Page 41 of Being Julia

I looked up at him and smiled. “I would love to go out with you again. But let’s go somewhere where we won’t run into my parents.”

“You got it. I’ll go anywhere you want to.” He smiled as he brought his lips to mine.

We talked for a couple of more hours, made out, and then he took me home. I had the best night of my life and couldn’t wait to see him again.

CHAPTER 13

Igot up early because I couldn’t sleep. Jake and our date consumed my mind. Plus, we were texting back and forth pretty much all night. I went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. As I prepared a hangover cocktail, my parents entered the kitchen. Both of them looked like shit and hung over.

“Why are you up so early?” I said in a loud tone.

“Why are you being so loud?” my dad whispered.

“Good morning, sweetheart. We heard all this racket down here, and we wanted to see what was going on,” my mom said.

“Both of you sit! Now!” I commanded as I pointed at the table.

They looked at each other, walked over to the table, and sat down. I set two glasses on the table and poured the cocktail into each one. I slid a glass over to my mom. Then I slid the other glass over to my dad.

“DRINK.”

“But—” my dad started.

“No buts. Now, drink up.”

My parents looked at each other as they picked up their glasses.

“Gee, I can’t imagine where she gets her attitude from,” my dad said to my mom.

She made a face at him as she held up her glass. “Cheers!”

I walked over to the coffee pot and poured three cups of coffee as I began my speech.

“We need to discuss the events of last night and how you embarrassed me. What were you thinking? Not only were you behaving like lovesick teenagers, but you were also drunk on top of it. Do you know how that looked in front of Jake? Do you have any idea how humiliated I was and how I had to apologize for your erratic behavior? Who’s the adult here? Because I know it’s neither of you,” I said as I waved my finger at them.

“Princess, don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little bit?” my dad said.

“No, I don’t. Because I really like Jake a lot, and you embarrassed me!”

“Sweetheart,” my mom said as she got up from the table and walked over to me.

I put up my finger.

“Don’t, Mom,” I said as I looked away, and tears started to form in my eyes.

“Okay. Your dad and I want to apologize for our actions last night, and we’ll make sure it never happens again. But honestly, we didn’t know you’d be at the beach and didn’t plan to walk that far. I guess we kind of lost track of where we were going.”

My dad got up from his seat and walked over to me as my mom walked out of the kitchen. “I see what’s going on here,” he said. “You’re head over heels for this boy.”

I wiped a tear that fell from my eye.

“Come here, princess,” my dad said as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head.

“Dad, you don’t understand. The way I feel when I’m with him is like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and I’m scared.”

“You’re wrong, Julia. I do understand, and I know exactly how you’re feeling. That’s how your mom and I feel when we’re together. I’m not going to tell you that you’re crazy, and it’s too soon because that feeling, the one you’re describing, came over me the first moment I saw your mom standing in my kitchen. And when she smiled, that was it. That feeling has been with me ever since, even after all these years. When I look at your mom, I feel like I’m looking at her for the first time. I mean, I guess it doesn’t matter how old you are. When you meet your soul mate, you know it. Just be careful and take it slow. You’re only eighteen and far too young to be in a serious relationship.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I smiled.

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