Oh, Dakota

36- Endlessly

There are times in a person’s life where they question a decision or multiple decisions that they had made in the past. They will question their sanity and they will want to back down out of whatever decision that they regretted.

When I was sitting on my couch with my dad and my brother, that was one of those times where I was questioning myself and my own decision making skills. Why did I feel the need to tell them about Paris? Why did I feel the need to tell my dad about talking to Annie at all? This was going to end so terribly and it was all my fault.

“Aren’t you going shopping today?” Owen wondered as we all were sitting on the couch.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Later though, I have to tell you guys something really quick though.”

“Are you pregnant?” My dad asked with raised eyebrows.

“No!” I insisted loudly.

“Well then what is it?”

I took a deep breath and decided to get it all out in one breath so that it wouldn’t be so slow. “I’ve been talking to our mom,” I blurted, waiting a few seconds to look up and gauge my dad’s reaction.

“I know,” He chuckled. “You’re not as secretive as you think you are, Dakota.”

“You know?” I echoed in surprise. “How’d you find out?”

“Owen told me,” He sighed. “And if that’s what you want, then you go for it, I won’t stop you.”

“Oh,” I muttered, totally taken back by the total nonchalance that my dad had for the subject. Ever since I was little, he wouldn’t allow Owen or me to ask questions about our mom or to talk about her at all so I was genuinely surprised and relieved that he didn’t mind me talking to her. “Well, that’s not all.”

“So you are pregnant?” My dad wondered.

“I’m not pregnant,” I grumbled. “Why do you think that I’m pregnant?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, you just seem like you’re about to tell us that you’re pregnant.”

“Well, I’m not,” I assured him once again. “But after talking to Annie for a while, she actually invited me to go visit her in Paris for the summer.”

“What?” Owen snapped, finally joining the conversation. “That’s insane, you’re going to tell her no, right?”

I shrugged softly. “I don’t know yet.”

“Dad, you won’t let her do that, will you? That’s seriously insane, Kota, you don’t even know her,” Owen reminded me hysterically.

“Okay, well technically, we’ll be eighteen by then so I can go without Dad’s permission, I just thought you guys would want to know,” I explained. “I don’t want you to be mad or anything and I’m not sure if I’m going to accept or not.”

“I think it sounds like a good idea,” My dad piped.

“You do?” Owen and I spurted at the same time.

He nodded. “Yeah, I do. Just because I don’t particularly care for the woman, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have the opportunity to get to know your mother.”

“I’m so glad that you see it that way,” I chirped excitedly. “You’re the best, Daddy.”

“You’re only saying that because I’m paying for this prom dress,” He teased as I stood up from the couch to grab my bag because I had to meet Nikki and Bridgett at the mall in fifteen minutes to go find our prom dresses.