, take up two spaces. It's not like anyone else wants to shop." She sighed and drove up to the next level. "I am curious about one thing."
"What?"
"Why call me? Not that I mind. I like you and I'm happy to spend time with you. But I was surprised."
She shifted around in her seat and played with the clasp on her bracelet. "I don't know. I needed to get out of the house and I couldn't think of anyone else to ask. I just had to get out of there."
"Eric or Cory would've come the second you called."
"I guess."
She heard the disbelief in the pre-teen's voice and wanted to question her, but also wanted to stick by her promise to not pry. "What are we shopping for?"
"You're the one who drove to the mall. Why are you asking me?"
"Your mom gave me her credit card and said you needed to buy stuff for a vacation with your friend."
"Oh." Deep down she'd hoped mom would still be able to take her shopping. Apparently not. "Yeah."
"Where are you going?"
"My friend Stephanie goes to Cape Cod every year with her family. I think her dad inherited a house from his grandparents. I'm spending two weeks with them." She took a list out of her pocket and handed it over.
"That sounds nice." Angela read through the list. "Okay, we need to get new tops, shorts, sandals, a dress or two in case they take you out to a nice restaurant, a couple bathing suits, sunglasses, sunblock-"
"Are you sure you don't mind doing this? You had to have more fun things planned than spending the day with me at the mall."
"Morgan, if I didn't want to hang out with you I wouldn't have gotten into this 'old lady' smelling car to get you, all right?
"What about Eric? I know Friday is your date day."
Eric. Angela still hadn't let herself process that situation. If anything, she was grateful for the distraction Morgan provided. "If he can't handle one Friday away from me, that's his problem." She was relieved to get a small smile out of the girl. "So where should we start?"
/
/
"I'm sure she didn't mean it, Amy."
"You weren't here. You didn't see the look on her face or hear the words coming out of her mouth. She meant every word. She thinks we favor the boys over her."
"That's ridiculous."
"Not to her."
"She's so much easier than her brothers. They would come running and crying for every little thing. It was always an end of the world situation that needed to be addressed immediately. Morgan's a laidback kid. She's self-reliant."
"What if she got that way because she thought we didn't care?"
He was at a loss. One of his daughter's recent complaints came to mind. "Sure, we haven't had a chance to set up Cory and Eric's old room for her yet, but I told her we'll get around to it. It's not because we don't care. We're busy and tired. I'm going to get it done. Eventually….when I can get a day off from the store."
"We've been promising to get the room set up since before Josh was born."
"It's not our fault he was a preemie."
"It wasn't Morgan's either, but she's the one paying the price." Amy dug tissues out of her pocket. "Do you remember how happy we were when she was born and we finally had a daughter?"
He wrapped his arm around his wife. "Yes. She was the most beautiful ugly thing I ever saw in my life."
"Alan!"
"What? Newborns aren't pretty. Accept it."
"She was happy child: curious, playful, and-"
"Bossy as hell," he added. "Opinionated, too."
"Well, yes. But she loved spending time with us and was super attached and loved tagging along with whatever Eric or Cory were doing. Then she started school and it all changed."
"I picked her up from kindergarten one day and I believe she said, 'I have friends now. What do I need you people for?' I think that was the exact quote. I remember because it broke my heart a little. I thought kids were supposed to be older than five before they were sick of their parents."
"I'd hate to think she's spent her whole life feeling inferior, even on a subconscious level. It would kill me."
"Are you sure it's not just new baby jealousy? If she were a little kid we'd be giving her jobs and calling her our special helper."
She shook her head. "Joshua isn't the problem, at least not directly. Morgan doesn't feel important. She doesn't feel like she has a place in her own family."
"That's crap. She knows that we-"
"No, she doesn't. Believe me. You weren't here. And it wouldn't kill you to be a little more sensitive to this issue. We may not be seeing what she is, but I think we need to start trying to look through her eyes. As hard as it is to believe, she'll be in high school in a year and college comes a few years after that."
"Don't remind me," he grumbled.
