“Good to see you, Micah.” He hugs me without pulling us too close togeth er, and it’s blissful blankness as usual. And like I’ve been waiting for. Needing.
“You, too.” I smile a little as he steps away.
“Climb on in. Let’s get out of this traffic.”
I take my seat in the passenger’s side, and lean back to stretch my legs in front of me. Finally some real relaxation.
“Happy eighteenth.” Dad smiles wide. “You still against the whole birthday thing?”
I chuckle. “Pretty much, yeah. It’s just a day.”
“Well, I’ll take you shopping tomorrow anyway.” He shifts around in his seat, as we start moving. His hands grip the steering wheel with more than his usual relaxed way of driving.
“What’s up, Dad?”
“I…uh. I’m engaged.” I can see a smile start to form on his lips.
I sit up. So much for relaxation. “Wow. I didn’t know you were even…” I’m in total shock.
“I met her at work. She doesn’t work with me in the city planning department, but she’s in the same building.” He steals a quick look my way .
“So, is she living with you?” I realize my little vacation might not be much of a vacation if I’m tiptoeing around my dad and his fiancé.
“She is. But if it makes you uncomfortable, Micah, she can go back to her place for the few days you’re here.” He licks his lips—still nervous.
“It doesn’t bother me, Dad. It’s no big deal.” There’s no way I’m going to ask his fiancé to leave. I’ll just have to be a little more cheery and careful than I normally bother to be around Dad.
I see his shoulders, arms, and hands relax. “I think you’ll like her. She’s… Well, she’s pretty amazing.”
“Good.” I always wondered why neither of my parents had ever married. They certainly weren’t hung up on one another. Maybe it’s why I didn’t mind being alone as much as I should. They’re both loners, just maybe in different ways. Well, I guess neither are loners anymore.
Just me.
***
My dad’s house is beige and white. That’s it. Beige and white, inside and outside. He’s lived in the same house since I can remember. Dad opens the front door and holds it for me to walk in.
“We’re here!” he calls.
I don’t know now if I’m allowed to just go in like normal? Or if I should wait for Carol? My problem is solved when Carol walks around the corner. She has shoulder length caramel colored hair and a small round face with a petite nose. She’s not thin, but she’s not fat either. Just curvy.
“Carol, this is my daughter, Micah.” Dad smiles his pleasant smile. His business smile. He must be nervous again, which kind of cracks me up. Parents are just supposed to… be .
I brace myself for what I know is coming when I reach my hand out to shake hers.
My dad’s face. He’s sad. More than sad, desperate looking. Dark circles are under his eyes. He’s leaning over the railing of the hospital bed. He’s holding her hands. Exhaustion.
I look from my dad to her and back to my dad. What does this mean? Does she die? Is she sick? I want to throw up, and jerk my arm away with more force than I mean to. I’m usually better at hiding my emotions than this. I really have been around people too much. I’m still on edge.
“Micah?” Her voice floats out to me.
“Sorry, what?” It comes out in a rush of breath.
“I said it’s nice to finally meet you.” She’s looking at me with the same puzzled look that a lot of people do when I first shake their hand.
I don’t know my dad well, but my heart breaks a little for him. For whatever they’re about to go through together. “You too,” I whisper as I turn away. My eyes lock with Dad’s, and his stare holds something more than just looking at me. For the first time in my whole life, I think he might know something. He steps toward me and takes me in a hug. I see nothing, like always, and lean my head into his chest.
“I’m glad you made it all the way out here,” he
“You, too.” I smile a little as he steps away.
“Climb on in. Let’s get out of this traffic.”
I take my seat in the passenger’s side, and lean back to stretch my legs in front of me. Finally some real relaxation.
“Happy eighteenth.” Dad smiles wide. “You still against the whole birthday thing?”
I chuckle. “Pretty much, yeah. It’s just a day.”
“Well, I’ll take you shopping tomorrow anyway.” He shifts around in his seat, as we start moving. His hands grip the steering wheel with more than his usual relaxed way of driving.
“What’s up, Dad?”
“I…uh. I’m engaged.” I can see a smile start to form on his lips.
I sit up. So much for relaxation. “Wow. I didn’t know you were even…” I’m in total shock.
“I met her at work. She doesn’t work with me in the city planning department, but she’s in the same building.” He steals a quick look my way .
“So, is she living with you?” I realize my little vacation might not be much of a vacation if I’m tiptoeing around my dad and his fiancé.
“She is. But if it makes you uncomfortable, Micah, she can go back to her place for the few days you’re here.” He licks his lips—still nervous.
“It doesn’t bother me, Dad. It’s no big deal.” There’s no way I’m going to ask his fiancé to leave. I’ll just have to be a little more cheery and careful than I normally bother to be around Dad.
I see his shoulders, arms, and hands relax. “I think you’ll like her. She’s… Well, she’s pretty amazing.”
“Good.” I always wondered why neither of my parents had ever married. They certainly weren’t hung up on one another. Maybe it’s why I didn’t mind being alone as much as I should. They’re both loners, just maybe in different ways. Well, I guess neither are loners anymore.
Just me.
***
My dad’s house is beige and white. That’s it. Beige and white, inside and outside. He’s lived in the same house since I can remember. Dad opens the front door and holds it for me to walk in.
“We’re here!” he calls.
I don’t know now if I’m allowed to just go in like normal? Or if I should wait for Carol? My problem is solved when Carol walks around the corner. She has shoulder length caramel colored hair and a small round face with a petite nose. She’s not thin, but she’s not fat either. Just curvy.
“Carol, this is my daughter, Micah.” Dad smiles his pleasant smile. His business smile. He must be nervous again, which kind of cracks me up. Parents are just supposed to… be .
I brace myself for what I know is coming when I reach my hand out to shake hers.
My dad’s face. He’s sad. More than sad, desperate looking. Dark circles are under his eyes. He’s leaning over the railing of the hospital bed. He’s holding her hands. Exhaustion.
I look from my dad to her and back to my dad. What does this mean? Does she die? Is she sick? I want to throw up, and jerk my arm away with more force than I mean to. I’m usually better at hiding my emotions than this. I really have been around people too much. I’m still on edge.
“Micah?” Her voice floats out to me.
“Sorry, what?” It comes out in a rush of breath.
“I said it’s nice to finally meet you.” She’s looking at me with the same puzzled look that a lot of people do when I first shake their hand.
I don’t know my dad well, but my heart breaks a little for him. For whatever they’re about to go through together. “You too,” I whisper as I turn away. My eyes lock with Dad’s, and his stare holds something more than just looking at me. For the first time in my whole life, I think he might know something. He steps toward me and takes me in a hug. I see nothing, like always, and lean my head into his chest.
“I’m glad you made it all the way out here,” he
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