Page 43 of A Simple Love

I can feel the heat travel to my face instantly as I search out Victoria for her reaction. I’m not sure how to respond to that question.

“It was perfect, Mom,” she answers, winking over at me.

“Glad to hear it,” Leslie beams before making her way into the living room to turn down the television. “I swear, I don’t understand why your father insists on listening to this thing on the loudest possible volume, but then leaves the room and doesn’t bother to turn it back down.”

“Sounds like Dad,” Victoria chuckles. “Where is he anyway?”

“Oh, he found something to keep him busy in the garage, I suppose. I asked him to start going through boxes to look for donations for the church rummage sale, but who knows what he found to distract him.”

“Ok, well we’ll say hi on our way out then.” Victoria turns to me, lowering her voice. “I won’t be too long. Make yourself comfortable.” She kisses me on the cheek before walking down the hallway towards her room to fetch her clothes.

“Mike, wanna see my picture I’m working on for school?” Lilly shouts just as I walk over to her.

“Absolutely! Show me what you got, little one.” I spend the next ten minutes listening to Lilly ramble on about her report on snails, an oxymoron that a child who talks as fast as she does would choose to do a report on an animal that moves so slowly.

“Leslie,” I interrupt as soon as Lilly takes a breath. “Did you say Frank was outside?”

“Yeah, in the garage.”

“Ok, I’m going to go say hello. Will you let Vic know for me, please?”

“Of course, Mike. And just so you know, I’m so glad that things finally worked out for you two. You make my daughter very happy.”

I pull her in for a side hug. “She makes me happy too. I promise I’ll take care of her.”

“I have no doubt,” she replies with a pat on my shoulder, releasing our embrace and wiping a tear from her eyes.

Stepping outside into the heat, I take a deep breath to prepare myself for my encounter with Frank. The last time I saw him was after my date with Lilly and Victoria, in which we exchanged some pretty heated words. I know we seemed to end our argument on agreeable terms, but who knows how he’s feeling right now knowing she chose me and spent the evening at my home.

“Frank?” I yell as I make my way inside the garage that is completely detached from the house but next to it on their property.

“Mike?” Frank comes out from behind a stack of boxes holding an old chain saw. Great, if things go south, he’s already armed.

“Hey. I just wanted to come out to talk to you. Vic’s inside gathering some more things.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Just clothes and stuff for work.” This is awkward.

“Is she staying with you again tonight?”

I nod. “Yeah, probably for a few days at least.”

He nods back. “Well, I’m glad then.”

I snap my eyes to him. “Really?”

Frank steps forward, setting down the chain saw before stopping right in front of me. “I meant what I said last time we spoke, Mike. I’m sorry for what happened five years ago, and I know you make my daughter happy. So, as hard as it is for me to accept that she’s not my little girl anymore, you have my blessing.”

I reach out to shake Frank’s hand as a voice from behind me interrupts us.

“What happened five years ago?” Vic is standing there, a larger bag than before stuffed full of clothes slung across her shoulder, and a pained and curious expression all over her face.

“Vic,” I start to explain, but Frank cuts me off and steps towards his daughter.

“Dad, what’s going on? What happened five years ago?”

Frank swallows hard and stares down at his daughter, pleading for her to understand. “When Mike asked you out the first time, he didn’t just stand you up.”

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