Like Fathers, Like Daughter | Bradley Bradshaw

Prologue

    "You said you were leaving to join the Navy!" Hayden said defensively. He barley was inside the house. Just inside the front door.
   "But I never said we were broken up!" I raised my voice as he did. But I soon calmed down. As much as I could. As he said, I'm joining the Navy, as a pilot. Meaning I can't just let my temper control me.
   "I thought it was implied!" Hayden calmed down as well. Taking a breath and sighing. Pinching the bridge of his nose like he did during most of our fights. I'm guessing to let me know that he was irritated by me. Which now was obvious.
     We have been dated for a solid year. Or I guess we were dating. When I made the decision to join, he was one of the first people I told. Other than my parents. We spent time together before I left the next day. But I had forgotten my charger at his place. Looking back, I'm glad I did. I walked into his house, up to his bedroom and there he was, inside someone else. I ditched my charger and left. He followed me home. Luckily I had gathered all his things to give them back before I left. So he could have them back, not because we had broken up, but because I'm pretty sure I can't take much with me. So a box of his stuff was already in my room. I knew he followed me, I rushed to my room and back down to the front door where he had just walked in. The argument started and now the box was on the dining room table.
    "I would have said that we were breaking up. We literally had sex after I told you." I tried to keep my voice down. It wasn't late but I would rather my father didn't hear what was going on. Even though I know he was probably at the top of the stairs, waiting to punch the lights out of Hayden if I wanted him to. I don't. I can handle things myself.
    "I thought it was goodbye sex." He crossed his arms over his chest. Knowing his biceps would be distracting. They were. He's wearing a muscle shirt and his tanned skin was exactly what you think a California boy would have.
   "I never said it was. I thought we would work it out. Go long distance. It's not unheard of Hayden." I say. Putting my hands on my hips. But I sigh. Trying to work this out maturely. I am 18 now.  "Look, we can put this behind us. It was a simple mistake."
    "I don't think that's a good idea." Hayden said.
    "Just apologize and we can do long distance." I say. My eyes drifting away from his. "I'll be able to call you, I can send letters, we can text, I can send pictures, it will be like you are there with me. And-"
    "It wasn't the first time." He interrupted me.
    I look back up at him slowly. "What?" I asked. Wondering if I was hearing him right, or understanding him.
    "It wasn't the first time I...cheated on you." He sounded sorry. Like he was ashamed. But he's used this voice before and it's never sincere.
    "When was the first time?" I asked. My lips forming a hard line. If my dad isn't going to come down and punch him, I was about to.
   "Back in November..." it's May. "It kept happening..." He said, as if it wasn't his fault.
   "Thank you for your honesty." I grab the box and shove it into his perfect stomach. Not caring if I hurt him. "Fuck off." I snapped.
    "Christina..." he takes the box. "I'm sorry."
    The apology meant nothing to me. Not now. "Go."
    "Chris."
    "I said go!"
   He pulls the door open and steps out into the warm evening air. I closed the door behind him and locked both the door handle and the deadbolt. Turning quickly on my heal, I rushed to the staircase. Storming up it and to my bedroom. Closing the door quickly behind me. I walked to my dresser, yanking it open roughly. Grabbing a sweater and slipping it on over my head. Sliding my arms in the sleeves. I use my hands to pull out my shoulder length black hair from the collar of the sweater. I closed the drawer before walking to my bed. Putting a Queen album on my record player before I sit on the floor with my back against my bed. My knees against my chest.
There was a knock at the door, then it opened. It's my dad. Before I even look up I know it's him. He always knocks then walks in, in these situations. Since he knows I always welcome him in since he helps comfort me. He takes his usual spot with me. Next to me on the ground. My head falls onto his shoulder. His arm wrapped around me and that's when the tears start. Always when I'm in his arms. I've always been close with him.
My father, Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell and my mother, Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, split not too long after I was born. At first they had joint custody of me, until I started to mainly stay at my dad's because mom was always busy with work.
