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"My baby's first date night," Dad sulked as we sat in the living room together. "How'd you get to be so old?"
"Dad," I whined, feeling embarrassed by his words. He had barely said a word about my plans tonight before that moment, so this had come out of nowhere.
"I knew it'd have to happen at some point! I just feel like you ought to still be six years old," he said through a pout which caused me to chuckle. "I know what high school crushes can lead to, you know. I married your mother."
"Dad, no one is marrying anybody."
"I know..." I looked over at him with a raised brow as I waited for him to say something else; I had never quite seen him like this. "Not having your mom here for this kind of thing sort of freaks me out, My. Am I allowed to admit that?"
"I'm surprised you don't admit it more often," I told him before scooting closer to him and laying my head on his shoulder. "Why does it freak you out?"
"I don't know what kind of advice she'd give you, or what she'd think was okay. I felt pretty good about my parenting abilities when you were a kid, but you're not a kid anymore. I sure as hell wasn't nearly as good as you in high school, but that doesn't mean I should allow you to be anything like me... right?"
"Dad, you really don't need to worry about me. I don't think I'll be causing you too much grief," I told him through a quiet laugh.
"Can we promise to be honest with each other? I know we always have been—well, at least I hope you have been. I'd be pretty shocked to hear you have some secret life—"
"I've definitely told you a white lie or two, but never kept anything too important from you." My dad sent me a look for admitting such a thing and I smiled innocently, which caused him to laugh. "Of course I'm going to be honest with you, pops. If I can't be honest with you, I can't be honest with anyone. You're my person."
"You'll make me cry by saying things like that," My dad cooed before kissing the top of my head. "I'd be nothing without you, My."
I wrapped my arms around my dad's neck and we stayed hugging for a while until I heard my phone start to ring. I pulled away to see who it was, and I sent my dad a look once I found out it was Calum.
"Go ahead—we've had our moment," he joked. I kissed his cheek quickly before taking the call and getting off the couch.
"Hey," I answered with a smile.
"Hey you," Calum said, a smile clear in his tone. "Are you close to being ready?"
"Yeah, I'm ready whenever," I told him as I aimlessly walked around the room. I glanced over at my dad and saw him unsubtly look away which caused me to laugh. "If you want, you can come in when you get here. I'm sure my dad would like to see you," I said after deciding to walk out of the living room and across the hall to the kitchen.