"Kids who don't feel close to their families chose that time to run away."
"Amy-"
"When did you leave home?"
"The day I graduated high school, I stayed in a crappy apartment with some buddies until I left for basic training. I never looked back."
"I left after graduation, too, got a cute little apartment near the art gallery where I was working."
"Cute," he snorted. "I think you mean tiny. There was hardly enough room for the two of us and your damn cat. He resented me from day one."
"Fluffy loved you."
"He tried to suffocate me in my sleep!"
"I'm sure he didn't mean to lie on your face."
"Sure." Alan rolled his eyes. "I miss that apartment sometimes though. Our lives weren't nearly as complicated when we were there. Maybe instead of four kids we should've had four cats."
She put her hands over her heart. "Oh, if Fluffy could hear you now."
"You know we're only delaying the Morgan situation, right?"
"I know. I was just enjoying not feeling like the world's worst mother for a moment."
"You're a great mom."
"A great mom would know how to fix this, but I don't. Whether justified or not Morgan feels ignored. We can't suddenly turn our backs on our sons and focus solely on her."
"Obviously we can't do that to Josh. They'd put us in jail for that, but maybe it's time we tell Eric and Cory to start handling their problems themselves."
Amy stared at her husband in disbelief. "Really, you're saying this, Alan "the fixer" Matthews? You can ignore things and let the boys be?"
"If there's real trouble we'll help them, but they need to give it a shot first."
"Oh, are you setting yourself up for a challenge, mister."
"Please, like you don't rush in classic mother hen style?"
"You know that's only part of the issue. How do we make Morgan see how much she means to us, to this family?"
"That's where I'm lost because I don't know how she even got it into her head that she doesn't matter in the first place."
/
/
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Eric said as they approached the bar.
"What? We missed prime club and bar hopping years."
"You're the one who went to college in Wisconsin."
"So we've got a lot of time to make up for." He waved to get the attention of the bartender. "Are you going to claim to be Mr. Innocent and that you don't go out or that you've never had a drink? I seem to remember- vaguely- Mikey Newton's party junior year. He added his dad's liquor cabinet to the punch bowl and you wound up in their neighbor's front yard with your arm around a snowman their kid made and sang Wind Beneath My Wings."
"Wow, you've got a lot of details down for a guy who vaguely remembers that night."
"I'm just saying we should finally party right."
"What if Angela decides she wants to talk but I'm out with you?"
"It's a few drinks with your best friend. What kind of girlfriend would have a problem with that? Come on, be my wingman."
"I'm not flirting with other women."
"I'm not asking you to flirt with them. Just get their attention so I can flirt with them."
/
/
Several stores and many hours later Angela and Morgan staggered into the food court. "I think you are all set for the Cape."
"Thanks again."
"You don't have to keep thanking me. Today's been fun. It's been a long time since I've done a mall marathon. Of course now I'm starving and need to eat something."
"We had cookies and soft pretzels."
"I need to drop you off at home with at least something of nutritional value in your stomach."
"Right. Home."
She picked out a table and scanned the restaurants. "How do hoagies sound? They have the shortest line."
"Fine."
Angela wondered if she'd still be a hypocrite if she asked Morgan about her problems now since she waited the entire day. "I'll be back. I'm going to get the food while there's no line. Don't let the bags out of your sight."
"Got it."
"Okay, what's wrong," she asked a few minutes later when she returned to the table with the food.
"Nothing."
"Cut the crap. We've been having fun all day but the second I mention home the fun was over."
"It's fine…I…I'm fine."
Angela sat across from her at the table. "Morgan-"
"What happened to not asking me about what happened?"
"Can I help?"
"No, no one can. You have no idea what it's like to be invisible in your own family. They'd probably be happier without me. My whole life it's always been all about Eric or Cory. Mom and dad were so busy fixing a mess or being proud of something they did. Now Josh is here and he's a baby so naturally it's all about him. The entire house revolves around his naps. I can't even play my own radio above a whisper."
"Maybe I don't understand the sibling part, but I get feeling invisible or that your opinion doesn't matter."
