Page 55 of All I Desire

“Sure. I sure can.” It breaks my heart to think that she’s so worried about her image at the age of ten, so I change the subject as I unbuckle her safety harness. “I think you’re really going to have fun on Sunday. My friend, er, friends, have organized a pretty awesome party. I’m told there will be more than a few kids your age there from the local school. Kids you’ll probably be in class with.”

“Friend? As in girlfriend?” For a ten-year-old, Chloe is razor sharp.

I undo my own harness and clear my throat. Tonight wasn’t the planned evening for a conversation about Natalia, mostly because I’m not sure what Natalia is to me yet. I’m hoping she’s girlfriend material, but dammit, it’s so soon. Too soon to introduce her to my daughter as someone important in my life.

In our lives.

“Friend as in friend. Her name’s Natalia. She’s someone I met here. I’ve been meeting a lot of people in the last couple of weeks. Business friends, neighbor friends, island friends. C’mon, I’ll help you climb out.”

I’d hoped that introducing Chloe to Natalia at the party, around lots of other people, would ease everyone into the situation. Less pressure for all.

I wriggle my way through the one hatch on the left side — that’s the only problem with this plane, it’s a bitch for tall people — then help Chloe out. She loves climbing aboard and exiting the plane. The hatch is almost like something out of a kid’s playground; that’s probably why.

We stand on the asphalt, the dark night sky overhead. “Just gonna grab your bags,” I say. Most of her stuff is already here because I sent movers over last week. “Bet it’s gonna feel good to be back with all your things.”

“Yeah. Dad? Don’t change the subject. Mom says you have a girlfriend.”

I hoist one duffel out of the plane with a grunt, then her laptop bag. Dammit Yvette.

“That’s not entirely true, Chloe. I met Natalia and she’s a friend. But that’s all.”

“Hmm. Has Uncle Chad or Grandma met her?”

“No.” I haul the suitcases to the front of the house and set them on the doorstep, fumbling for the keys. The thought of my half-brother — recovering alcoholic, sometimes jerk, arrogant hedge fund manager in New York — meeting Natalia almost makes me laugh. Something tells me they’d be like oil and water.

“Has Aunt Hailey met her?”

“No.” Crap, that reminds me, I still need to call my sister to see if she’ll be here by Sunday for the party. She was supposed to be here tomorrow, but her work as a reporter meant that she had to cover a breaking news story in New York about some blackout in the city. Unlike my suspicions about my half-brother, I’d bet money that Natalia and Hailey will be fast friends.

“I got a text from Aunt Hailey. She says she’s coming Sunday night. She got a few extra vacation days, so she’s staying a full ten days. Wanna see the text? She also sent the funniest gif of BTS.”

I twist the key in the lock, mildly annoyed that my sister decided to text my ten-year-old with her itinerary rather than me. But Hailey and Chloe have always had a special bond, so I let it go. “Okay, cool. I’ll call her later. Is BTS Justin Bieber’s new band?”

Chloe dissolves into giggles. I am a cool dad. I know BTS from Justin Bieber from Harry Styles, but I love teasing her about the K-pop group.

The door swings open and Chloe goes running through the house, probably to her room. It’s nine at night and I’m beat to shit. Between a full day of work, the sex earlier with Natalia, and the flight over and back to Fort Lauderdale, all I want is to relax with a beer in front of the TV.

“Daddy, I love the bunk beds! If I make friends, can I have sleepovers?” Chloe shouts from down the hall, her voice filled with childish glee. All of her seriousness from a few minutes before has vanished — quick shifts in mood, I’m told, are common in tween girls. “Please? Like slumber parties? This is the best room ever!” She hugs a stuffed unicorn — the one Natalia brought over.

Sleepovers? Oh shit.

Buckle up, dude. The next few years are going to be like this, times a million.

“Please? Please? Oooh, I hope I make friends at Sunday’s party.” She’s sitting on the bed, bouncing, her straight, auburn hair flopping in her face.

“I’m certain you will, Cubster.” I roll the bags into the room.

“Daddy, oh-em-gee! You framed my Jin poster!” Chloe’s voice is a squeal as she flops back on the bed, staring at her K-pop idol.

Tween years, here we come.

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