Sink Into Me

33: Real Date

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I picked up the phone. "Hello?" I croaked.

And then I immediately pulled it away from my ear as the shouting began. I glanced at Michael's still sleeping body and turned the volume down on the phone.

I let my phone balance on my forehead, then my nose, then my mouth before bringing it back to my ear to listen to the last of my fathers fuming rant.

"...The man is twenty-three years old! And your teacher? What possessed you to 'hook up'," He said disgustedly. "With someone five years older than you?!"

I clenched my jaw and sprung up from the bed to run downstairs to the study and out the door to stand on the steps leading into the forest. I didn't want to wake Michael up although I know he'd probably still be able to hear me.

"Listen, Dad--"

"No, you listen--"

"No, father you listen. You are five years and eleven months older than mom. Technically, Michael and I are four years and four months apart. I turn nineteen before he turns twenty four."

There was silence. "Yes, but--"

"No dad." I paced up and down the cold granite steps. "You love mom. You married her because you love her. The age difference didn't matter at all. I love Michael and the age gap between us both doesn't matter to me and it doesn't matter to him. I'm eighteen years old. I'm almost nineteen. I make my own decisions."

There was silence on his end for what seemed like forever. I sat down on the step and sighed. I was still tired from lack of sleep. I didn't know what time it was, but judging by the suns placement in the sky, it was probably eleven maybe even twelve. 

"Is he really what you want?"

I crossed one leg over the other. "Yes."

"Then I respect your decision." That was fast. "Your mother and I had problems with our relationship back when we first started dating because her father wouldn't accept our age difference. She was twenty-three and I was almost twenty-nine. We stuck with each other through thick and thin and look. We have two beautiful children and now one is in a similar situation. I promise I will stand behind you. Michael seemed like a wonderful man."

"He is." Too damn wonderful. "And thank you."

He sighed. "Now... Sweetie, are you... Being... Safe?"

...What.

 "...What did you just say to me?"

"You know..." He cleared his throat over the line. "Are you and him... Being... Safe."

I could practically feel the blood draining from my face. "W-what?"

"Are you using protection?" He asked bluntly.

"DAD!!" I yelled. My voice echoed through the trees and I slapped my hand over my mouth. If Michael wasn't awake, then he sure as hell was now.

"Honey, I don't want an unplanned pregnancy when you've just started university."

"Jesus, dad!" I moved my hand from my mouth. "How- Why- What's wrong with you?" I whisper yelled. "These are mom questions not dad questions this is why I have a mother."

"Evangeline--"

"Okay, here's the truth. And don't go screaming at me for saying it. Michael and I haven't... Gotten to that stage in our relationship. And even if we were to have forgotten... Protection... Mom put me on the pill when I turned seventeen."