Illicit Affairs

Can you hear me now?

"Hanna!"

"Dad!"

"Oh, my God, there's barely enough
left of you to hug." Dad said.

"I missed you." Hanna said as they hugged.

"Missed you too." He said. "Come here Cassie, I've missed you."

"Can we just get this over with?" I replied walking

"Okay I probably deserved that." Dad said. "Aren't you going to change so we can leave? I would appreciate it if you wore something a little bit more... conservative. It would be better for where we're going."

"Well I would have appreciated if you'd stayed with your family, but I guess we can't always get what we want." Without giving him a chance to respond I left to get my purse.

"Hello Tom." Mom said.

"Ashley. How are you?"

"Good"

"Good. So you ready to go?" He asked us.

"Yep."

"Uh, Ash." Dad said. "Think maybe we got our wires crossed about tonight. My idea was that this would be a good time for me to talk with the girls."

"Oh. I guess I must've misunderstood." Mom said and I could tell she was hurt. "My mistake."

"Does that work for you, honey?" He asked us.

"Um, yeah." My twin said.

"Bye, Mom." Hanna and I said.

"Bye." She said. "Have a good time."

As we walked outside my dad spoke. "It's a new car, so I hope you don't mind if I drive, do you?"

"This is about Sean's car." Hanna realized. "Mom did call you."

"It's a little more complicated than that."

"Let me uncomplicate it for you." Hanna said. If you came here to yell at me, let's go back and get it over with. Or yell at me here so all the neighbors can watch me take my medicine." She snapped at our father. I've never been more proud.

"I didn't come back to yell at anybody." He sighed. I came back to help you through a rough spot. Both of you." He explained.

He was trying to be good but all I could do was laugh humorlessly. "What?" he asked. 

"Help us through a rough spot?" I asked incredulously.

"Cassie—"

"No. You left when we needed you, when I needed. But guess what. I adapted, and I don't need you anymore." I snapped. "So let's just get this diner over with so you can leave again."

At the restaurant, things were tense to say the least.

"I was hoping we could talk about what happened with Sean." He said breaking the silence.

"I was wondering when you were going to bring that up." Hanna murmured.

"I wonder if, uh, all this has a little less to do with Sean and more to do with something else."