Amaranth

12

"David." His dad burst into the room without knocking.



He'd forgotten to lock the door. His eyes widened as he scrambled for an explanation. Any explanation.



"I can explain," he blurted.



His dad looked right past her and locked eyes with him. "There's no need. It was your turn to pick up the grocery. If you leave now, there's still time."



"Oh, okay...." he trailed off as his eyes shifted over to hers. She was as calm as she ever was. "I'll leave right away."



"Sounds good." The door closed before he could utter another word. He couldn't understand what just happened. One moment, his dad was barging in, and in the next, he didn't even bother to ask David about the girl in his room. He was sure his dad was going to lecture him for an eternity for catching him with a girl, especially after he made a promise to get his priorities straight.



They had fallen back into the same routine they had when his mother was still alive. Of course there were some major changes, one being his mother, but he and his dad had gotten over the majority of their differences and had resumed their relationship as best as they could. It was still nowhere nearly as strong as what it once was, but at least they had an understanding now.



"Are you okay?" she asked. He looked shaken.



"Yeah ... it's just, I thought Dad was-he didn't even stop to say hi to you. It's not like him." The wheels in his head spun at twice the speed. "It was like he didn't even see you." He glanced at her.



She glanced back. Her shoulders came up and went back down.



David got up and made for the door. "Come on. I want to introduce you to him."



"Okay."



She waited for him as he grabbed his wallet off the shelf. Then they walked downstairs together and found his dad in the living room reading a book with the TV switched onto some old reruns, background music as David's father liked to call it.



"Dad, this is-"



"Huh?" His dad looked up. "Here take my car." He waited as his dad dug up the car keys from the recess of his pocket.



In one swift motion, the keys launched from father to son. David caught them easily. "Dad, this is-" He turned around and motioned Amaranth to his side. She had been idling by the staircase.



"What?" his dad asked, half of his attention already gone as he looked past David.



David spun around again to make sure she was behind him. His dad shot him a questioning look.



"Should I get dinner for three?"



"Three? Who else is coming over?"



David sputtered as he gestured to a strip of air. "Never mind. I'll be back in a bit."



"Drive safe." He resumed his book as if nothing had changed. Words threatening to consume him once more.



Amaranth waved.



"That was weird," he said once they were situated in his dad's car.



"It was?"



"Yeah." He faced her then started the engine. "He didn't even make me introduce you, and he acted like you weren't even there. Like you didn't exist...."



He shook his head. It wasn't right. Other people could see her. They'd talked to her and interacted with her. But how was it possible that his dad acted like she wasn't there? He didn't like where his thoughts were heading, so he shut them up and drove.

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November 24, 2014