Page 25 of Check You Out

My gaze darts to my father, expecting some sort of barb or sharp words regarding how I don’t work hard enough.

He only nods and says, “Good plan. What sort of job do you think you’ll get?”

“Uh,” I croak out. “I’m not sure yet.” I wonder if he’s going to ask me to work at his law office.

“Isn’t there a cute little bookstore in Summerville?” Mags asks. “You’d like working there.”

Dan grins. “Yes, you’d definitely like that.” There’s no bite of edge to his voice. It’s like he’s stating a fact.

I flinch, expecting something else about reading. Growing up, Dan always wanted me to read important texts, like self-help books on gaining success or public speaking, finding my desire to read fiction reprehensible.

But the verbal slap never comes.

The waiter comes by to take drink orders, interrupting our conversation. Mags and I order water to accompany our drinks, and Dan orders a diet soda. I study him for a few seconds before staring down at my own drink as the waiter goes over the specials. He ordered a diet soda. A diet soda. No expensive scotch. I didn’t even know he liked soda.

I blink a couple of times and glance over at Mags. She shrugs and says something about the weather.

Silence falls over me.

My gaze darts between both of my parents, confusion rising. My stomach flips multiple times as the anxiety builds. Something’s not right. Things aren’t going to schedule. We’ve skipped the first lecture about me and my bad choices. We should have at least one statement bragging about his girlfriend, and then we’ll have the second “I’m so disappointed in you, Aidan” lecture. Small talk about the weather isn’t slated until after the uncomfortable silence that follows.

Did my father fall into the faerie world and get replaced with a kinder version of himself?

“So, Dan, how’s Stella?” Mags asks, mentioning his most recent girlfriend. Honestly, I wish she was here. She’s a nice person and makes things less awkward.

He shrugs. “We broke up some time ago.”

Typical. So typical of my father to date a great woman and then dump her unceremoniously. She probably was no longer serving whatever need he was hoping to fulfill. I could say something. I could say how disappointed I am in him, how great Stella was, and how he ruined it.

But I do not. One, I would be acting like him, which I avoid doing in most aspects of my life. Two, I want to avoid the “My Life is None of Your Business, Aidan” lecture. Which turns into the, “Why Do You Criticize Our Son?” remark from Mags.

Dan starts talking, “She broke up with me.” His gaze falls to his lap. “Because I fucked it up.”

I choke on my water. Is he telepathic? Who even is this man? Changeling Dan is scaring me.

Before I can process the statement further, the waiter comes by and takes our order. I get street tacos and brussels sprouts, the cheaper options. The last thing I need is Dan to criticize me for ordering something expensive.

“Hmm…” he mutters when it’s his turn to order. “I’ll have the same thing.”

I blink and make eye contact with Mags. She shrugs and rolls her eyes. The waiter leaves and she turns to face my father. “I’m sorry to hear things with Stella didn’t work out. But how are you?”

His gaze falls to the table. “I’m alright. I’ve been going to therapy and that’s been helping.”

“What?” Mags and I say simultaneously.

“Wait,” I remark, courage building in my chest. “You said that therapy was for weak minded individuals that couldn’t fix their problems on their own. You railed on me when I went to a counseling center in college because I was stressed out over finals.” I plant my hands on the table. “You’re going to therapy?”

He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, taking up the defensive stance that I know too well. “Do you have a problem with me going to therapy? I thought you’d be pleased.”

I blink and study him for a moment, my jaw slack. “I-I-I am. I’m very happy you’re doing this.” I let out the breath I was holding. That explains why he’s acting so differently. “I just was not expecting it, and I’m a little shocked.”

He nods and then proceeds to tell us about how Stella left him because he was too critical and tried to control her. I don’t have to look over at Mags to know that she’s just barely holding in a laugh. I can imagine the words Stella used with him.

Our food arrives in the middle of his story, and Mags and I eat in silence while he continues. Dan talks about how he was drowning his sorrows at a bar in Georgetown when a stranger walked up and started talking to him. That stranger turned out to be a therapist and Dan started having sessions with him. He recaps some of the discussions he’s had so far.

“I’ve given up drinking,” Dan says at the end of his story.

I scrunch my face. “You gave up scotch?”