Page 12 of Bending The Rules

“Professor,” I said, when I opened the door for Imara Bryant – my father’s girlfriend, and my brother’s girlfriend’s mother.I still need to put that in a book. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, of course,” she smiled. “And I apologize for showing up unannounced, but there’s something I’d like to speak to you about, if you have a moment.”

I shrugged. “Uh… yeah, I guess. Come in.”

I stepped aside to let her in, and when I turned around from closing the door, saw Bri peeking around the doorway to the kitchen. Imara spotted her at the same time, and immediately stretched her arms in that direction, making a huge smile spread across my little girl’s face before she ran to meet her.

Barely dating for a year, and she was already part of the family.

“Go on back in the kitchen and finish your Lexia activity on the computer, Bri.”

“I wanna talk to Miss ‘Mara,” she whined, and I lifted an eyebrow.

“What did I say?”

Bri poked out her bottom lip about it, but wiggled out of Imara’s embrace to go back to the kitchen. Once she was gone, I pointed Imara toward the couch, then took a seat on the chair opposite from her.

“So,” I asked. “What’s up?”

Imara pushed out a sigh as she rested clasped hands on top of her crossed legs. “Well, I came to you with this, because over the time that I’ve known your family, it has become clear to me that you are the most protective of your father. And, along those lines, I’ve gotten the impression that you don’t like me.”

She said that, and then gave me a pointed look. Her expression was still pleasant, her demeanor unruffled as always, but she’d essentially just demanded to know if I approved of her – or rather, her relationship with my father. And honestly…

“I could see how you might arrive at that conclusion. And your impression isn’t without merit.”

“Okay. Why?”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Why what?”

“Why don’t you like me?”

I shook my head. “I… I wouldn’t so much say that I don’t likeyou. It’s more like, I’m not sure about youwithmy father. I’m concerned that he’s rushing into this relationship with you as a tool to get past his grief over my mother’s death.”

She blinked. “Oh. Wow. Not quite what I was expecting to hear, but I am glad to know how you feel. Although… I completely disagree with you.”

“I’m sure you do. I mean, in the what… eleven months, maybe a year that you’ve known my father, I’msureyou know him so much better than I do.”

Imara gave a dry laugh. “You forget that I knew Joe via our online friendship for several years before we met in person. While I would never set forth the notion that I know him better than his children, let us be clear – I know your father very,verywell. So well, in fact, that the core of my reason for coming here is because I would like to spend the rest of my life with him, and I was hoping to have your blessing before I proposed the idea to him.”

“Beforeyouproposed the… are you planning to ask my father to marry you?”

A smile spread across her face. “Something like that.”

“Wow.Wow.” I stood up, pacing the length of the room. “Wow.”

“Based on your reaction, I’m going to assume you have some concerns about that.”

I threw my head back, to laugh. “Yes. Please. Assume that. Youshould.”

She stood up too, coming to stand with me in front of the window. “Ok. Well let’s hear it then. Let’s talk it out, and whether or not we come to an agreement, at least everything will be in the open. What’s your problem?”

“I told you what my problem is. Last year, my father was still in mourning for my mother. Hell, the week before you popped up out of nowhere, he was still mourning. Now, all of a sudden, he’s hiking, and rafting, going to jazz clubs and shit. He was a quiet man. And now he’s…”

“Living his life? Enjoying the rest of the years that hecanhike, and raft, and “go to jazz clubs and shit”? Are you really upset about that?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m not upset aboutthat,I just…”

“Hate the idea that your adult father, who loved your mother, God rest her soul, is moving on from her, to love someone else? Is that in the right vicinity?”

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