Page 39 of Hot Four Teacher
As we start eating, I say, “Alright, do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you finally got a new soccer coach, which should make you happy, yet you come home, wanting hardcore junk food. Something is clearly going on, so why don’t you just spill it?”
She pushes the food around on her plate with her fork. “It’s Dad.”
I set my own fork down as my stomach starts to churn. Whenever Eve wants to talk about her dad, I have to brace for impact. While Danny and I haven’t had a relationship since before our daughter was born, he still has one with Eve–or something that at least resembles a relationship. He did want to be part of her life, but it’s always been on her terms. If she doesn’t want to see him, she doesn’t have to. Over the years, she has let him into her world a little more, but she also knows not to heavily depend on that man for anything.
I ask, “What’s going on with your dad?”
She hesitates for a moment as if trying to figure out if she truly wants to tell me or not. Finally, she says, “He has a new girlfriend.”
While I get this isn’t news that we would usually jump for joy about, I don't know that it rises to the level of being super upset about either.
“Eve, your dad has had girlfriends before,” I say, hoping she’ll continue.
“He wants me to meet her.”
“Oh.”
“He says they’re getting pretty serious, and he keeps bugging me to go over and get to know her.”
Danny has always had girlfriends–some we knew about and some I’m sure we didn’t. But he’s never invited Eve to meet any of them. One time, we were grocery shopping and saw him with one of them. First, he pretended he didn’t see us. Then, he tried hiding her.
I ask, “Do you not want to get to know her?”
“Not really?”
“Can I ask why?”
She avoids eye contact. “Because I think the whole thing is crap.”
I push my plate away from me because the smell of General Tso’s chicken is now nauseating me.
“Why is it crap?”
“Because I feel like he doesn't care about us most of the time. Heaven forbid he ever comes to one of my soccer games, but he wants me to drop everything to go meet his new whore.”
“Okay, while I do agree with you on some parts, I don't know that it’s fair to call her a whore. Youdon't know her. She may be nice. If you want to be mad at your dad, fine, but this woman hasn't done anything wrong.”
She nods, but it’s probably just to shut me up.
Her voice lowers a little. “The whole thing just sucks.”
“Eve, come on. What’s up? You haven’t gotten this worked up about your dad in years.”
“I guess later this year, there’s going to be a camping trip through school. All of my friends are already talking about going with their dads. It’s basically turned into a father-daughter trip.”
“Oh,” I mumble, trying to think of something else to say.
Thankfully, she keeps talking, buying me a little more time. “I decided to ask Dad because I think maybe it could be a good bonding thing for us.”
“And he said no?”
“Not exactly.”
I run my fingers through my hair. “Okay, Eve. I love you, but can we skip ahead a little without me having to pry it out of you?”