Crying on my father's shoulder was a usual thing by now. Breakup after breakup, he always knocks on my door. There for me for as long as I need him to be.
    "It wasn't the first time..." I mumbled. Sniffling and quickly wiping my cheeks with my sleeve.
    His chin rest on my head. When I was little, he would pull me into his lap and wrap a blanket around me. Now, I'm a little too big for that. He didn't speak, just rubbed my shoulder. I know he would mumble and cuss about how there are no good men anymore. Or women, since I swing for both teams. I seem to have a type. Toxic people who only care about themselves. My phone buzzed in my pocket, I pull it out.
'Hayden<3'
I don't even bother with it, or him. Handing the phone over to my dad. He ends the call and quickly blocks him from my phone. Deleting the contact and the texts. He handed it back over and I block and delete him from social media. Including deleting all the posts of us in my end.
I got it all out. He was silent the whole time. Then when I started to calm down, he spoke up. "Alright we're going to Larry's."
Larry's is a small pub in town that my dad and I frequent a lot. Especially when I don't feel like cooking. I agreed, nodding before getting it. Larry's didn't have the best food but it was more of a homey place. He leaves me to get ready. I rinsed my face with cold water before grabbing my leather jacket and slipping on a pare of boots. I only bothered to grab my phone before slipping it on my pocket and rushing to the front door. Where dad was waiting in his usual brown leather jacket with patches. He's had it since he was in the navy and I'm surprised it hasn't fallen apart by now. Thirty plus years later. I can't wait to get mine.
   We could take my truck, or dad's car, but we both made a silent agreement with our jackets, we were taking our bikes. Riding them out of our garage and heading towards the pub. As we arrived, we both parked outside it and walked inside. I put on a smile as usual, the both of us sitting at the bar. Dad orders a beer for him and I order a cherry cola. The glass gets placed in front of me and I take a sip of it.
    I feel a hand in my shoulder. My head turns and Iceman sits down next to me. Dad must have called him before we left. My other dad. Oh yeah, how could I forget? Maverick and Ice got married when I was 2. Dating almost instantly after Mav and Charlie split. He leans over and kisses my head.
     "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks, his hand staying on my back as he sits down next to me.
     I shake my head. "Not now."
     "Ok, Chrissy." He orders himself a beer as well.
     Now let me tell you what kind of parents they are. Maverick is the type of dad to bring out a shot gun when I brought home my first boyfriend. In 8th grade. Ice is the type of dad who takes me out for ice cream after I get an A on a test that we both worked so hard at studying for. And they both are the type of dads to take me to Disney land when I got suspended for 3 days from school for defending myself against a bully to pinched my butt and called my parents the F slur. They asked me if I was going to be one since they are ones too. For the record, I am. Two bisexual men raised a bisexual female. Of course that's not how it works but it definitely helped growing up in a house where both of my parents told me I can love who I want to. I can cry on their shoulders, talk to them when I'm having boy troubles, they support me and my hobbies no matter how crazy they seem, and they believe that I can do anything I put my mind to. Even when I was having trouble in school thanks to my ADHD, they never were disappointed. They never got angry when my grades slipped. They assessed the problem and did what they could to help me.
As much as I am a Mitchell, I'm also a Kazansky.
     I've always seen Ice as my dad. Especially since I barely interact with my mom. And I was so young when Mav and Charlie left. But Maverick always says he sees her in me. With my smarts. I got her Astrophysics brain while I got Mav's looks. Or that's what everyone tells me. Despite my ADHD, science and math were always my best subjects. When I could focus on them that is.
Throughout dinner, I explained the situation to my dads. Thankfully I had gotten all of the tears out at home, so now it was anger. I could feel how all three of us were angry. It's the same thing that happens each time I got out of a bad relationship. Well one thing is for sure, I will be able to focus on the academy and the navy instead of having a relationship to weigh me down and keep me from reaching my potential as a pilot. After all, it's in my blood.