19

"See? You just needed to give it some time," Daniella says, resting her butt on the hood of my car. "Or he knows that we followed him, that's also an option."

I groan, trying to fish out the car keys from my pocket, "Don't say that, you're getting me nervous."

"Are you sure you can drive home? I can take you," she says, playfully raising her eyebrows as I squint my eyes at her. "You said you are nervous, it can influence your driving."

"I'm fine," I say, standing in between her legs and pulling her into a hug. "Tell your mom that dinner was amazing," I whisper, planting a kiss on her lips. "I'll call you later to let you know of the tea."

"Alright," she chuckles, pulling me into another kiss before fully standing up and letting me go.

It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out how to turn the car's headlights on — I should really have paid attention to Parker's explanation instead of letting my imagination wander off to all the naughty things Daniella and I did last night. But it's fine, it's like a treasure hunt.

I didn't think much of the message when I received it but now that I'm going home, I'm suddenly feeling very anxious, to the point that I took the longest route possible and drove as slowly as I could when there weren't any cars behind me. I'm not mentally ready to be scolded if he wants to discuss us following him, but I have a feeling it isn't about that.

I parked my car in the driveway next to his. Thinking about it, I never got to tell him that I got a new car, no wonder though, I barely see him now that he's secretly dating a random Christian lady from Dani's school or whatever.

"Dad?" I call as I close the front door.

"In the kitchen, challah," he calls back, he doesn't sound mad so it definitely isn't about the stalking.

"Hey," I say, standing at the door awkwardly watching him wash the dishes. "You said you wanted to talk."

"Ah yes, about that..." he dries his hand on a hand towel, looking at me with an equally awkward smile. "How do I even say it... it's a bit embarrassing," he sighs. "I didn't want to say it before it was official, but you do have the right to know, and I shouldn't have lied to you in the first place."

"Oh," is all I can say, I mean, what else is someone supposed to say? "What is it?"

"I finally got myself a girlfriend," he says as if it's obvious, it's not like I didn't know, I stalked him after all but wouldn't it be weird if I had guessed it correctly?

"I'm happy for you," I say genuinely, I really am but that doesn't mean I forgot that he lied. "When will I get to meet her?"

"Soon," he says quickly. "It's still all very new between us."

I nod my head waiting for him to share anything else about this new girlfriend of his but he simply gives me a pat on the head, wishing me a goodnight and leaving for his room. Maybe he doesn't know that she teaches at the same school as Daniella, even though I did tell him which one she went to, and it's not like there are many Catholic high schools in town — actually, I'm pretty sure this is the only one.

It'll definitely make things harder for me and Daniella. Not that I think she'd snitch when she finds out, she's dating my father after all, unless he messes up and she does it by revenge. Or maybe I'm looking way too much into the future, I haven't even met her yet — but I do wonder how accepting she'd be of a lesbian couple... I shouldn't be generalizing. just because she teaches at a Catholic school doesn't mean she's homophobic, or religious for that matter. Daniella is teaching there after all.

⁂

"He's acting weird, as if he's hiding something else," I groan, helping Soph pick up a huge box from the pickup truck, filled to the brim with flower ornaments. "And he didn't even notice that I bought a car... it was literally parked beside his!"

Soph glares at the delivery man that is peacefully smoking a cigarette instead of helping us unload the truck, not that we mind but it is in the contract that the delivery man would unload the truck, but this guy never did. "He's lovestruck," Soph says, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a tissue. Mondays are always the most tiring, and it starts right at the first hour of the morning with all the restocking. "I mean, I'm up for more investigating, you know I love me some good drama."

"I don't think this can be investigated though, it just feels odd."

"He did take his kippah off when he met her... I've never seen him without it, I had no idea he had a bald spot!"

"Wait, I didn't know either!" I gasp at the realization. "Wait! He did take his kippah off!"

"That's what I'm saying!"

"Do you think he's hiding it from her?" I ask, not being able to control all the theories growing inside my head, even though I did promise Daniella that I would wait for him to open up to me before jumping to conclusions.

"That's a possibility," she hums but the conversation gets cut short by the first influx of clients coming in.

I couldn't help but think about it as I worked, it's so weird and out of character for my dad that it doesn't even sound real... Not that I think he's doing something wrong but something is definitely not right.

"This store is in some serious need of a good renovation, it's so old dated," Soph blurts out as she wipes down the counter. "But I tell that to my mom, she'd go ballistic."

"I think it's kinda cute—"

"Anna, every time I put this apron on, I want to commit sui— Good morning, ma'am," she says, completely switching her composure the moment the door opens. "The orchid bouquet, right? We already have it ready for you. I'll get it at the back."

