West [ COMPLETED ]

XLIII

My face blanched and I opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't know what to say without angering him or making the situation worse. Begging or pleading had never gotten me anywhere with either of my parents.

So I shut my mouth and listened, because I could tell he had more.

"Last night my own friend, to the horror of my soul," my dad continued dramatically," Informed me that he wanted to date my child, who, and do not argue, it's still nothing more than a child in my opinion, and I told him in no uncertain terms, Over my dead body."

I felt the tears coming to my eyes, not tears of sadness, but anger, but I let him continue his speech because I knew he would not be done until he was done.

"But then I had to consider the fact that although Weston has been a good friend to me these past few years, he is fourteen years my junior."

I just folded my hands underneath my chin and waited for him to proceed when he looked at me as if waiting for a response.

"Therefore, due to that fact, I have measured him a small amount of grace. It might take me the next fifteen years to become accustomed to the idea and quite frankly I don't wish to look at the fellow for the next five of them, but I have decided, and I'm going to leave it up to you, that if you feel the same way about him that he feels about you I will permit this relationship, although it pains me greatly to do so."

I dropped both of my hands and slapped them palms down on the counter.

"Really?"

"Shit, so you actually like him?" My dad asked, scowling and tossing his spoon in the sink.

"Yes. I've liked him since forever dad."

"That's disgusting."

"I don't care."

He leaned his head into his hands, and groaned.

"What have I done to deserve this?"

"Well I appreciate you "allowing" this relationship dad, but you really don't need to be so dramatic. What's wrong with Weston, up till now you've always said what an awesome guy he is so I don't see the problem, you wouldn't be friends with him if you didn't think he was a decent person," I reasoned.

"What's wrong with him is he has the audacity to ask me to date my daughter." He glared at me and went to sit on the couch.

"Well I'm really sorry Dad, but just so you know, there's this little story I haven't told you yet about how I got to Colorado after I left my cousins which might help you understand a little better."

I went over and sat on the back of the couch and relayed the entire story from start to finish, leaving a lot of my favorite parts out, for obvious reasons.

At the end of the story my dad stared stonily at the TV, saying nothing.

"So you see, Weston has actually liked me for a couple of years, so I think it is a very exemplary proof of his good character that he waited as long as he did to ask me out. Or rather ask you if he can ask me out, because he hasn't actually done that yet," I corrected myself.

"Mm," my dad grunted, unimpressed." That just makes it worse kid."

"I think he actually went about it all in a very mature way. And let's be honest dad, guys my age are total morons, at least you know Weston is a decent person, and you've known him for a long time, it could honestly be a whole lot worse."

"Mm," he said again.

I stood up, realizing it was going to take a long time for Dad to actually accept this.

"Well Dad, I appreciate your reasonableness, I'm going to go finish my packing," I said as I headed down the hall.

I wished badly to go see Weston, but decided to wait and see if he would come over here, also I needed a while to absorb the fact that my father was not blind with rage, and was not going to forbid me from being with Weston, albeit he was going to need a while to become accustomed to the idea.

I shut the door behind me and fell onto my back across my bed, laying spread eagle and staring up at my ceiling, with the widest, stupidest smile ever on my face.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

I finished getting my things ready for the flight back to Denver, thew a light sweater over my t-shirt, because the fall air was beginning to bite, and sat on my front steps and drank a hot cup of apple cider.

Weston's truck was gone from his driveway.

After staring at the distant curve in the road for a glimpse of him for over a half an hour, I forced myself to just go inside and wait for him.

The second I got back to the kitchen to rinse out my cup, I heard the doorbell ring.

I slid across the hardwood floor in my socks and opened the door to reveal a serious looking Weston, who was holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

"Good morning," I greeted him, trying not to sound as shy as I suddenly felt.

"Good morning Avery, these are for you honey," he said, and placed the bouquet in my hands.

My heart fluttered at the way he just slipped back into using those endearing nicknames.

"Aw, thank you Wes, they are beautiful," I said, honestly touched. No one had ever bought me flowers before.

"Do you want to come in for a bit?" I asked.

"Sure, that'd be nice, but can I ask you something first?"

"Yes, what?" I asked, getting nervous.

"Can I have your number please?"

I thew back my head and laughed, "Of course, that would be just fine, I should've given it to you long before now."

"Well, I never asked, so it's not your fault," he said, shrugging.

"Yeah I know...but it would have been practical, and saved us all...a lot of trouble."

He nodded, reaching out to loosely grip my waist and pull me towards him. I bit my lip to try to control the wild smile that was threatening to take over my face.

"You're right. And one more question," he said, smiling.

"What?" I thought he was going to tease me about something.

"Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

My smile dropped and I froze, eyes wide, before I absorbed what he really just asked me.

"Would...I? Would I?" I repeated.

"Would you?"

I reached my hands up to cup either side of his face, rose up on tip toes, and kissed his smiling lips.

"Yes, I would, I absolutely would," I breathed.

Weston laughed excitedly and lifted me into a hug, setting me back down with another warm kiss.

"Beautiful."