Growing Up Nelson: Book 3

Chapter 12

Taking my gifts from Tre I gave him a hug and thanked him for what he did. I seriously wasn't expecting this kind of fanfare from him. This may have been my dad's doing.

"Tre this was very sweet of you!" I said to him.

"Your dad called and told me that you came home safe and sound yesterday but I was away with family for Christmas. I was just gonna get the teddy bear but....." he said with a smile.

"Did my dad say come with balloons and roses?" I asked him.

By the bashful look on his face and my dad slowing trying to remove himself from the room gave me my answer.

"Dad!" I called as he tried to sneak away.

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to me with a grinch like grin.

"Are you toying with my love life?" I giggled.

Daddy placed his hands on his chest and was playfully shocked.

"Why Carlyn! Why on earth would you think such a thing?" He said coyly.

"Come dad lets not act new here. What are you up to?"

"Nothing! I promise!"

"Mmhmm. I'm on to you old man."

"Remember you said I wasn't old."

"Well now you are today. And you'll be even old if you don't think about what I said earlier."

My dad begin to blush as he happened to see Regan standing off to the side crossing her arms and looking over at him. He didn't want to look at her because in a way he knew I was right all along. He can't help but love her. Just by the pink color on his face you can clearly see that he's over the moon with Regan here! Just go for it daddy! You know you want to! The world knows you want to!

"I take it you two were having a deep conversation?" Regan asked as she looked at my dad.

"Just a little one. Wasn't that deep." He said smiling at her.

"Dude! Seriously!" I said as I face palmed myself.

Tre giggled a little as he watched Regan and my dad's flirty behavior.

"Hey Carly who's that? Your dad seems to really be into her." Tre whispered to me as Regan and daddy were going back and forth.

"Oh! That's Regan. She saved me. AND she's my dad's one that got away. He's too afraid to admit it though. By the way their acting you would think they were us."

"I know right! Why don't they just get together? Your dad is cool and she seems right for him. They both make each other happy."

"Glad you see it too! They were supposed to get married but something happened between them. He still has the ring. I just wish he'd go get it and put it on her finger and stop beating around the bush."

"Does she know that he still has it?"

"She knows. She won't bring it up to him though for some reason."

"Well maybe they wanted different things or something."

I never even thought about that part. As I looked on I smiled at their playfulness and how well they get along when there's not a serious relationship involved.

"Yeah.....maybe." I said as Regan took off my dad's fedora and rugged up his hair.

They stopped fooling around like kids and Regan soon focused her attention to me and Tre.

"Hey! I got an idea! We should do something fun tonight!" She said excited.

"Yeah? Like what?" I asked.

"Why don't you and Tre come with me and your dad to the rink! Me and Skipper used to go roller skating all the time and had a ball!"

I really like this girl! She knows how to have a good time! I looked back at my dad in hopes that he would say yes admit sure enough he couldn't resist.

  "Go get ready and I'll have Tony pull the car around." Daddy said as he tried to secretly take Regan's hand.

My heart was full of joy as his index finger linked to hers. The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

  "Just like old times aye Skipper?" Regan said beaming.

  "Always! I would want nothing more than to  go skating with you. Especially when you fall flat on your face like when we would skate in the street as kids." My dad joked.

These two seriously need to be together. It's like....written in the stars that they were meant to be! Nothing would make me happier than to see Regan everyday making us breakfast and being that missing piece of Paisley that my dad keeps talking about. Me and Joey were one part. Regan is the other missing puzzle piece! I ran up to my room with a huge smile on my face and grabbed my skates that daddy bought for me the day after my adoption. They were red and black with my name written on the outside of each skate. Joey got a pair too. His were blue and gold with his name as on the back. My dad said he had a pair as well but I've never seen them. This would be the first time I see my dad in a pair of skates. I don't know if this will be a fun experience or a painful nightmare. If my dad breaks a hip out there on the rink I'll never let him live it down. I ran back downstairs and met Regan at my dad at the door just as Tony pulled up.

  "Ready girlfriend?" Regan asked with a smile as she stuck out her hand.

  "Oh yeah I'm ready!" I giggled taking her hand.

We walked out together and my dad opened the car door letting us in first.

  "Ladies first." He said smiling.

I haven't seen him smile this much since adoption day. My dad had been shot by cupid's arrow. All I have to do at the rink is help them along by getting him to propose to Regan and convincing her to say yes! Daddy get ready to fall in love tonight.