I smile at the elderly lady as Soph quickly disappears in the back of the store, even though she's that kind of old person that never says good morning back, and always looks at you like those grumpy Persian cats. She's a regular at the store, every Monday she comes for her orchids, and according to Soph, she's been coming for years.

Orchids are the best flowers to leave on a graveyard, after all, they last the longest after being cut but they also mean love and strength. Usually, the people that come regularly do so for that purpose. It's both beautiful and sad, it's beautiful because that means the dead aren't being forgotten but sad that we don't do that for the living.

I should visit Ed. It's been a while since I visited his grave, not because I don't have the time or the willingness to do so, but because I can't help but feel extreme sadness and angst whenever I do, it isn't comforting or reassuring — every visit is just a reminder that he's dead.

Soph sighs slouching her shoulders the moment the old lady leaves the store. "Not even a thank you."

"I don't get why you're so bent on wanting her to be nice to you... I've never even heard her voice, I'm not even sure if I've ever seen her mouth move."

"I've heard her speak to my mother before, but even then it was the bare minimum," Soph groans. "I just don't get it."

"Some people are like that and there's nothing we can do about it," I pat her back. "Maybe she's just really bad at communicating but I'm sure she appreciates your kindness."

"I even tied an extra bow on the bouquet, do you think she noticed?"

"I'm sure she did."

She lets out another heavy sigh. "But going back to the store situation, we really should do something about it, I'm sure we'd get so many more clients if we renovated the store. The vintage look is beautiful but not when the paint is faded and peeling away."

"You're going to ask me to help you persuade your mom won't you?"

"You know me too well," she smirks at me. "She's always nice when it comes to you."

"Fine, but only if you treat me to ice cream after we close the store."

"Deal."

The day went by fairly quickly, there weren't as many clients today as usual, but I'm blaming that on the fact that it's Monday and that the weather is slowly getting a bit chilly, especially in the early mornings and at night. The summer is ending and so is the flower craze, the colorful flower decor will soon be replaced by dead branches in many households to welcome the fall season.

"How are things with Jenny?" I ask as we sit down at one of the park benches to eat our ice cream.

"She calls me nearly every night, the distance sucks but it's fine, it's a way of testing my patience," she says, wiggling her eyebrows. "Plus, she'll be coming back for Thanksgiving... That's only like, that's like, two and a half months from now?"

"I never thought I'd see you like this," I chuckle. "It seems so unlike you, weren't you the one that told me dating is stupid and unnecessary when you can have the freedom to get with anyone whenever you want to?"

"Look, I'm a changed person — like Dani, wasn't she super mean? Now she's all cute and stuff."

"She still is though, I happen to be the exception... most of the time at least," I groan. "But that's not the point, don't you dare hurt Jenny, she's too pure for that."

"Aren't you only saying that because you hurt her first?" she raises her eyebrows.

"Right... but you two are dating now, it's different."

"I'm not going to sleep around behind her back if that's what you're thinking, Anna," she sighs.

"I wasn't thinking that."

She playfully squints her eyes at me. "Yes, you were, and I don't blame you but you have to believe me when I tell you that old Soph is gone, I'm serious about this."

"I do believe you, I'm seeing it with my own two eyes," I say, resting my head on her shoulder. "I'm happy for you."

"I am too," she chuckles, leaning her own head on top of mine. "About your dad..."

"I'll just wait, there's no use in stressing over it — he did end up telling me about his new girlfriend."

"Ah sucks, then I shouldn't tell you that I just saw him going inside that cafe with a woman," she says amusedly, making my head immediately shoot up.

"What?"

"I'm joking, but see? You're totally into some more investigating."

I glare at her, making her laugh. "Don't taunt me, I'm trying to be mature and patient."

"Two words that have nothing to do with you, sweetheart. I bet he only told you about her because you made it very clear that you knew something was up."

"Do you think he'll try to avoid a meet-up between us if I don't keep insisting?" I ask, thinking about it, that's a huge possibility given he wasn't even willing to share her name, it's obvious he doesn't really want me to meet her. But why?

"I'm not sure but she does work at Daniella's school, why don't you ask her to do some digging?"

"I don't think she'd agree, she was the one that told me it was best to let him open up first," I hum. "But she does love to gossip so maybe she would."

⁂

I call Daniella the moment I make it into my room, it takes a while until she answers. "Hey," she says, usually she'd greet me with a "hey baby" unless she's with someone, which I'm guessing must be her mom.

"Hey ray-bae, are you home?"

"I just came in," she chuckles, I can hear her walking up the stairs as Slippers happily barks and jumps around her — I've seen that scene so many times that it's impossible not to visualize it. "How was your day?"