"You're just saying that."
"I wish I was. Look, you know my dad is in the army, right?"
"You've mentioned it."
"Do you think I ever got any say in where we moved or how often we moved?"
"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say no?"
"That's right. There were a lot of places I liked, schools I liked, friends I had…but I still had to move. Part of the reason my dad enlisted was to see the world. He never turned down an opportunity for a transfer, even if it meant uprooting his family three times in two years." She clearly remembered her parents having an argument about that particular timeline when she was around six.
"Didn't that make you mad?"
"I was sad if I had to leave a friend a made, but I was a kid and didn't know life any other way. I love that I've seen so much of the world and traveling is something I want to continue doing, but yeah, sometimes I wish I would've gotten a vote. But no one ever asked me." Angela busied herself with arranging the food. "I think that's part of the reason my mom left. She got sick of the moves. At least that's what I used to tell myself. It sounded better than realizing my mom got tired of being my mom."
"What?"
"You know my grandmother died a while back?" Morgan nodded. "My mom showed up during what was supposed to be my private time in the chapel. She didn't come alone either."
"Who was with her?"
"Her husband and two kids."
"Oh."
"Yeah. It's kind of hard to convince yourself your mother left because she just wasn't cut out for the family life when she shows up with a brand new family." She stared at the table, determined to keep her composure. "It turns out she just didn't like the family she had and traded me in for a better model."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she said. "She's probably better off. I'm sure the kids she has now always listen and don't color on the walls or push a chair up to the counter when she says no cookies before dinner. I bet her little girl doesn't try on her dresses and high heels or play with her makeup without permission. Or do you know what used to really piss my mom off?"
"What?"
"She's a musician and always had sheet music around in case inspiration struck." She shook her head. "I guess it's a case of like mother, like daughter, but I used to take her sheet music when inspiration would strike for me. Or sometimes I'd make a note on a song she wrote to make it "better." She was so proud of me sharing her love of music, but heaven forbid I touch her papers."
"You write music?"
"Not anymore."
"Your mom sounds like a bitch."
She laughed. "Thanks."
"Is your dad decent at least?"
"When he's around he is. The army is his number one focus. He tries to make it not the case, but he just can't help but jump when they tell him to. I can't wait until he retires."
Morgan sat there and tried to figure out how to respond. "If this is your way of showing me that my parents aren't that bad-"
"No, I…maybe I didn't do a good job of explaining it, but I wanted to tell you you're not alone if you feel ignored by your parents or replaced by the baby. Maybe our circumstances are different but I get feeling alone and left out."
"So I can call you when I need to talk or get out of the house?"
"Hey, we're out right now, aren't we? Of course you can call me. I do think you should try talking to your parents though. Tell them how you feel."
"I've tried. They think I'm being ridiculous."
"Then tell them again. And again until they listen. Who knows, maybe your vacation will be good for everyone."
"Yeah, they'll be happy to have me out of the house."
"Or they'll realize how much they take you for granted. Sometimes you need to step away from a situation to get perspective."
"What if it's exactly the same when I come back or worse?"
"I don't think it will be, but you have my number if you need it."
"Thanks, Angela."
"You're welcome. If you really want to show your thanks you should know I accept any and all kinds of souvenirs from Cape Cod," she teased.
/
/
Eric stared at the payphone and debated calling Angela yet again. He'd tried to reach her three times already. Or was it four? It's been one call for every bar. However many times it was she hadn't answered yet. He didn't dare leave a voicemail. He was just sober enough to know she wouldn't appreciate whatever slurred words his alcohol addled brain could put together.
"Hey, buddy," Jason said, coming up behind his friend. "You see those pretty ladies sitting over there?"
He looked across the bar and a blonde and a brunette were waving at him. "What about them?"
"They bought us some drinks."
"I already had us some drinks already." He frowned. "That sounded less drunk in my headspace."
"Come on, talk to the blonde so I can get a date with her friend."
"But Angela-"
"She don't want to talk to you tonight. You know who wants to talking though?!"
