Life Lines

41: The Matter Of Rent

Chapter Forty-One

As it turned out, I ended up sitting at the bar in the club's restaurant waiting for everything to get squared away. My father sat next to me, watching some sort of sports game on the television and joking around with me at the same time. He was a great multi-tasker. I'd relinquished Schylar so he could go find his unofficial date for the evening. He was getting antsy and therefore getting on my nerves.

Before leaving he kissed me on the cheek and said, "I'll see you in there."

I sighed, thinking maybe he would stick by me anyways but I figured he'd seen enough of me the past couple of days. The boy had a life too.

"So," my father cleared his throat after the bout of laughter I'd just sent him into, "now that you're eighteen I expect rent."

I threw him a bemused look. "A dollar a day?"

"That's only thirty bucks a month. Considering you use electricity, water, eat my food..."

"Two bucks a day?"

He chuckled and folded his hands over his glass. "How about a kiss on the cheek every morning and a hug when I get home every night? Plus one dollar a day?"

"Greedy!" I pushed him a little. "How about two hugs a day and fifty cents a day?"

He shook his head. "Cheapskate! Dinner three times a week, three hugs a day, and seventy five cents a day."

"That's horrible and unreasonable!"

"What are you going to do? Move out?"

I shrugged. "You never know." I took a gulp of my nonalcoholic Jack Rose and smiled at him. "I just might get a boyfriend, let him knock me up, and become a slacker."

"All because I wanted dinner, a couple of hugs, and seventy five cents?" He crinkled his nose and shook his head. "I don't think so. Besides, what boy will have you?"

"Dad!" My jaw dropped. "That's mean!"

"Oh, pff! You're a toad, sweetheart. It's about time you come to terms with the fact you'll be living with your dear old dad for the rest of your life, damned to become a spinster."

I busted out laughing, unable to hold it in any more. "There is no way I'm living with you forever. Your socks smell and you don't always rinse off your dishes. Do you know how hard it is to wash your cereal bowls?"

"And you think doing a load of your underwear is pleasant? Face it, baby girl, I'm the only person who would ever put up with your balled up..."

Someone cleared their throat from behind us and we both whirled around to look. My uncle stood there, eyebrows raised in humor. "Well...as much as I'd love to hear the end of that sentence—" he turned his full attention to my father "—Teddy, your presence as been requested in the ballroom that it shamelessly named after our family." He motioned for my father to head in the direction of the door.

"Oh wow, Uncle Clay. Who trained you and where can I get their number?"

"Hey, now. Unless you don't want chocolate cake with pink icing, you will be nice to me." He beckoned my father with his out stretched hand. "Get a move on, baby brother. I'll keep your darling daughter company while you play monkey dressed in a penguin suit."

I looked at my dad who was rolling his eyes. "Well, I guess we'll have to finish the discussion of my rent at a later date. Have fun, Dad. Let me know how it is."

"I'll see you in a few minutes." He kissed me on the cheek and gripped my arm. "I love you."

"Love you too, pops."