The Arrangement

The Arrangement_13

[[Dixon]]





After I hung up with Lila I made my way back into the spare bedroom.

"Uh you gotta go." I said as I stepped back into my pants.

"Why? I don't want to go yet." I had met this girl earlier when I went on a pastry run for the office.

"Not my problem, my girlfriends coming." I lied.

As bad as it sounds, I liked that Lila had agreed to the title of girlfriend, it scared other girls away after I got what I needed.

"You didn't say you had a girlfriend." The girl angrily said as she wrapped the sheet around herself.

"Well, you didn't ask."

"I'm not leaving." She insisted.

"Well if she shoots you don't say I didn't warn you."

A look of panic crossed her face and she got up, after she got dressed I walked her to the door.

"Can I see you again?" She asked desperately.

I never will understand some women, even after finding out I have a girlfriend who might be psycho, this girl still wants to mess around.

"I don't think so."

She left and I got a call from my friend David.

"Word around town is you got a girlfriend. That's practically marriage dude."

"You have no idea," I sighed. "What's up?"

"We're going out, get dressed."

"Man I'm not even in the mood." I admitted, "plus I have to go see my dad."

It was true, my mom had said he was getting worse, I hadn't been by the care facility she had him in, in a while.

"Alright then man, hey give your pops my best." He finished.

"Thanks man."

I hung up, showered then took off. By the time I arrived I was informed I only had 30 minutes.

"Hey Dad, it's Dixon." I said a little sadly, my father had a stroke just over a year ago and he was now beginning to lose his memory from the fall he had suffered during the stroke.

"You think I don't know my own son?" He asked with a smile.

I sat down feeling a bit better, he was having a good day. "So Ma says you aren't doing too good."

He scoffed, "your mother has always worried too much about me. From what I hear, you have a very pretty lady in your life.

I nodded.

"Be faithful and love each other and everything will work out."

"It's not that serious." I said a little embarrassed, not only an hour ago I had another girl under me who wasn't Lila.

"What do you mean it's not serious? You like her right?"

"Yeah I like her fine." I sighed.

"Are you happy?"

At that I had to stop and think, it was the first time anyone had asked me if I was happy?

Lila is a great girl, this much I had already established, she wasn't pushy and she never makes me feel uncomfortable. Even from our first date, there was no tension. I had a good job that I didn't mind going in to, close friends, amazing family, perfect health.

"Yeah, I'm happy. Things just seem to be moving so fast and it's driving me insane that I can't control any of it."

"Son, time's gonna move wether we're ready or not. I just want you happy, do I want to see you married, of course, do I want to see my future grandchildren, without a doubt. Will I be around long enough to witness these things, I don't know."

His words struck a cord in my heart, I tried my hardest not to cry, but once I noticed his eyes starting to water I couldn't hold my own emotions back.

"I'm not gonna be around for much longer kiddo."

"Dad don't talk this way, please."

"Listen, you know it's your job as the oldest to take care of your mom and little brother when I'm gone, make sure they're happy, above anything else I just want all of you to be happy." He said as he wiped his face.

A knock on the door sounded and the nurse informed me that I had to leave for the night.

I told my dad I loved him then left the building, I got to my car and broke down.

The whole process was weird and foreign to me, I don't lose control, I don't cry, but here I was alone and scared.

I pulled out my phone and did something I've never done, I called a girl to come over.

"I just can't be alone tonight." I said and then hung up.