"Good, how was yours, a lot of work?"

"You have no idea," she groans. "Their first test is coming up and these kids are no joke, all of them applied for extra tutoring, even the really smart ones, what a pain."

"Hey, you've tutored me before, did you also think I was a pain?"

"You were an extra pain, most kids forget what they learn after a day, you'd forget it after a few minutes," she groans, closing the door to her room.

"So mean," I sigh, laying down on my bed and it only took the sound of my body hitting the mattress for Potato to come running upstairs and into my room, jumping on top of me and making herself comfortable on top of my back. "I always wondered when it was that you started liking me, so it definitely wasn't during that time."

"I honestly can't tell exactly when."

"An estimate then?"

"Maybe but I'm not telling you," she says playfully. "How was your day?"

"It was alright, no rich customers ordering 100 roses today," I joke. "But I went to get some ice cream with Soph after work."

She hums and I can hear clothes being moved around. "Let me guess, you two were making up more theories about your dad."

"No?" I say, trying to sound convincing but failing miserably. "Maybe?"

"And now you're going to ask me to help you with something, won't you?"

"Are you a wizard?"

"No, you're just that predictable."

"Alright, I was going to ask you to get some sort of information on that woman that you work with, it's alright if you don't want to though."

"I'm surprised you didn't ask that sooner actually," she sighs. "Fine."

"Why do I have a feeling you were waiting for me to ask because you actually want to do it?"

"Nonsense," she says with a hint of humor.

"Uhum, I'll treat you to a nice dinner as compensation after all of this, what do you say?"

"Asking me out on a date?" she chuckles.

"Yup, I'll pick you up this time around, and don't worry, I'll choose somewhere quiet and discreet."

"It's a plan then."

"Anna, dinner is ready," I hear from downstairs, my dad is once again experimenting with his recipes and I can nearly smell the scent of burnt onions from my room.

I bid Daniella a quick goodbye, reluctantly going downstairs. "Practicing for a special dinner for your new girlfriend?" I ask, looking at the set table, it doesn't look all that bad but I know for a fact that the rice is burned on the bottom.

"Yup, I thought I'd invite her over someday soon so you can meet her, and what's best than homemade food?"

Literally anything? I think, sitting down on a chair. "That's really sweet," I mumble as he sits in front of me.

"What's with that car outside?" he asks, serving me a spoonful of the cursed rice.

"It's mine," I say, raising my eyebrows. He simply hums, not attempting to prolong the conversation.

⁂

It was around 12 am when Daniella called, asking me out for lunch so we could speak about what she found out about my dad's girlfriend. She refused to give me any information through the phone because people on her end could hear it, adding to my anxiety, but I also couldn't help but notice that there was a change in her voice — almost as if she was distraught.

We agreed to meet at a restaurant we usually have lunch at, it's calm and it's probably going bankrupt because, aside from the same guy that is always there, we're the only two that also have lunch there from time to time. The food is pretty good though.

Daniella was already there when I came in, sitting at the farthest table. She smiles at me as I approach her but I can tell that she's trying to mask something else. "Hey baby, I already ordered for us, they only have Philly cheesesteak pasta today, is that ok?"

"Yup, that's fine," I answer automatically, even though I have no idea what that is, taking the opportunity that the waitress is distracted behind the counter to plant a quick kiss on her lips. "So, tell me everything," I say, sitting in front of her.

She lets out a heavy sigh. "I'll be honest, I couldn't really reach out to her directly, she's pretty reserved and reticent but from what I've gathered... we're in a complicated situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Her name is Denise Rush, and we were wrong, she's not a teacher — she's the principal's assistant."

"So we're extra screwed. I mean, it was already bad if she was a teacher, this is just another level of we're screwed," I groan, pausing for a moment as the waitress put down our plates. "I thought you said we couldn't judge people by their profession though."

"Yeah but this is different, this woman is pretty strict, I've been told she convinced the principal to expel two students because they were a couple — and they were straight," she furrows her eyebrows, glancing at me. "If she finds out we're dating, which she will pretty soon — given she's dating your dad — she'll definitely let the principal know. Worse yet, if she finds out I used to be your teacher... Anna, my teaching career is done for."

"What do we do?" I ask, already expecting the worst.

"I'll start looking for another school, maybe one out of town but still close," she says, resting her hand on top of mine reassuring me. I didn't even notice how nervous I was until I let out all the air I was holding in.

"But she's dating my dad, would she really snitch on you like that?"

"From what I've heard, she'd as easily leave your dad because of it," she glances at me. "You'll understand when you meet her."