WANTED: Love advice

3. Dad

“Hey dad.”

Michael looked up.

“Ash! Good to see you!”

“Yeah…” Ash sat down facing his father. He’s found him by his usual spot in the coffee shop. It was not hard finding him because the coffee shop was just near their house. Ash knew deep inside that he sat there so he can watch his mom.   

“So Ash? How are you? How’s school?”

“Good.”

“Do you need anything? Do you need money?-”

“No no—I’m fine. I don’t need anything.” His dad always asked the same questions. Ash knew he was just trying to make up for his absence. After all, Michael left the house when Ash was five. He and Delia weren’t divorced, so when he came to see Ash, it always turned into rough fights.

Ash didn’t mind being around him, so Delia no longer said anything about it, but when he tries to come near her, she turns into a monster.

“Oh, I know! You’ll have to wait a little bit more for the car, Ash. I promise I’ll get you any car you want, just give me a little more time okay?”

Ash blinked. He never asked for a car, but hey, he didn’t mind either. “Okay…?”

“It’s a man’s promise!” Michael said before he took a sip of his cup of coffee.

“Uhm, okay. I wanted to talk about other stuff… not that.”

“Other stuff? Like?”

“You do remember Misty, the girl I told you about… right?”

Michael leaned forward and grinned. “Of course I do! What happened between you and her?”

“Nothing. I’m still trying to… you know.”

“Oh, do you want to talk about sex?”

“NO!” Ash immediately snapped. Everyone in the coffee shop turned toward him. He slowly turned to look at his father. “I meant… no.” Ash certainly didn’t want to talk about sex in the coffee shop.

“Okay—okay, I get it…” Michael nodded and held his hands up in front of him. “You don’t want to talk about s-”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then what’s wrong? I don’t get what you’re hinting at.”

Ash was already thinking he, again, has sought the wrong person. His dad thought instantly about sex and that was a bad sign.

“Hey Ash, no need to be shy, It’s totally normal to get those thoughts about girls.”

“Dad-”

“You don’t have to share those thoughts with her, but you have to let her know that you’re interested.”

What was Ash thinking anyway? Seeking advice from his father who isn’t even able to work out his own relationship and get a divorce. His mother always slams the door at his face anyway, and the bouquet of flowers he buys for her always end up smashed onto him. Ash could swear his mother has used every item in her kitchen to hit him across the face.

“Do you have a picture of her anyway? You could use that.”

No, Ash did certainly NOT want to talk about masturbation. It was totally out of question. He decided he was going to leave this place and never ask his father about girls ever again—and forget about this conversation.

“I—well, I need to go. I have homework.” Ash pushed his chair to the back and got up. He smiled nervously.

“Oh, okay then…” Michael seemed to stare in another direction. He sipped his coffee and added; now looking at Ash, “If you need anything, call me. Okay Ash?”

“Uhm, sure.”

Michael looked away again. Ash turned around, and realized his father was watching his mother who has just left the house.

“Uhm, bye.”

Ash was starting to lose hope in finding a sane person in his family  

“DELIA! DELIA! I SWEAR I LOVE YOU! WAIT!”