Page 40 of Back for More

“Kind of? You busy tonight?”

“Depends who’s asking.” I look up at Lily’s bedroom window and see the curtain rustling. I know she’s there. I can feel her there, watching me.

“The wife, I guess. She wants a girls’ night out tonight, so I figured we could have a guy’s night in. With the kids. You down for that?”

“Girls’ night out?” I look back up at the window and the rustling curtains. “Which girls?”

When I hear him take a deep breath, I know the answer. “Does it matter? Come over around seven thirty. You won’t run into her. Bring pizza. And beer.”

“Anything else?”

“Charlotte wants you to play Mario Kart with her.”

“Okay, I’m in. But I’m not letting her win this time.”

“Hah! Good luck with that. See you at seven thirty or whatever.”

“See ya.”

I hang up and turn back to join my dad and Vicky on my dad’s porch.

So, they’re having a girls’ night out? What the fuck does that mean? Drinking and dancing and letting strange guys chat them up? And Neal’s okay with that?

I realize I’m shaking my head.

I realize I am definitely not okay with that.

I realize I am definitely not okay with any of this and that—as always—my dad is right.

I’m going to have to adapt to the circumstances of this new environment.

I’m going to have to change the pattern and start laying the foundation for our future, here and now.