Page 40 of One Little Problem
I stared at the pictures, eyes glued to them and unable to look away, until Dad spoke again. “Alright, why did you break up?”
“We had a disagreement.” I watched my father’s face to see if he would let me get away with a vague, general statement. Not a chance, my dad’s face said. “About me staying here for the summer.”
His eyes widened. “You what?! Ryan—"
“Don’t punish me, you wouldn’t really kick me while I was down, would you?” I had already used that one, but I’m too sad to be creative. Plus, I thought the thing about Luke being a communist sympathizer was pretty good.
“Now I really will kill him,” he said angrily. “See, I knew he wasn’t any good for you—"
“Dad.”
“How could he want you to stay here? You’re too bright to waste time on some guy who—”
“Dad.”
“Wait,” he said, seeming to catch on even though all I did was repeat his name. “Who wanted you to stay here for the summer?” I didn’t immediately answer, which was kind of like answering anyway. “Luke broke up with you because you wanted to stay here with him?” Dad asked, wanting to make sure.
“I told him I made up my mind, so he said he had too.” And talking about it was super fun and totally didn’t hurt at all. Said no one ever after going through a breakup. Oh god, I was a person who had gone through a breakup now.
“Guess this is why he was acting weird last time,” Dad said to himself.
“Or maybe he’s just a weird jerk who has a weird broken brain,” I added. One or the other. “But I guess there is a bright side.”
“Good, let’s hear it.” His expression was supportive, but he probably hoped my bright side was going to be something practical and necessary like showering or eating. He should know me better than that, but who knows, the breakup could have messed with my mind.
“Now we can hate on Luke together.” I might not have a boyfriend but at least I had my dad… yeah, that didn’t actually seem like much of a bright side. Just a given, parents were always in your corner. They were supposed to be. But I wasn’t about to feel bad for Luke at a time like this… though, my stupid brain had to point out, it’s not like he had his parents to sit by his bed and comfort him after a breakup.
Stupid brain. And he didn’t even need that probably; he was the one who did the breaking. I was the one broken. Let the trash talking begin. Only my father didn’t begin.
“Son, I would really enjoy that. Normally. It’s just…” My father was a traitor???
“You don’t have any negative comments about Luke?” Up was down, black was white.
He hesitated, then offered, “Sounds like he put you first.”
“Oh no.” Though in my head it was more like, oh no. OH NO. OH HELL NO. OH MOTHER—
“He didn’t mean to out you, I get that—"
“That was a million years ago.”
“For you, but I had trouble letting go of that. With how easy it was for him to hurt you with just a dumb mistake, imagine the kind of grief he could inflict with you two dating.”
“Yeah,” I told him darkly. “I don’t have to imagine.”
“This wasn’t what I had in mind.” Dad hesitated, then told me anyway, “Luke did the right thing.”
“Dad—"
“You’re too stubborn for your own good. Did you give him any choice? Was there another way to get through to you?” Dad didn’t even let me answer before he continued with, “I think I approve of him.”
Shouldn’t even be surprised. This was how my life worked. “Now, when we’re broken up and it’s too late?”
“Sorry son.” He didn’t sound very sorry. He sounded impressed with Luke, the way he did a million years ago when he used to have a man crush on the popular, likable athlete. Man crushes and girl crushes were so dumb. Why have a sort of but not really crush instead of an actual crush? Dumb. A lot of things were dumb right now.
My dad kept talking. “You weren’t watching out for yourself, so he did it for you. That’s what a good boyfriend should do.” I tried to pretend I wasn’t listening so that this would end, but Dad just kept on talking. “And if he’s willing to end things with you even if that’s not what he wants, because he thinks it’s the right thing for you, then it sounds like I was wrong. I could have trusted him or at least, he has my trust now. He earned it.”
Hey, let’s imagine the worst conversation ever to have after my breakup. It’s this, right? This totally wins.
