A Clean Pair of Eyes

6: Papa

ERIC

"I'm going to have dinner with Papa; do you want to come with me?" I asked Madi. I'd called her on my way to Dad's to get his advice on what to do about the whole situation. I was still in shock that my daughter had a boyfriend, let alone pregnant with the enemy's baby.

"I'm feeling a little sick, Dad. I think I better stay home."

"I'm going to tell him about the baby, okay?" It was her business to tell, but I knew it would be easier for me to talk to my dad about it. I knew it was hard enough for her to tell me. Seeing disappointment in her Papa's eyes was going to be really hard on her.

"Okay."

"Let your sister know I'll be home late tonight. Love you, princess." I wanted to let her know that even though I was upset I was on her side. I knew Josh was grounded, which was hard on Madi with the young love and all.

"I will. I love you too. Give Papa a hug for me."

"Of course. Do you want me to tell your Nana too?" Karin, Aude's mother, and I still had a good relationship. She was like my own mother in a lot of way since I lost my mom over a decade ago. I learned really quick that it didn't matter how old you were, you always needed your mom. That was never more evident than right now.

"Would you?"

"I will." I should have made her tell them. "You know I should make you tell them, right?"

"I know."

"Do you need me to pick up anything for you before I come home later?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay. Let me know if you do need anything."

"I will."

I hung up with Madi and slipped my phone into the cup holder. It was going to be a lot easier to tell Dad about Madison's baby than it was to tell him Aude was pregnant. I was twenty-two when we found out and it was still tough. I felt like I was taking the news surprisingly well. Sure, if Sookie wasn't there when I found out I probably would have tried to kill Josh for his actions with my daughter. Later on I got to thinking and reminded myself it took two to make that choice. I was sixteen once. I remembered what the hormones were like. I didn't have to sweet talk the girls I was with at the time into having sex with me. As much as I didn't want to believe Madi would do something like that, I wasn't naive.

When I pulled into Dad's driveway I sat in the Buick for a minute or so trying to come up with the words to tell him our sweet, innocent Madison wasn't so innocent anymore. When I realized I was never going to be able to come up with the right words I got out of my car and walked up to my dad's back door, letting myself in like I always did.

"Where you at, old man?" I called out as I walked into the kitchen.

"Living room!"

I stopped at the fridge to grab two beers. I still hadn't had that drink. I cracked mine open after setting Dad's down on the table next to him.

"What's new?" I took a seat on the old couch. I tried replacing it for him a million times. He wouldn't have it though. The old man was frugal with him money, He figured a new couch was a frivolous spend since he didn't sit on it anyway.

My dad had built his empire brick by brick from the ground up, literally. He actually built the building he worked out of for over fifty years. He could have had a brand new home with all new furnishings several times over. He was happy with the old house I grew up in, though. He was good with money, and didn't give me dick. Everything I had I earned on my own. I knew a lot of people figured Dad helped me with money or got me clients when I first started out. That wasn't the case. I worked hard for what I had and earned my reputation all on my own.