One Night With Pops

Chapter Three

Dave is still tapping away on his computer as I arrive home, my arms laden with grocery bags. I struggle to open the door, then fight off the dog as he bounds up to greet me.

“Rex,” I say commandingly, “get down.”
Dave hears me from his study and meanders through the house to come and help me.

“Did you buy more of those candy bars?” he asks as he snoops inside one of the bags.

He’s worse than the kids for sniffing out candy. I think he was a bloodhound in a previous life.

“I did,” I say, making his midday a little brighter.

His face lights up gleefully as I toss him a packet and warn him not to eat them all at once.

“Hey, do you want to hear some gossip?” I say as I put away the groceries.

Dave swallows the mouthful he’s chewing. “Supermarket gossip, how exciting,” he mutters with sarcasm. “Did someone forget to rotate the stock, or did someone make off with a tin of baked beans without paying?”

I grin at him, unable to conceal my news.

“No … it’s juicier than that. Your dad has a date with Erica Newman from school, and guess what?” I drag out the tension for a climactic finale.

Dave’s eyes bulge at my revelation but he doesn’t try to guess what else I have to say, he just stands there and waits for the ending.

“He asked me to pick up some Trojans from the store,” I finish explaining it to him, expecting a shocked reaction.

Dave doesn’t move an inch. It’s like he’s frozen on the spot. Then his eyebrow arches over his left eye; he's looking at me as if he expected me to tell him something extraordinary.

“That’s it?” He sounds disappointed. “Dad’s planning to hook up with Erica, and that’s supposed to amuse me?”

I feel my chest start to deflate like a balloon. “Well, don’t you have anything to say about that?”

Dave looks at his candy bar as if it suddenly tastes sour. “I don’t feel comfortable talking about my father’s sex life, Tanya. There are some things in this life that I just don’t want to know, and where my dad chooses to dunk his dick is one of them.”

“Fine,” I concede, deciding to drop the subject. “You’re right. It’s none of our business. But I do have some other good news too.” I say, putting my arms around his neck.

“Oh, yeah? Like what?” he says, resting his hands on my waist.

I love it when we’re like this. It makes my heart skip a beat just like in the old days.

“Pops has offered to babysit this Saturday night,” I mention, hoping that his expression doesn’t crumble into an apologetic wince like it usually does whenever I suggest going out.

Dave sucks his lips between his teeth as if he’s hiding some news of his own. I’m waiting for him to let me down like he usually does, but I’m surprised to see the sparkle of interest in his eyes.

“Actually … I already arranged a sitter for Saturday night,” he tells me, making me gasp with delight.

“Really? You did?” I gush, so happy I could burst.