Being a Banner [ 1 of JA ]

26

I wake up to my face being mashed into the pillows, and my alarm clock reading five after ten in the morning. My hair was a frizzled mess and my eyes were still tired. I was sure that it was Tuesday, and I celebrated on the inside of how no one was shouting at me to get ready.
After using the bathroom, I walked to the family room, but I saw that Dad was in the kitchen, snacking on Cheerios.

"Hey," I greeted, rubbing my eyes.
"Hey," he replied. There was a pause before he started talking once again. "So, I've been thinking about what you said," I raise an eyebrow to this — was he about to say what I think he's about to say?
"About. . .?"
"About, you trying to control, the Other Guy," Dad says, placing the Cheerios on the counter. "Are you sure, that if we spend time together, or . . . That if I hang around you, the Other Guy, would see how much I care about you?"
Now this felt awkward to me because it sounded like he was being forced to spend time with me.
"Well, I don't know. Maybe the Other Guy needs to feel how you feel about me too. I mean — he can't be nice to everyone he sees. Am I right?" I say.

Dad shrugged. "You've got a point there." I then raise an eyebrow.
"Like. . . The Other Guy has seen the same people before?"
As if he was practicing, Dad ignored my question. "Hey — um. . . There's something else I need to say," he says, looking like he couldn't even talk. "The real reason, you were sick. . . Was because of this pull, that you and I have."
"A pull?" I ask.
"It's what happens when two people, meaning you and I, are separated for a long period of time. The Gamma Ray has to meet its other half that's been separated — or passed down," Dad gestures to me. "So you and I couldn't be separated for a long time," Dad explains.
"And this didn't happen before I found out about everything because. . .?" I ask, confusion all over my face.
"I don't know." Dad says. "It stopped when you were seven the last time it happened — the only time it happened." As he said that, Dad realized that it probably was the only time we've had this genetic pull occur.

That explains why he'd always pick me up so early from first grade. I was always the first to go at twelve, and I remembered always feeling a bit sick, but then it'd fade away just as I saw Dad when he came to get me.
"I feel bad that you told me. . . Everything." I say to him.
"It's okay," Dad replied, "I couldn't keep the truth from you forever. I just wanted it to go down in a different way." There was a silence as I thought about what he said. Maybe it was going to be a few more years until he told me — maybe even more. If I was more mature than I am now, maybe some things wouldn't have happened.

"Mom did know about this, right? I thought I heard you say that." I say. Dad nodded in reply. At least I wasn't the only person who knew. Unfortunately Mom wasn't here, so I felt pressure onto taking the task at hand. "She must've really loved you." I say, a small smile.
"Why?" Dad snaps. "Because I'm a monster?" My mouth opens in shock as my face flushes white.
"Dad, I swear I didn't mean it like that! I-I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I exclaim as I follow Dad around the little island counter in the middle of the kitchen.
Dad brushed his hair back and sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You're fine." He gripped the side of the table. I watched as his eyes narrowed into sadness and despair that only comes with someone who's been hurt more than once. If anyone deserved to vent, it was Dad. Though I could see a very light shade of green tint at his skin. "Only she could love a monster."
"I love you," I say, "And you're not a monster. You're two different people. And I mean that in fact, not to start anything we can't settle."
Dad nodded in understanding. "I love you too." He didn't look at me when he said it.

As I held back a few emotions, a new, bright and cheerful thought came to mind. "You don't have to hang around me all the time," I say, "What about Dalia? You like her!" The smile on my face turned to a frown faster than the speed of light. Dalia doesn't know about Dad's ego. She doesn't know about the big green monster with big anger issues. If that won't scare away your crush I don't know what will.
Looking over at Dad, I noticed he was smiling.
"What?" I ask.
Dad chuckled, "Nothing."
"C'mon! What is it?" I push. Dad still had a goofy-looking smile on his face.
"I asked Dalia out." he said.