"Who?"
"Ginger!"
"There are people named Ginger?"
"I don't know. But that's her name. So let's go!" He slapped his friend's shoulder.
"Hey!" He hit Jason in return. "Don't do that."
"Drinks! Girls," he whined and stomped his foot. "Let's go!"
"Jason, what's wrong," the brunette asked as she and her friend approached. "You left us hanging."
"Sorry, ladies, my friend here is just feeling a little shy tonight."
"Aw, you don't have to be afraid. I don't bite. Not on the first date anyway." She laughed at her own joke.
Eric removed the blonde…Ginger?...he removed Ginger's hands from his arm. "I have a girlfriend."
"Relax, honey, I'm just asking for a drink, not what band you want at the wedding."
Jason dragged him to the corner. "One more drink, man, please?"
"Just one?"
"One."
"You owe me big."
"I owe you huge."
/
A bar on Friday night in Philadelphia is not where Alvin expected to find himself, but then he intercepted a call from Eric to his daughter when he'd called the house by mistake and somehow that led him here. It was so packed that even being head and shoulders above most of the patrons wasn't offering much help. He had almost given up hope of finding him when he saw a crowd gathering and soon found the source of their entertainment. Eric had taken control of the DJ station and singing into a beer bottle.
"…what's wrong with that…Yeah!" Eric threw his arms in the air. "Thank you! Any requests?"
"Get down from there."
"Sorry, big guy, I don't know that one. Anyone else?"
"Now, Matthews," Alvin ordered, this time loud enough the entire bar heard him.
"Hey, man, what's your problem?" Jason came up to him. "I know you're old but don't you remember fun? My best friend got his heart broken and if he wants to sings the Wings songs, let him."
"It's okay, Jason." He felt slightly more sober. "It's okay."
"No, it's not. Who made him the fun police?"
"He's Angela's dad."
It was all Alvin could do not to laugh in the other man's face. "Hello."
"Wow," he said, awestruck, "I could stand on his shoulders and still not be your height."
"You guys need a ride home?"
Eric nodded, but Jason continued to speak. "Can I ask you a serious question, Mr. Angela's father?"
"Sure."
"How is the weather up there? Is it really any different than it is for the rest of us?"
/
About an hour later Alvin was helping Eric into his apartment. He could walk under his own power, but more precise movements, like working the key in the door, were more complicated. "That was quite the show you put on."
He stumbled over to the couch and fell into it. "I sing when I drink too much. I don't know why."
The drive home had been entertaining, if annoying. He ultimately had to put on talk radio just to get the young man to shut up. "I hope this isn't a regular occurrence."
"Huh?"
"Do you get drunk all the time?"
"No, sir."
"Good. What food do you want now?" He'd stopped at a drive thru just to get food into him.
"Chicken nuggets…on…on a…what do you call those flat circle things?"
"A plate?"
He snapped his fingers. "That's it. Chicken nuggets on a circle."
"Which sauce?" There was no answer. Eric was simply staring at him. "Eric?"
"I told Angela I love her."
Alvin's eyebrows shot up. "You did?"
"Yeah. This morning. We woke up and she looked so beautiful lying there and…" It suddenly occurred to him he was speaking to her father. "I mean I woke up this morning here in my apartment and the sun shined on her picture and made her look so beautiful and I couldn't wait to tell her how I-"
"Son, do I look like I just fell off a turnip truck?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know what kind of car the rental place gave you?"
He smiled despite his annoyance. "What was Angela's reaction when you told her?"
"She looked thrilled, for about five seconds anyway. I really thought she was going to say it back."
"She didn't?"
"Her face changed and she stared at me like I was the killer in every bad movie and made up some bullshit lie about work." He ran his hands through his hair. "Maybe it was too soon, but if you love someone shouldn't you tell them? I didn't know saying I love you would be a bad thing. Who wouldn't want to hear that someone loves them?"
Alvin stared at his daughter's boyfriend, trying to process his drunken honesty alongside Angela's sober avoidance. "I don't know."