𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞 || 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟎: 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞

"I remember doing the same even when my mom was around, my dad was my favorite person."

"Was?"

"Oh, yeah, girls have lots of phases. The worst one happens around the time we start dating. A dad's overprotective instincts kick in which makes him tough to deal with. Especially when his daughter is infatuated with a truant that drives a motorcycle who never met a girl they didn't want to sleep with. Dad's will have the urge to lock her in her room until she's twenty five and married to a boring investment banker which will make her resent him."

Despite my statement being a joke it hit closer to home that I'd like to admit.

"Oh my god." He laughs heartily. "I am not looking forward to that. My oldest is getting up there. Just thinking about it scares me to death."

"So, what is it with dad's being overprotective with their daughters and not their son?"

"Instinctively, father's want to protect the women in their lives. When I think about my daughters dating, I think about the kind of guy I was when I was her age. I don't want my daughter anywhere near a guy that resembles who I was. Daughters tend to choose a partner that reminds her of dad because he was the first man she's ever loved. The first representation of a man. Boys don't think the same. They just want sex."

"I like talking to you Bogum. It's insightful and it's taking my mind off of the uncomfortable conversation I'm about to have with my father. Any advice on how to tell my dad I disappointed him."

"He wants what's best for you."

"He wants the best and he worries about me. He's worried himself crazy since my mom left. And I know moving away from him didn't relieve his anxiety."

"I'm sure he understands. He may not like it but he understands."

Nostalgia arose when we passed some of the places I frequented as an adolescent. Parks, restaurants, childhood friends' homes my high school. The air even smelled different and I appreciated that it was much quieter.

I would never leave the city but it was nice to visit the province every once and awhile, take a break from pandemonium and appreciate families riding their bikes along trails, couples walking hand and hand being pulled ahead by their dogs. The myriad of houses and trees and grass.

It was late in the evening the sun hadn't set but I knew tonight I would be able to see the stars something you couldn't do when skyscraper buildings and streetlights obstructed the view of them in the city.

My stomach swelled with nerves as we got closer to my childhood home. It felt like I hadn't been here in ages in reality it might've been a handful of months.

I could smell the grill no doubt coming from my dad's backyard. My dad liked to grill especially on the weekends. He was nothing if not a diehard carnivore. Specifically grilled meat because he couldn't cook much else and he didn't care for his meat to be prepared any other way. And potatoes. Always potatoes sometimes corn.

~

"How does this work?" I ask Bogum when we arrive at my childhood home.

"I stay close by and you call when you need me for anything."

"You could come in if you wanted. My dad's house is basically a free for all." I gestured toward the cars parked in the driveway and along the curb.

"No. I couldn't."

"Okay. Well, thank you, for everything."

"My pleasure." He shakes my hand and smiles walking back to the car.